Away From Here
by Julian Dimera
Summary: This fic takes place after and is a continuation of Here For You and Shorts 1. Away From Here picks up in December during finals week for Chad, Will, Sonny, and more. Chad and Will come to terms about their relationship. Chapters will be posted slower.
1. Chapter 1 Nightmares

**Chapter 1: Nightmares – Monday, December 12th, 2011**

Chad walked around the Horton Town Square looking for Will. It was dark out and all the shops were closed. The square was completely empty except for Chad. Chad shivered and wrapped his arms around his body as he called out for Will. On a post, he saw a poster that was very familiar to him. He walked over to it and frowned. "Will, where are you?" He pulled the poster off of the post wishing he could find Will.

Chad looked up again and saw missing posters with Will's face on them. They were now everywhere and no one seemed to know where he was. The moon lit the posters with a dreary and depressing blue causing Chad to sort of lose his mind. He couldn't take looking at all of them anymore, so Chad ran to his car and drove off into the darkness. He decided to head to the family home to see if Will was there. He wondered if maybe Will got lost in the Dimera Mansion.

Coming up on the driveway of the Dimera Mansion, Chad parked his car and got out. He noticed that ice covered the pavement directly outside of the front door. That never happened before as his father always made sure Harold or Marco put salt on the ground so no one would slip. Chad tried to make his way to the door, but his feet kept sliding on the ice. He slowly braced himself with every step. Finally, he was able to make it to the door and opened it.

Chad walked into the house carefully as it was completely dark except for a faded light on the side of the stairs. He called out to anyone but did not get a response. He listened closely to the silence and suddenly heard sounds. Chad then realized the sounds were coming from the basement. He knew he had to check it out as the rest of the house seemed completely empty. He wondered if everyone was in the basement looking for Will.

Making his way down the stairs, the noises became louder and clearer. Chad realized that the noise he heard was actually a voice repeating something. Walking down the long metallic hall he realized that the voice kept saying, "Help me get free. I'm stuck." Chad followed the voice to a door that was securely closed. Chad began to pull on it, but it would not budge. The voice began to get louder and Chad quickly realized it was Will. "Will?" Chad shouted to let Will know he was going to save him.

Chad finally kicked the door in and found Will strapped to an examining bed. "Will, what are you doing down here?" he asked as he made his way to Will to unstrap him.

"I don't know," Will shared. Will's face was rather pale. "I just woke up down here. Help me get free. I'm stuck."

"That's what I'm doing." Chad finally undid the last strap and helped Will off the bed by holding him.

"Thanks," Will told Chad as he pulled himself away from Chad. "Now I can do what I was ordered to do."

Chad stood back and gave Will a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't matter, Chad. You aren't strong enough for the job I was created to do." Will pushed Chad away and began to walk out the door.

Chad followed Will out and realized that something was wrong with Will. He was no longer himself. Chad glanced back in the room and saw monitors all around the examining bed. He wondered if his father did something to Will. Chad ran to catch up with Will. "Will, what did my father do to you?"

Will stopped walking and turned to Chad to respond. "I'm the perfect soldier. The one your father always wanted." Chad stepped back in fear when he saw darkness in Will's eyes.

Chad immediately woke up in a sweat in his bedroom at the apartment he shared with Will and Sonny. He wiped his forehead and looked at the clock. It was 2am. He took deep breaths and tried to calm his heart as he reflected on his dream. He thought about how Will had gone missing and quickly turned to the other side of the bed. He sighed in relief as he saw Will sleeping peacefully next to him. Chad laid back down and moved closer to Will. Giving him a kiss on the head, Chad fearfully wondered if his connection to his family would get in the way of his relationship with Will.

* * *

><p>Later on that morning, Sonny began to cook breakfast in the kitchen. He turned and saw Chad and Will walking out of their bedroom ready to head out for school. "Morning. You guys ready for the first day of finals?"<p>

Will smiled when he smelled what Sonny was cooking. He placed his hand on Chad making him jump as Will caught him off guard. Will looked at Chad to make sure he was okay before replying to Sonny. "After I eat some of your delicious breakfast, I will. I can't believe I'm almost done with my first semester. Hopefully I will be able to survive finals week. I don't want to get stuck with taking the same classes next semester."

Chad patted Will on the back trying not to think of the nightmare he had before 2am. "You are going to be fine." As he spoke to Will he could not help but think about Will being brainwashed by his father. Chad turned to Sonny as he shook his head to keep the thoughts away. "I wish I could stay and eat, but I wanted to get to my final early so I could study some more there and not have to move." Chad gave Will a quick peck and then left the apartment.

Will took a seat as Sonny finished cooking. Sonny made two plates and headed over to the table. After Sonny handed one to Will, Will thanked him. "It's too bad Chad is missing this right now," Sonny smiled as he began to eat.

Will took a bite as he thought about Chad. "This is delicious." After Will praised Sonny's breakfast his thoughts returned to Chad. Something was off about him. "Did you notice how Chad seemed a bit off just now?"

Sonny swallowed his food to answer. "Yeah, he seemed a bit jumpy – a bit on edge."

Will sighed. He stood up to grab something to drink. He poured two glasses of orange juice and brought them over. After taking a seat he sat down and watched Sonny. "I've woken up to Chad moaning in his sleep," Will admitted. "I think he's really worried about something. Whatever it is, it's stressing him out."

"He's probably just stressed about finals," Sonny countered as he continued to eat. Sonny put his fork down and gave Will a look. "Have you talked to him about taking the next step in your relationship?"

Will gave Sonny an uneasy look. "Not really. I don't know how to mention it to him. I don't want to push him into it." Will wanted to make love to Chad so bad, but he did not want to guilt trip Chad into it directly. "I've tried to give Chad a hint by playing songs that have to do with making love and having sex, but he's not biting."

Sonny perked up and tried not to laugh. "Wait… what songs have you played to him exactly?"

Will rolled his eyes as he thought of the songs he played for Chad. "Just some songs. You know what I am talking about – sexy songs." Will tried not to let the situation stress him out too much, but deep down he was worried that he and Chad had not had sex yet. Biting his lip, Will looked back to Sonny. "Chad will be ready when he's ready. I'm not worried." Will focused on eating again so he would not have to look at Sonny for the rest of the meal.

* * *

><p>EJ walked back into the mansion a bit out of breath after his morning jog. He made his way to pour himself a glass of water. Stefano, who sat at the desk, turned to him. "How was the run?"<p>

Before EJ could answer, Sami walked in and gave EJ a kiss on the cheek. EJ smiled while trying to slow his heart beat. "It was productive, I suppose. It's really cold outside."

Sami gave EJ a playful look. "Well, there is such a thing called winter. Winter happens when the air gets colder and precipitation falls from the sky in the form of snow. Snow is that white stuff you see all around outside."

EJ shook his head and began to playfully rub his sweat all over Sami. "How come the precipitation from my body isn't turning into snow?"

Sami laughed and pushed EJ off of her. "Stop, I have to head to the pub to help my grandmother. It's my turn today." Sami wiped her clothes. "And to answer your question, it didn't turn into snow because you are so damn hot."

Stefano rolled his eyes at the two. "Hello. I'm sitting right here, still."

EJ and Sami stopped flirting with each other. As EJ grabbed his glass of water, he turned to his father. "I noticed that the mansion in the next lot has been sold."

Sami was intrigued. "I wonder who moved in. Did you see anyone there when you ran by?"

"No, I did not. Whoever bought the house is probably waiting to move in." EJ took another sip of water.

"Whoever it is, we will find out soon enough." Stefano wondered if he should have Marco look into it.

* * *

><p>Jennifer and Daniel sat across from each other in Daniel's office. Jennifer held her coffee cup with both hands as she spoke to Daniel about Abigail. "I cannot wait until she's home again. I bet she has tons of pictures and stories about her study abroad."<p>

Daniel thought about his time out of the US. "It's fun to get out and visit other countries."

"I'm so glad that she's going to be home to settle in before the holidays." Jennifer became more excited. "Speaking of the holidays, JJ is finally coming to Salem for the holidays. His school year ends in the middle of next week." Jennifer noticed that Daniel started looking through his files when she mentioned the holidays. She knew he was still listening though. "Daniel, I really want you and Melanie to join my family at my house for Christmas."

Daniel put his files down and stood up to kiss Jennifer. "I thought you would never ask," he responded lightheartedly.

Jennifer smiled and went in for another kiss, but stopped when they heard something fall in the hallway. "What was that?"

Daniel headed towards the door. "I wonder if that's the new doctor I heard was coming in."

"What new doctor? Why wasn't I told about the new doctor?" Jennifer followed Daniel out to the hall.

Daniel looked back at Jennifer. "You didn't get the memo?"

As they both made their way to the hall, they spotted the new doctor. Jennifer was going to respond to Daniel about the memo, but her thoughts went somewhere else when she realized who the new doctor was. "Colin?" she thought to herself. She knew Colin was in town, but she did not expect to see him there. She looked up to Daniel and then her watch. "You know what? I need to head to my office. I forgot I had a meeting now. I will catch up with you later." Jennifer walked away without acknowledging Colin's presence.

Daniel scratched his head and wondered if there was another reason Jennifer walked away like that. Daniel turned back to Colin. "Sorry about that. When she has her mind focused on something, she goes for it." Daniel smiled and put his hand out. "I'm Dr. Daniel Jonas."

Colin stopped picking his things from the floor and shook Daniel's hand. "I'm Dr. Colin Murphy." He had also noticed Jennifer's strange behavior. He knew why she responded that way though. He hoped he could convince her that he was a changed man.

Daniel quickly noticed the accent and then remembered seeing Colin on the island that Rafe took his daughter to. "Oh, I remember you. Do you need help with your stuff?"

Colin smiled. "Sure, I would appreciate that." Daniel grabbed a few things and helped Colin take his things into his office.

* * *

><p>As Chad headed to his first final to study, Gabi called out to Chad to stop him from entering the building. "Chad. I know we don't really hang out anymore as a group, but I thought you should know something."<p>

Chad looked at the time and decided he had a minute to spare. He did find it odd that Gabi actually approached him. "Yeah? What is it?"

Gabi lowered her voice so that Chad could only hear her. "Chad, some of the students here have asked me about you and Will."

Chad got nervous. "Really? Who was it? What did you tell them?"

Gabi did not want Chad to know who approached her figuring it would only make him more paranoid. "I didn't tell anyone your secret. I just wanted to give you a heads up that people have asked."

Chad looked back at his watch. "Thanks for letting me know. Good luck on your finals." Chad waved as Gabi walked away. He turned around and headed into the building. Chad tried to clear his thoughts to focus on his final, but he could not help but notice others giving him looks. He thought he took care of this already. As he continued on, his paranoia seemed to get the best of him as he believed everyone now knew that he and Will were together.

Once he arrived in the classroom, he took a seat and pulled out his study guide. He told himself to focus on studying so he could ace his final. He took a few breaths and began to read over his study guide.

* * *

><p>Melanie and Nathan arrived at the Brady Pub to grab some coffee before heading to the hospital. Melanie looked the place over and realized they were most likely the first customers of the morning as the pub was empty. She took Nathan's hand as they made their way to the bar to order their drinks.<p>

Sami walked out from the back and greeted them with a smile. "What can I get for you two?"

"I'll just take a coffee with milk," Nathan turned to Melanie and turned back to Sami as she continued, "and she'll take a hot chocolate with whipped cream."

"Is that for here or to go?" Sami asked.

"We'll drink them here and probably take another round to go." Melanie replied.

After collecting the payment, Sami told Nathan and Melanie she would deliver their drinks to their table. Nathan and Melanie thanked Sami and took a seat. Nathan smiled as he watched Melanie take her coat off. Melanie looked up and noticed Nathan smiling at her. "What?" she asked with a nervous smile.

"Can't believe how lucky I am," Nathan said causing Melanie to blush. "So do you know what you and your dad are doing for Christmas?"

Melanie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I know Victor invited us to have Christmas with them when we were at his place for Thanksgiving, but I don't know if dad wants to change it up for Christmas. Why do you ask? What are you doing?"

"Well, family is coming into town for Christmas at Grandpa and Gram's house." Nathan looked into Melanie's eyes as he grabbed her hand. "I know where I hope to see you on Christmas Eve and Christmas day – with my family."

"We'll have to see. I'll ask my dad." Melanie smiled.

Sami finished making Nathan and Melanie's drinks and delivered them. Walking back to the bar, Caroline came out from the back. Sami stopped what she was doing when she saw her grandmother hobbling around. "Grandma, what do you think you're doing? You should be relaxing and taking it easy."

Caroline leaned against the bar for a moment. "I need to walk around some before I go into my appointment today. Do you know who is taking me to the hospital?"

"When Lisa gets in, I'll help you in the kitchen and then take you to your appointment when it is time." Sami put her arm around Caroline. "Do you want to take a seat out here?"

"Yeah, just for a moment." Caroline smiled as Sami helped her to a chair at the bar. "Thanks so much Sami for doing this for me. I know you have a job that you're taking off from to help me, and I really appreciate it." Caroline frowned a bit as she continued, "I'm sorry if I am a burden, but with Kimberly and Kayla gone, it's hard right now. It's a good thing reinforcements are coming this month in time for the holidays."

Sami smiled at her grandmother. "I don't mind at all, but I do feel good about the fact that you're getting a permanent helper soon."

* * *

><p>Will and Sonny arrived on campus trying to avoid the icy blocks all around campus. They arrived a bit early to study for their first final and to meet Sonny's boyfriend, Kai. Sonny turned to Will, "Kai said to meet him here. I wonder if he accidentally slept in."<p>

Will shrugged his shoulders just wanting to get his final over with. He turned and spotted Kai walking towards them. "He's right there."

Sonny smiled as he watched Kai walk over. Sonny waved at him as he walked over. "Hey babe!"

Kai arrived. "Hey Sonny!" Kai gave Sonny a longing kiss.

Will watched in amazement. He could not believe how open Sonny and Kai were with their relationship. They did not care if anyone saw them making out in the middle of school. "Hey Kai," Will said to interrupt their moment so they could study in the library.

Kai pushed himself off of Sonny. "Oh, hey Will. It's good to see you. Where's Chad?"

"He's already taking his first final. Shall we head to the library now?" Will wanted to get the show on the road.

"Yeah, it's cold out here." Sonny took Kai's hand after giving him a peck on the lips. "To the library!"

Will watched Sonny and Kai as they headed to the library. He could not help feeling jealous because of how comfortable they were with each other. He did not understand how fast Kai got used to being gay considering Sonny was his first boyfriend. Will wished that Chad felt comfortable like Kai did.


	2. Chapter 2 Appointment

**Chapter 2: Appointment – Monday, December 12th, 2011**

EJ answered the door when he heard the doorbell ring. When he opened the door he invited Arianna inside. Arianna wiped her face as she walked into the Dimera Mansion causing EJ to notice that she had been crying earlier. "What's the matter, Arianna?"

"Sorry," Arianna started. "I came here to thank you, but it's hard. My mother got her test results last Friday and the treatment didn't work," she admitted. "I came here to thank you for recommending the best doctor and paying for his services, but now it appears that death has won."

EJ pulled Arianna into a hug. "Have you told the rest of the family?"

"Well, Gabi's with Mama now at the apartment, but Mama does not want to tell Gabi until after her finals are over." Arianna separated from EJ. "Dario is coming back next week and we'll tell him then. We can't tell Manny at the moment because he's going through intense inpatient treatment to help him through everything he's been through since he went to jail for Rafe."

EJ gave Arianna a tissue. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," she responded not wanting to look at him.

EJ could tell she was lying. "Ari, I am serious. I think there is something I can help with."

Arianna glanced up at EJ. "I don't know how you could help, but I don't think Mama's living arrangement at Gabi's apartment is helping her. The neighbors are loud and rude. I'm not talking about Melanie and her dad of course."

EJ put his arm on Ari's shoulder. "I have a solution for you and your mother. You can move into the guesthouse here. You'll have all the peace and quiet, and I promise no one will be rude to you or your family."

Arianna gave EJ a skeptical look. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea because of what's happened between my family and yours. I know your father does not care for us."

EJ smiled. "I'll talk to my father. You should definitely consider it. Talk to your mother and sister about it and we'll go from there."

* * *

><p>Melanie and Nathan arrived to the hospital for their shift. They saw Maxine at the nurse's station and decided to say hello. Melanie stood in front of Maxine and asked, "So anything new today?"<p>

"Actually, now that you mention it, we have a new doctor starting today." Maxine was excited to announce his name. "His name is Dr. Murphy. Dr. Colin Murphy."

Nathan looked at Melanie as soon as Maxine said Colin's name. "Isn't that the guy that saved Will and Chad on the island?"

Melanie nodded. "Yeah." She turned to Maxine. "I had no idea that he was a doctor."

"Oh, he most certainly is a doctor." Maxine looked up as she pictured Colin. "That eye candy with that sexy accent worked here a while back." She looked back to Nathan and Melanie. "It's a good thing he's back – not just for the patients." She winked at them and continued, "We should get back to work." Melanie and Nathan looked at each other and agreed.

* * *

><p>Sonny and Kai met up at the Horton Town Square to eat lunch. After getting their food they decided to eat outside to enjoy and relax in the cool weather. Kai took a bite and asked Sonny, "Where are Will and Chad?"<p>

Sonny took a sip of his hot chocolate before answering. "Chad and Will decided to eat lunch alone on campus because Chad has a short break between finals."

Kai smiled at Sonny and took his hand. "I'm glad that we get some alone time as well." Kai let go of Sonny's hand and continued to eat. "So how was your Spanish final?"

Sonny eyed Kai as he answered, "It went fine. I believe I aced it."

"That's good." After finishing a bite, Kai took a sip of his tea. "I wish you took Cantonese so that we could talk. Although it's really hard to learn, or so I've heard."

Sonny smiled nervously as he thought of the reason he decided to take Spanish. He was slightly embarrassed because he decided to take Spanish before he met Kai. "Well, maybe I'll pick it up after I am done with my Spanish courses." Sonny took a bite and decided he needed to change the subject. "I can't believe this is the last week of school. Christmas will be here very soon."

Kai frowned a bit as he played with his food. "I hate that. I'm heading back home to Vancouver on Saturday. Things will definitely get boring then." Kai moved closer to Sonny as he continued, "I want to make up for the time I will be gone before I leave on Saturday. I'm hoping I can come back sooner than planned."

Sonny smiled and kissed Kai. "I hope so, too."

* * *

><p>Will walked out of the math building after finishing his first final. Feeling better that he had finished his first final, he walked over to where he was supposed to meet Chad for lunch. He spotted Chad standing in the middle of campus talking to two attractive girls. As Will watched the girls touch Chad all over his body, he decided to stop where he was because he felt jealous and unsure of what to do. When he looked closer he recognized who the girls were.<p>

Chad looked around as he talked to Michelle and Beth looking for Will. He finally spotted him standing by the student center. "Hey ladies, I have to go study for my next final. Thanks for your help." After Michelle and Beth walked away, Chad made his way over to Will. Chad could not help smiling as he looked into Will's eyes, but then noticed something seemed off. "You don't look too happy, Will," he noted wondering if he did not do well on his final. "How was your math final?"

"It went well," Will claimed. "Do you enjoy being touched by girls?" Will asked a bit shocked that he just came out with it. He decided to go with it.

Chad did not know what to say. "They're just friends, Will."

"Right. Those are the two girls that were at our house at that party two months ago, right? The ones that you told that I shared a room with Sonny and that you had your own room?"

"Yeah, that was Michelle and Beth. They're in my Comm. III class, remember?" Chad wondered where this was coming from when the party was so long ago.

"I remember. I also remember them wanting to stay the night with you, but you came up with some lame excuse as to why they could not stay so they would just go home." Will shook his head and looked away from Chad disappointed. He wondered if Chad was still afraid of being with him.

Annoyed that Will was bringing this up now Chad whispered to Will, "They did not want to stay the night. They offered to help with cleaning. Besides I don't want to talk about this here – in public."

Will rolled his eyes. "I know we agreed to go to the school cafeteria, but I'd rather go somewhere else to eat so we can talk there. If we go to the cafeteria we'll have to pretend that nothing's going on between us and we'll get nowhere."

Chad sighed in frustration. "Will, we don't have time for this. I have another final coming up and I can't afford to leave campus right now. Let's just go the cafeteria and have lunch together." Chad looked around to make sure they weren't making a scene.

Will was tired of keeping stuff in to make Chad feel comfortable. "Forget lunch. I'll just go get lunch myself while you have fun with Michelle and Beth. Seems you always have time for them and not me."

Will walked off leaving Chad there in shock. Chad tried to shake off what happened as he needed to focus on his final. He headed to the cafeteria to get a quick snack before heading to the his classroom to study.

* * *

><p>At Salem University Hospital, Daniel met with Caroline and Sami to check up on Caroline. After taking her blood pressure and checking her other vitals, Daniel took a seat next to Caroline. "It looks like you are doing better. I saw you walk into the room and though you still seemed a bit shaky, you've improved quite a bit."<p>

Caroline smiled. "I have been doing my physical rehab exercises. They really seem to help."

"How is your memory? Anything coming back to you?" Daniel asked.

"Well some things have come back to me because Sami, Bo, and Roman remind me of things that have happened over the summer. There is still a lot missing though."

Sami nervously looked at Daniel as she knew what was missing. She had not talked to Caroline about what happened with Will, Sonny, Adrienne, Justin, and Victor. "Yeah, I think she's going at a good pace of remembering things."

"What about your memory since the stroke? Have you forgotten anything or have you struggled with remembering where things are or what's going on?" Daniel turned to both Caroline and Sami wondering if both noticed anything.

Caroline turned to Sami. "I don't think I have had any problems in that area. Have you noticed anything Sami?"

"I haven't noticed anything. She has been aware of everything when I am around." Sami looked to Daniel. "So things should get better from here on out right?"

Dan nodded his head and turned to Caroline. "You are a strong woman, Caroline. I'm glad you are able to fight this and get better."

* * *

><p>Colin sat in his office and almost jumped when his door suddenly opened. Jennifer walked in and closed the door behind her. Colin looked at her wondering why she entered that way. "Jennifer, what…"<p>

"I start the talking, Colin," she cut in. "How were you able to get your old job back? We both know you don't belong here."

Colin waited a while to make sure she was done talking. "May I talk now?" Jen nodded her head. "Well, after I was rescued from the island, I entered a reintegration therapy that would help me reintegrate into society and get my old life back. After I was done, the medical board allowed me to have my medical license once again after taking short classes to catch me up." Colin pointed to a certificate on the wall. "It's legit. I promise you."

Jennifer looked at the certificate, but still did not trust Colin. With a cold look in her eyes, she stated, "I heard that you saved Chad and Will's lives, but I'm still skeptical on the idea that you can actually be trusted. You are a horrible person."

Colin shrugged his shoulders. "I don't understand where this hostility is coming from," he lied. "I remember a time when you were once interested in me. What happened?"

Jennifer hated that she was once interested in Colin. "That was another time, and I really don't know what I was thinking when I thought you were a good guy."

Colin smiled. "Oh, I think you've got me all wrong. I'm not trying to win you over again. I have noticed that you have moved onto another doctor."

Jennifer gave Colin a look. "That's none of your business. You really think you know everything and you're just as cocky now as you were then."

"You know you really have a bad track record. I hope Daniel is the exception, I really do." Colin smirked. "I remember when Jack came back into the picture when you were trying to move on again. You would do anything for that man, so I guess when I look back to that time you were just a bad judge of character when it came to all men in your life." Colin looked around. "So where's good old Jack now? Did he leave you and the family again?"

Jennifer had enough and did not want to talk about Jack. "Just go to hell Colin. You don't belong in Salem. No one wants you here." Jennifer turned and walked out.

Colin smirked again pleased by the fact that he could still get under Jennifer's skin. "If you only knew Jennifer Horton."

* * *

><p>Will arrived at the Cheatin' Heart and took a seat at the bar. The bartender came over and took his order. Will asked for a sprite and mozzarella sticks. The bartender poured a glass of sprite for Will and gave it to him. After the bartender left, Adrienne walked over to Will and noticed he seemed down. She took a seat next to him at the bar and spoke, "So is it school or love?"<p>

Will was caught off guard. "Mrs. Kiriakis, I'm sorry, but I am not following you."

"Will, you know you can call me Adrienne." She ate a peanut before she continued, "I asked if you were having issues with school or love."

The question made sense to Will now. He looked down as he admitted, "It's love. It's so difficult sometimes."

Adrienne smiled and nodded as she agreed. "Well, it's that way for probably every relationship where love is involved. It can hurt like hell, but that hurt can bring people closer if real love is involved."

"I've heard that and I've witnessed it I guess, but what happens when the hurt pushes people further apart?" Will hoped that Adrienne could set him straight on what he needed to about Chad.

"You have specifics you can give me?"

"I don't know." Will began, but figured he could talk about this with Adrienne because she would keep the information in confidence. "Sometimes I wonder if Chad is in a relationship with me because he loves me and doesn't want to let me down." Will paused wondering if he was clear enough for Adrienne to understand. He continued, "I'm starting to think Chad's not gay at all. He loves me so much that he's willing to try this, but is now figuring out he can't be with me... fully."

Adrienne felt bad for Will. "Really there's only one way to find out, Will. You have to talk to him."

Will had hoped she would not say that. "I'll have to think about it then."

Adrienne patted Will on the back as the bartender returned with Will's mozzarella sticks. "I hope everything works out."


	3. Chapter 3 Decisions

**Chapter 3: Decisions – Monday, December 12th, 2011**

Chad finished his last final of the day and walked over to the student center as Will told him he would meet him there the day before. He was happy to be done for the day. He began to look for Will, but saw no sign of him. Chad quickly realized Will most likely stood him up. He looked at his phone and saw no messages or missed calls from Will. Chad hated that Will most likely felt upset with Chad for talking to Michelle and Beth.

Chad played with his phone contemplating whether he should call Will. He also contemplated going home to his apartment to talk to Will there. Eventually he decided against both. He needed to focus on studying for his finals tomorrow and did not want to be distracted by arguing with Will.

* * *

><p>Sami wiped down the bar after returning from Caroline's appointment. She looked up and smiled when she heard the door open. EJ walked in holding Johnny and Sydney. "Hello sweetheart. I thought it would be a nice surprise if I brought the children here to see you and their great-grandmother." EJ placed Johnny and Sydney on the floor.<p>

Sami walked from behind the bar and gave hugs and kisses to Johnny and Sydney. She then turned to EJ and gave him a kiss. "It's so good to see all of you." She looked down at Johnny and Sydney and said to them, "In a minute, I'll take you to the back of the kitchen so you can say hi to your great-grandmother Caroline. Maybe we can bake some cookies!"

Johnny and Sydney got excited. EJ smiled and turned to Sami. "So how did Caroline's appointment go earlier?"

"Well, it seems good news all around according to Daniel. He said her movement has improved and that her vitals and nerves seem to be coming together nicely." Sami hugged EJ again for bringing the kids over.

"There's something I need to tell you." EJ noted that Sami became nervous when he said that. "It's nothing bad, but I offered the guesthouse to Arianna and her mother. I told Arianna they could live in the guesthouse while her mother recuperated from her treatments."

"That's good." Sami claimed but felt unsure of what to think of the news. "Have you told Stefano about it?"

EJ shook his head. "I haven't had the chance. He was busy with a phone conversation. I think he's paranoid about who is moving in next door."

* * *

><p>On Daniel's break, Jennifer met him in the hospital cafeteria. While Daniel was talking to her, he noticed that she seemed to be somewhere else. He kept talking and then asked her a question. She just nodded her head. "You're not present at the moment. What's spinning in that head of yours?"<p>

"I'm sorry. I am just thinking about things I need to finish before the day is over," Jennifer claimed.

Daniel did not fully buy into Jennifer's explanation. "I might be way off base, but I noticed your mood changed when we walked out of my office and ran into Dr. Murphy this morning. Do you know him?"

Jennifer was not ready to talk about her past with Colin Murphy to Daniel. "Well, he's the guy that killed Rafe on the island this summer," she reminded Daniel. "I'm just not sure I understand how he can be a doctor when that was not too long ago."

"I knew that." Daniel looked Jen over and realized she really did not want to talk about Colin. He decided it would be best if he let it go, so they could talk about other things.

* * *

><p>Arianna arrived to the apartment that used to be Dario's apartment. She walked in and found Gabi putting books into a backpack. "Where's Mama?"<p>

Gabi zipped up her backpack and answered, "She's in her room taking a nap." Gabi gave Arianna her full attention as she continued, "Ari, I'm really worried about Mama. She's been crying a lot more and won't say anything to me when I ask if there's anything I can do to help her feel better."

Arianna felt bad for lying to Gabi, but knew she had to because their mother was not ready to announce the bad news about her health. "I think she just misses Dario and Manny." Arianna thought about her conversation with EJ earlier. "I talked to EJ today. He offered to let us move into the guesthouse to help Mama recuperate from her treatment. I think this apartment might be too noisy for Mama."

Gabi grimaced. "I agree. I have wondered for a while if she was getting the rest she needed here. There's always a lot going on next door and here to let her get the sleep that she needs. I do wonder if that's a good idea though – moving her to Dimera property that is."

"I'll talk to Mama when she wakes up and see what she thinks about the move. I know that she's exhausted though and a change of scenery might be nice for her." Arianna looked at Gabi's backpack. "If you need to study for finals, you should go. I have everything covered here."

Gabi picked up her backpack. "Actually, I have to go into the pub for a bit to help Caroline. I'll probably go to the school after to study in the library." Gabi walked over to Arianna and gave her hug. "Do you think Mama will be okay?"

Arianna looked down as she answered. "We'll just have to wait and see." She gave Gabi another hug before Gabi headed out.

* * *

><p>Back at the guys' apartment, Sonny and Will were studying in the living room together. They looked up when they heard a knock on the door. As Sonny stood up to answer the door, Will told Sonny that he wondered if Chad forgot his keys again.<p>

Sonny opened the door and let Kai in. Walking in, Kai immediately began apologizing. "I'm sorry for intruding, but I can't get anything done in my dorm room because my roommate is listening to this scary sounding music."

Sonny put his arm around Kai. "No worries. I was actually about to call you so that we could study for our Organic Chemistry final."

Will made a fearful look. "Isn't that the hardest final for the both of you?" Sonny and Kai nodded their heads. "Good luck." Will pulled out his phone. "We can order take out for dinner so we'll have more time to study."

Before Will could call, Kai stopped him. "What about Chad? Where is he?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm not worried," Will responded. Will did not want to say anything to the guys because he didn't want to put Chad in an awkward position if he came home.

"You're still not getting any, are you?" Kai asked.

Will immediately looked at Sonny because he was the only one who could have told Kai about the fact that Chad and Will were not having sex. "Seriously?"

Sonny gave Will an apologetic look. "It slipped. I'm sorry."

"Don't be embarrassed about it Will. What you need to do is make a move and see what Chad does." Kai suggested. "I'm sure there's no way he could turn you down if he's really interested in you."

Will felt uncomfortable talking to Kai about this. "I'm not so sure." Will looked at his phone and thought about how he blew off Chad by not meeting him at the school.

* * *

><p>Chad arrived at the Dimera Mansion to study in his old room. He feared studying at the apartment because he figured Will would want to argue with him about what happened. He felt bad for thinking it, but it brought back memories of when he fought with Abigail.<p>

When Chad walked in, Kate and Stefano were surprised to see him because they knew it was finals week for him. Stefano gave his son a hug. "Not that I mind, but what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the library or at your place to study for your finals?"

"I just need some space and quiet so that I can study. I can't get that at the apartment at the moment." Chad adjusted his backpack on his shoulder.

Kate began to feel concerned as to why he could not study at his apartment. "Did something happen between you and Will?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," Chad replied.

Chad's reply confirmed for Kate that something did happen between Will and Chad. "Is it serious?" she asked not wanting to let it go.

"Will gets jealous when I'm hanging out with friends that are girls," Chad admitted.

Stefano became intrigued at the mention of girls. "Are you interested in these girls?" Kate quickly rolled her eyes, but then realized Stefano's question was a valid one.

"I'm not interested in them, father," Chad claimed. "Do I have to remind you that I love Will? I don't plan on letting him go."

"Well, does Will know that he has no reason to be jealous?" Kate asked.

Chad scratched his head. "I think he does. I mean he should." Chad grabbed his phone when he heard it make a noise. It was a text from Will asking if he would be home for dinner and that they were ordering take out. Chad answered he would be home in time for dinner. Chad looked back up to Kate and Stefano. "I should head to my old room and study now." Chad headed upstairs to study with the time he had before he had to head home to eat dinner.


	4. Chapter 4 Cold Shower

**Chapter 4: Cold Shower – Monday, December 12th, 2011**

At the Horton house, Melanie and Nathan were hanging out after their shift. Nathan pulled Melanie closer to him as he held her on the couch. "I'm on call tonight, so I am not sure how long we can hang out."

Melanie moved her head deeper into Nathan's chest. "I don't mind. Right now is nice."

Nathan kissed the top of her head. "So were you able to get time off for the weekend?"

Melanie smiled. "Yes. I talked to Maxine and cleared this weekend with her." Nathan was happy to hear that. "So what do you have planned for us this weekend?"

Nathan wondered if he should tell her or keep it a surprise. He figured he should just tell her. "I made reservations for us to go to Green Mountain Lodge for some R&R away from Salem."

Melanie picked up her head so she could look at Nathan. "I definitely like the sound of that." She gave Nathan a kiss. "I cannot wait!"

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Gabi delivered a table's food. After asking if they needed anything else, she decided to head back to check on Caroline in the kitchen. "Anything I can help you with, Mrs. Brady?"<p>

Caroline sat down feeling a bit overwhelmed. "I'm glad you came back here. Could you help me finish the chowder?"

Gabi moved over to the stove and began to stir it. "Did you put all the ingredients in?"

Caroline nodded her head. "Yes. I just need to make sure it gets stirred." Caroline grabbed a water bottle to drink. After taking a gulp, she put the bottle down to talk to Gabi. "I know that you and Will broke up during the summer, but no one has ever told me the reason. Not in-depth anyway. Do you mind telling me what went wrong?"

Gabi suddenly felt awkward. She continued to stir the huge pot of chowder. "Well, Will and I were getting to the point of having a serious relationship. We had our fun, but then realized the pressure was too much to move into a serious relationship. In a way, we lost that friendship we used to have and decided together that we were better off as friends." Gabi decided to end it there because she knew that Caroline could not know about Chad and Will yet.

Caroline thought about the reason Gabi gave her and it made sense. "That's got to be tough, but I am happy that you were able to recognize what worked better for you two. I'm also happy about you being able to find someone else. Tad seems like a good guy."

Gabi turned to Caroline and smiled. "Yeah, he is."

"I've got to be honest with you. I am worried about Will," Caroline admitted.

Gabi returned to stirring afraid to make eye contact with Caroline. "Why?"

Caroline took a sip of her water. "Well, he's single and doesn't seem to want to meet anyone at the moment." Caroline stopped and then looked at Gabi. "He said he's trying to focus on school, but I hope that he can find another good girl to be with."

Gabi awkwardly smiled and nodded in agreement. "I hope so as well."

* * *

><p>EJ, Sami, and the kids arrived at the Dimera Mansion to find Stefano and Kate on their phones working from home. Johnny wanted to run over to say hi to Stefano, but Sami stopped him because Stefano seemed busy. Mary walked in right on cue. "I can take the kids upstairs if you need me to."<p>

Sami turned her attention to both Johnny and Sydney. "Why don't you two head upstairs to get cleaned up for dinner? Then you can tell your nonno what you did today."

After Mary took Johnny and Sydney upstairs, Kate decided to go to another room to finish her phone conversation. EJ and Sami stood there wondering why Kate and Stefano decided to work from home. EJ tried to get his father's attention, but Stefano finished his conversation before noting EJ's presence. After he was off the phone, he stood up from his desk.

"Who were you talking to father?" EJ asked.

"I found out who is moving next door," Stefano announced. "A woman named Azzura Sarto has bought the house. From her name, I would guess she's Italian. "

"On our way over here, I noticed there were moving trucks outside of the house," Sami remembered.

Chad walked down the stairs and into the living room to say goodbye to Stefano. "Father, I am going to head out."

Sami stepped back because she was surprised to see Chad there. "Why are you here?"

"I came here to study. I needed complete silence and no distractions to be able to focus." Chad gave his father a hug and then said goodbye to EJ and Sami.

After Chad left, Stefano grabbed his phone from the desk. "Chad and William are having relationship issues. I believe he came here to avoid arguing with William. Even though I am getting used to Chad and William's relationship, I am glad they are private about it."

Sami folded her arms feeling worried about Chad and Will. "That's most likely the problem," she stated implying that keeping their relationship a secret from everyone else put a lot of pressure on their relationship. Sami wondered if she should try to talk to Will and Chad.

"Elvis, I noticed you seemed to be waiting for me earlier. Did you need to talk to me about something?" Stefano asked changing the subject.

"I wanted to talk to you about the guesthouse. I offered it to Arianna and her mother. It seems that Mama Hernandez is dying and Arianna wants her to have a peaceful place to spend her last days." EJ looked to his father to say something.

Stefano became annoyed. "I agreed to pay for the best doctor and all of her medical bills only so that I could keep the rest of the Hernandez family at bay after what happened with Rafael and Manuel. Now you want me to let them live on our property? I don't like the idea of them being so close. There is such thing as keeping your enemies too close."

EJ shook his head. "Father, I assure you that Arianna and her mother are nothing like Rafe and Manny. Gabi and Dario are nothing like them as well. You have nothing to worry about."

"How much more am I going to have to help them, Elvis?" Stefano turned around and looked out the back door to look at the guesthouse.

"I will take care of them, father. You won't have to stress or worry about them anymore." EJ scratched the top of his head as he continued, "You won't have to do anything."

Stefano turned around to face EJ. "Fine, they can move in, but son, I need you to stay on top of things. I don't want trouble."

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Will paid the delivery guy and brought the food to the table where Sonny and Kai were pouring drinks for everyone. Will began to pass out the food and put Chad's food in front of the empty chair. "I wonder what's taking Chad so long. He told me he would be here."<p>

Just then, Chad walked into the apartment. "Sorry I'm late." He walked over to the table and took a seat where his food was. Everyone began to dig into their food.

Kai put his food down to talk to Chad. "How are finals going?"

Chad placed his fork in his food. "Great so far… I think. I have my last final on Wednesday morning."

Will turned to Chad. "You're lucky. My finals are scattered and stretch to Thursday afternoon."

Sonny looked at Kai. "Kai and I are the same way as you Will. I'm so ready for finals to be over."

"Well, I am jealous of you guys because my finals are cluttered together. I'd appreciate the extra time to study." Chad began to eat again.

Kai and Sonny kept eye contact as Kai decided to feed Sonny with his chopsticks. Sonny did the same to Kai with his chopsticks. Will watched them and glanced over at Chad. Kai looked over to Chad and realized that Chad was the only one using a fork. "Will, you need to teach Chad how to use chopsticks."

Chad looked around and noticed he was the only one not using chopsticks. "Well, I feel left out," he joked.

Will smiled and moved closer to Chad. "I'll teach you now." Will passed his chopsticks to Chad and tried to teach him how to hold it.

Chad smiled because Will seemed to forget about what happened earlier and was touching his hands. "I don't know if I can do this." Chad looked up and realized that everyone was staring at him.

"You can do this…"

Chad immediately interrupted Will, "I'm not in the mood to learn anything new right now. Maybe we can do this another time." He gave Will his chopsticks and continued to eat in silence.

Will took his chopsticks and felt rejected. Annoyed that Chad responded that way, Will decided to remain silent for the rest of dinner. He also avoided making eye contact with anyone.

Sonny avoided looking over to Will and Chad and kept his attention on Kai. "So are you going to stay the night, Kai?"

Kai smiled widely at the idea. "I like the idea of studying in bed together."

Annoyed with the over the top flirting coming from Sonny and Kai, Chad turned to Will and noticed how checked out he was. He tried to get Will's attention, but Will would not respond. Chad felt bad for how things were between them.

* * *

><p>Brady and Victor decided to have dinner at Chez Rouge to talk about the success of Brady's business trip overseas. Maggie walked over to make sure everything was fine. "How is everything gentlemen?"<p>

Victor looked up at Maggie and smiled. "Everything is just wonderful, Maggie, as always."

Maggie perched her lips and clasped her hands. "It's so good to see you again Brady. Where were you again?"

"I was in Paris, France on business," Brady answered as he finished his glass of club soda.

"Would you both like some more club soda or wine?" Maggie asked.

Brady looked at his empty glass for a moment. "I think I'll just take a glass of ice water."

Victor looked back up to Maggie. "I'll take the same."

Maggie smiled. "I'll have the waiter bring you two glasses of ice water."

After Maggie walked away, Victor could not help but think about Maggie. He turned his attention to Brady. "So did you meet any special women while you were on your business trip?"

Brady gave Victor a strange look. He wondered where that question came from. "No, I did not. I am not ready to meet anyone yet."

Victor gave Brady a disappointed look. "You need to meet someone so that you can erase the damage Nicole did to you before she moved to Chicago with her mother and Brandon."

Brady returned with an annoyed look. "Grandfather, I don't want to talk about Nicole."

"Did you know Arianna is back in town? I believed she moved back last month." Victor countered.

Brady decided to change the subject even if he found the idea of Arianna being back intriguing. "I think that after meeting with Jean Luc, the sales in Paris will go up. He just needed help with taking a new direction in ads and whatnot."

Victor realized that Brady wanted to return to talking business. "That's good. Does he need to be replaced or do you think he has a good handle on things now?"

"I think he will no longer be a problem." Brady looked up as the waiter brought them their drinks. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Sonny and Kai studied on Sonny's bed for a while before Sonny decided he wanted to get more comfortable. Sonny got out of bed and took off his shirt. "It's getting kind of hot in here."<p>

Kai looked up and could not stop checking Sonny out. He realized he was distracted by Sonny's lack of clothing. "You are doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

Sonny smiled and pretended to be clueless. "I'm doing what on purpose?"

Kai gave Sonny a suspicious look. "Don't play coy with me. You're trying to keep me from studying."

Sonny climbed onto the bed and moved closer to Kai. After a kiss, Sonny informed Kai, "I need some pleasure after all this studying."

Kai smiled back. "That can be arranged." Kai quickly picked up his stuff from the bed and put it on top of Sonny's dresser. Sonny picked up his stuff from the bed and did the same. After taking off his shirt, Kai pulled Sonny on top of him so they could make out.

Sonny wrapped both of his hands on the back of Kai's head. Kai rubbed Sonny's back and sides with both of his hands. Sonny then began to kiss Kai's neck and moved down lower to Kai's chest. His hands moved down to Kai's pants as he unbuttoned them so he could take them off. When Sonny reached Kai's navel, he began to lower Kai's jeans. Sonny smiled when he saw how excited Kai was. He looked up at Kai and stood up to take his jeans off. "You are so beautiful."

Kai sat up and moved to the edge of the bed so he could take Sonny's pants off. He tried to unbuckle his belt, but struggled. "I promise I can do it," he told Sonny trying his hardest to take it off.

Sonny began to mess with his belt. "Let me help you. This belt can be a pain to take off sometimes." Sonny pulled off his belt and Kai immediately went to unbuttoning Sonny's pants while kissing Sonny's stomach as Sonny continued to stand.

After Kai pulled off Sonny's pants, Sonny immediately took off his own underwear. He threw Kai back on the bed and pulled Kai's underwear off as well. Kai looked up into Sonny's eyes with a wide smile. "Someone is ready to do this!" Kai pulled Sonny on top of him as they both began to make out with each other once again.

Things were getting hot and heavy as Sonny began to gyrate his lower body onto Kai's body. The whole time Sonny and Kai kept eye contact as sweat fell down their faces. "I love you, Kai," Sonny said to Kai still keeping eye contact. Kai said the same to Sonny.

Immediately Sonny began to kiss and caress every part of Kai's body he could reach. They pleasured each other and used a condom when Kai mounted Sonny as Sonny laid on his back. Sonny and Kai began to yell and move faster. Their breaths were short, but lively. Ecstasy filled their entire bodies as they released. After climax, Sonny and Kai melted into each other's arms and held each other trying to slow down their breaths by breathing deeply together. Their hearts shared the same rhythm as they made eye contact. Kai spoke first. "This is amazing."

Sonny smiled and kissed Kai's sweating forehead. "I've never felt so good." Sonny pulled Kai's head to rest on his chest. Both closed their eyes feeling at peace.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in Chad and Will's room, Will, who had not said a word to Chad since dinner, began to get ready for bed. He pulled out shorts to sleep in and threw them on the bed. Chad looked through his drawers and decided to take a shower. He turned around and began to watch Will undress. Chad took a deep breath. Feeling brave, he walked over to Will, stopped him from undressing, and asked, "I'm going to take a shower. Do you want to join me?"<p>

Will did not know how to respond at first. "Are you joking?" he asked rather seriously.

Chad looked deep into Will's eyes to let him know he was not joking. He grabbed Will's hand and led him to the bathroom. Both remained silent as they entered the bathroom and Chad closed the door. Chad began to undress Will and smiled as he did so. Will smiled back as he returned the favor by taking off Chad's clothes.

Chad started the shower and pulled Will in. Both forgot what they had argued about earlier that day. Chad smiled again as he spoke, "If you wash my back, I'll wash yours." Chad loved seeing Will smile back as he agreed. He hoped he could make Will feel better by doing this together.

Both lathered their hands with soap and began to wash each other's bodies. They had fun as they had suds everywhere. They explored each other's bodies quickly just to put soap on and laughed at how fun taking a shower was. They got under the shower and began to rinse each other off. Chad wiped Will's face to make sure he did not get soap in his eyes.

Will pulled Chad into a kiss and both became aroused. Will decided to take a chance and grabbed Chad's dick. Will began to stroke it as he continued to kiss Chad. Chad did not stop him and actually got into it as he started to huff. Will watched Chad and began to pant with him. Will believed Chad was finally ready. He had made the first move as Kai suggested and with Chad's response it seemed he was ready to move their relationship to the next level.

Will continued to stroke as he lowered his own body to his knees. He moved in closer to give Chad a blow job, but Chad stopped him before he could. "I'm sorry," Chad quickly apologized after pulling Will back up. "Maybe this showering together was a bad idea like the massage on your birthday. We're still not ready for this."

Devastated, Will watched as Chad stepped out of the shower to dry off. He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel as well. He followed Chad into their bedroom as he dried off. Will could not help but feel scrapped about what just happened. Things were going so well. He tried to keep his mouth shut as both got dressed for bed. Will could not keep his mouth shut though. He turned to Chad and asked, "Do you really want to be with me?"

Chad turned to Will with concern. "Of course I do, Will. Why would you think the opposite?"

Will ignored Chad's question by asking another question. "Are you attracted to me physically?"

Chad pointed to his erection and replied, "I'm still hard from the shower. Isn't that proof enough that I am attracted to you physically?"

Will shook his head wondering if Chad really wanted to be with him and questioned that if Chad really got an erection because of him, then what was stopping him from moving forward. Will moved into Chad's face. "I dare you to make love to me!"

Chad's heart melted when he heard Will's dare. He frowned as he answered, "No, Will. We can't do this now. We are both upset and that's not how I want it to happen. Our first time should be better than this." Chad moved closer to Will and gave him a kiss. "I love you, Will."

Will only became more frustrated. "You're not helping things when you kiss me like that." Will moved over to the bed and grabbed his pillow and a blanket feeling even more rejected and embarrassed.

"Where are you going?" Chad asked wondering why Will would grab a pillow and blanket from the bed.

As Will walked out of the room, he responded. "I'm sleeping on the couch because sharing a bed doesn't help things either. Goodnight!" Will closed the door leaving Chad alone in the room.

Chad sat on the bed feeling horrible for what he did to Will. Every time he tried to make things better, he seemed to make things worse for the both of them. He looked down at his dick and sighed. He hated having blue balls as well.


	5. Chapter 5 To Party or Not To Party

**Chapter 5: To Party or Not To Party – Tuesday, December 13th, 2011**

Chad suddenly woke up in his bed. It was extremely dark and he could barely see anything. He reached over to the other side of the bed to make sure Will was there, but as he searched the bed Chad could not find Will. Chad began to freak out that something happened to Will, but then decided to check the other rooms just in case Will got up for some reason.

Chad walked out of the bedroom and checked the bathroom first. He could hear drops of water hitting the bottom of the bathtub. He quickly moved the shower curtain, but no one was there. The noise from the drops of water annoyed him, so he made sure to turn off the water completely. Chad moved on to the kitchen. As he walked through the kitchen in search for Will he noticed that the floor was really cold. Chad even noticed he could see his breath. Unsure as to why the apartment was so cold, Chad wrapped his arms around his naked chest to keep warm.

When he made it into the living room, he stepped back when he noticed that Sonny and Dario were making out on the couch. He scratched his head as Dario disappeared into thin air as if Dario was a ghost. He questioned what he had just witnessed. Something did not feel right. He felt it in the cold air that surrounded him.

Suddenly the front door opened. Fog entered the room as Will walked in. Will had a worried look on his face as he spoke to Sonny, "I'm in trouble. I need safety." Will ran and took a seat on the couch pleading to Sonny to help him. Chad's heart began to beat faster as he had never seen Will look so scared in his life.

Sonny pulled Will closer to him to let him know he was safe. "What about Chad? Where is he?"

Will burst into tears as he answered, "Chad left me. I have to move on."

Sonny continued to hold Will. "I will protect you, Will. I'm here for you." Sonny kissed the top of Will's head when Kai appeared on the couch on other side of Will. Will separated from Sonny a bit so that both Sonny and Kai could hold him.

Chad did not understand what was going on. He did not understand why Will thought he left him. Chad watched the other three guys as they began to kiss each other. His heart began to beat faster as the coldness continued to surround him. Releasing his arms from his chest, Chad scratched his head knowing he had to get their attention to let them know he was still there. He ran to the back of the couch and yelled, "Guys, I'm right here! What are you doing? I'm right here!" He didn't want to believe Will would do this to him.

Sonny, Will, and Kai stopped kissing and looked back in fear when they heard a noise come from behind them. "Did you hear that?" Kai asked.

Will's face turned pale as his eyes turned into total fear. "He's here. We can't hide anymore."

Chad felt somewhat relieved because he believed that they heard him, but didn't understand why Will was so scared of him. He then noticed they were looking past him. He slowly turned around to see who they were looking at, and jumped back when he saw André standing next to the doorway that led to the kitchen and dining room.

André wickedly laughed and with a grin exclaimed to them, "I will kill all of you!" Andre pulled out a long sword and began running towards them. Chad's heart beat stopped and the coldness drowned his body.

Chad woke up in a cold sweat in his bed having to catch his breath. He quickly realized he had another nightmare. He looked at the time and saw that it was 2:00am. He quickly turned around and saw that Will was not in bed with him. He started to panic thinking he was reliving his nightmare, but then remembered that Will decided to sleep on the couch. Getting out of bed, he headed to check on Will in the living room. Walking past the bathroom and through the kitchen, he quietly walked towards the couch and found Will sleeping peacefully.

As he watched Will sleep, emotions took over his body. Tears filled his eyes as he began to worry that something might happen to Will because of the nightmares he was having. Chad moved to the other side of the couch as he wiped his face. He knelt down and gave Will a kiss on the cheek. Chad stood up and whispered, "I will never leave you, Will. I promise." Chad looked at the time again and decided he should try to get more sleep because he had finals all day again. He gave one last look to Will telling himself that his fear only came because of his nightmares before heading back to his bedroom. He wished his fear did not get in the way of fully committing to Will.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Chad got out of the shower and dried himself thinking about Will. Wrapping the towel around his waist, Chad walked out of the bathroom and glanced into the kitchen. Spotted Kai studying at the table, Chad walked into the kitchendining room and noticed that Kai was alone. "Where are the others?"

Kai put his book down and turned to Chad. "Sonny and Will went to the gym early and are heading to the library from there to study for their finals today. I'll probably meet them there when they're done with working out." Kai noticed that something was on Chad's mind. "How is your relationship with Will?"

Chad took a seat thinking about Will and what happened between them. "I don't know," he answered quite honestly.

Kai moved closer to Chad and placed his hand on Chad's naked shoulder. "Chad, I can relate to you even though it may not appear that way to you." Kai looked away for a moment thinking about his own family. He looked back to Chad as he carried on, "If I was attending college in my hometown I probably would be more secretive about my relationship with Sonny. I'm not even sure if I would be in a relationship with Sonny. My parents are extremely anti-gay and expect me to produce grandchildren to carry the family name. I'd be scared if they ever caught me."

Chad appreciated Kai opening up to him, but thought he should set the record straight. "Well, my mother died over a year ago and my father knows that I am gay. He has learned to accept it." Chad paused for a moment. "I'm afraid that things will change if I am more open about my relationship with Will if we came out publicly."

Kai removed his hand from Chad's shoulder and shook his head. "I wish I had your life because my parents will never come around. You need to get over your fears or you will lose Will – trust me."

Chad stood up realizing he was still in just a towel. He tried to make that his excuse to not continue this conversation because he did not want to feel guilty. "Sorry, Kai, but I don't have time to talk about this. I should get dressed and head out for my first final today. I'll see you around." Chad headed to his bedroom trying to move his focus from Will to his finals. He had to prove to his father that he could succeed and help with the family business and legacy.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Daniel and Nathan took a break and talked at the coffee station. Nathan started things off with small talk, but in his mind he attempted to calm his nerves about what he needed to do before he and Melanie left for Green Mountain Lodge for the weekend.<p>

Nathan nervously laughed after Daniel told a lame joke. He wanted to make sure everything was right. After the laughter died down came the awkward silence. Daniel took a sip of his coffee and Nathan seized all the courage he could muster and finally began to speak what was on his mind. "Daniel, I was wondering if…"

Daniel noticed Colin walking up to them and accidentally interrupted Nathan when he said, "Colin, how's your first week so far?"

Colin stood next to Nathan as he answered, "It feels good to be back in the medical field. I've missed it." Colin looked around and watched everyone in the room for a moment. "I've been able to adjust with living with a lot of people around again. I'm glad to have a job, but I need to get out more and meet new friends."

"Well, I could help you with that, I think," Daniel smiled. "I wouldn't mind showing you around to help you make new friends."

Colin appreciated Daniel's kind gesture and then turned so he could face Nathan as well. "Would you two be interested in grabbing dinner at the bar tonight?"

Daniel agreed and then turned to Nathan. Nathan was not sure he wanted to go, but figured it would give him the opportunity to talk to Daniel in a more relaxed setting. "Yeah, I'll go."

Colin smiled. "Excellent."

* * *

><p>In Jennifer's office, Melanie and Gabi walked in to talk to Jen because she asked them to come in today. Jennifer smiled and told them to take a seat. As they sat down across from her, she said, "I asked you two to come today because I want to throw a small party for Abigail and Josh when they get back tomorrow from New Zealand."<p>

Melanie got excited with the idea and that Abigail was coming back to Salem. "Oh. I can help. What do you need me to do?"

"Well at this point, I need you to call all her friends so that they will be there. I've got food and drinks covered so far." Jen turned to Gabi. "What do you think Gabi?"

"I think I can help some, but I can't make any promises," Gabi answered. She was happy to have Abigail back in Salem as well, but life was too crazy at the moment. "Life is really busy at the moment with finals, work, and helping my sister take care of my mother."

Jennifer gave Gabi a look of concern and understanding. "I understand that you're busy. Even if you can't help, I hope you will still come to the party at least."

"Yeah, thanks." Gabi turned to Melanie as she seemed excited to say something. Gabi did not want the attention on her and preferred to keep the focus on Abigail's party.

Melanie finally let out what she wanted to say. "Are we going to do decorations?" Jen and Gabi laughed at Melanie's excitement. The three continued to speak about the party.

* * *

><p>At Salem U, Chad and Will met for a short time in between Chad's finals. They knew they needed to talk about what happened the night before. Chad looked to Will and in a whisper spoke, "I am so sorry about yesterday. I did not mean to make you feel like I wasn't interested in you when I was with Beth and Michelle and then not… you know."<p>

Will sensed Chad was nervous talking about this in public, but he could tell Chad was trying. "I'm sorry, too, Chad. I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. I know you are friends with Michelle and Beth, but it bothers me that they touch you a lot." Will placed his hand on Chad's arm to let him know that he still loved him. "Are you going to be able to have dinner with us tonight?"

Before Chad could answer, someone walked by them causing Chad to move away from Will. The guy walked over to Will to introduce himself. "Hey, I'm the president of Kappa Sigma." He handed Will a flier. "If you're interested in rushing you should look us up next semester. Being in a fraternity has it's perks so thinking about it over the break."

"Thanks," Will said as he looked at the flier and noticed it was a party flier. "You're throwing an end of the semester party?"

"Yeah, you should come," the guy said. "I'll let you two keep talking."

After the guy walked away, Chad looked Will over. "Are you actually interested in joining a fraternity?" Will shrugged his shoulders. "I would think it over. Those guys were interested in me last fall, but when they found out I was Stefano's son, they backed off." Chad wasn't sure if that was the real reason, but the timing seemed right.

"That sucks." Will looked at his watch and realized he was keeping Chad. "You should go. Your next final is going to start soon."

Chad looked at Will and wanted to kiss him, but decided not to since they were in public. "I'll see you later." Chad turned and left after lightly patting Will's left arm.

Will looked at the flier again and thought about the frat party. Believing it might be a good idea if he joined a fraternity, he wondered if maybe some space and keeping himself distracted would help his relationship with Chad.

* * *

><p>Arianna sat at the bar talking to Adrienne at the Cheatin' Heart. Adrienne poured a glass of water for Arianna. "So how is your mom? Feeling any better?"<p>

Arianna did not want to talk about her mother. "She's doing okay. We're thinking about moving her to a more quiet and secluded place." Arianna forced a smile trying to hide the sadness that she felt. "I am sure she will feel better when Dario returns."

"Oh yeah. It's crazy how time flew by." Adrienne took a sip of her drink remembering Dario telling her he took a job in Alaska like it was yesterday. "I am really excited about Dario coming back. I have missed him."

"We have missed him like crazy as well." Arianna thought about how the family would be different since their mother didn't have long to live. "I'm thinking about maybe throwing a party or something to celebrate his return." Arianna figured a distraction for the family would be nice, but deep down she knew Dario would not want to celebrate his return - especially when he found out their mother was dying. "I know Dario though. He won't want to celebrate coming back." Arianna could not avoid that truth.

While Adrienne tried to convince Arianna to have the party there, Brady walked in and spotted them. He walked over. "Hey Adrienne. Arianna, surprised to see you here."

Arianna turned and looked at Brady. She felt a bit uncomfortable talking to him considering their past. "Can't really say I'm surprised to see you here." Arianna bit her lip realizing she made a rude comment about Brady's drinking. "I'm sorry that came out wrong."

Brady tried to smile. "No, I think you meant what you said. I promise I don't drink as much as I used to."

"I guess there's just too much history between us to be nice to each other." Arianna stood up deciding she could no longer try to be mindful. "How is Nicole these days? Still framing people to suit her purposes?"

"Nicole is gone. She left to help Brandon take care of their mother." Brady hated that Ari still had a grudge against him for what Nicole did. "For what it's worth, I am sorry I did not believe you."

Arianna turned to Adrienne. "I have to go. I will talk to you later about Dario." Arianna avoided having to say anything else to Brady as she walked out the door.

As Arianna walked out, Sonny and Kai walked in for lunch. Both Adrienne and Brady said hi when they walked up to the bar. Adrienne passed Brady his drink before Brady walked off to grab a table. Kai looked at Sonny and jokingly pointed out, "Your cousin is really hot."

Sonny shook his head and lightly punched Sonny in the chest as Adrienne walked around the bar to give both a hug. "I'll get your lunch ready and bring it out to you," Adrienne said.

After Adrienne headed back, Sonny and Kai found a table. Kai thought about his conversation with Chad earlier and decided to share his thoughts on Chad to Sonny. "Chad's such a tease. I feel sorry for Will."

Sonny frowned as he remembered his doubts about Chad before Chad and Will became a couple. "Look, Chad is discovering himself right now. He just got his family and for a while he thought he was going to lose them because of his feelings for Will. He just needs time to absorb all of this. I know he loves Will." Sonny looked down realizing he still questioned Chad's feelings for Will.

"I don't know. I came through pretty quickly when I met you," Kai maintained.

"Yeah, but everyone goes at their own speed." Sonny looked down for a moment as he thought about Will trying to hold everything together. "I'm not sure how long Will can hold in all of his frustration before he blows up," Sonny admitted.

Kai leaned back in his chair. "I think Chad and Will are finished."


	6. Chapter 6 Cool

**Chapter 6: Cool – Tuesday, December 13th, 2011**

Nathan and Melanie finished their shift at Salem University Hospital and walked into the elevator to get to the lower level. After the elevator doors closed, Melanie grabbed Nathan's arm and smiled in his direction. "I am so excited we get to hang out tonight and you're not on call!"

Nathan realized he had not told Melanie that he already had plans and felt bad about having to break it to her. "Melanie, I already made plans to hang out with your dad and Colin. I should have told you sooner."

Melanie rubbed his arm a bit disappointed. "Not going to lie, I was looking forward to tonight, but I think it's good that you're spending time with my dad." Melanie gave Nathan a kiss on the cheek so he knew she was not upset with him. She sensed that Nathan felt bad for leaving her alone tonight. "You don't have to feel bad. I'm sure I'll find something to do."

Nathan still felt bad. "What is there to do tonight?"

"I suppose I can talk to Jennifer about Abigail's welcome home party. I don't know. I need to go home and clean up first." The elevator doors opened and Melanie headed out first. She turned to Nathan once he walked out. "You have fun with my father and Colin. You'll have to let me know what you think of Colin. He seems awfully mysterious at the moment."

Nathan gave Melanie a hug and a kiss. "I will. Thanks for being cool about this. If you get bored, text me."

* * *

><p>EJ arrived outside of Gabi's apartment. After knocking on the door, EJ looked at his phone to make sure he had no missed calls or messages. He looked up when Arianna answered the door. "Ari, I hope I did not come at a bad time."<p>

"No, you're fine." Arianna moved out-of-the-way so EJ could come in. "Come in. Mama and I were just talking about Dario."

"Thanks." EJ walked in and spotted Isobel, Ari's mother, sitting on the couch. "Hello, Ms. Hernandez. How are you feeling?"

Isobel smiled when she saw EJ. "I am feeling okay today."

Arianna closed the door and walked over to find out why EJ stopped by. "So did you need something?"

EJ scratched the back of his head with his right index finger. "I came to talk to you two to see if you had considered my offer about moving into the Dimera guesthouse."

Before Arianna could answer, Isobel spoke, "EJ, I want to let you know that I really do appreciate how your family has been able to help my family even though Rafael and Manuel tried to hurt your family." Sadness came over Isobel's face as she thought about what Rafe and Manuel did. "I deeply apologize for their behavior and the shame that Rafael brought to my family."

EJ tried to be as humble as he could towards Isobel as he really did not know her. "Well, my father and I do not blame you for what Rafe did. I know Arianna, Dario, and Gabi. You raised them all well."

Isobel smiled and looked to Arianna. "Arianna has proven that a person can change for the better."

Arianna felt a bit uncomfortable talking about her past and turned to EJ. "We have decided to accept your offer. We want to move in as we think it would be best for Mama."

"Excellent." EJ smiled. "I'll make sure to send some men over to help with the move."

Isobel looked up to EJ from the couch. "Thanks again for your kindness, EJ." EJ nodded his head to her.

* * *

><p>Back at the guys' apartment, Will and Sonny sat at the table talking about the flier and the guy that gave Will the flier. "So you got invited to a Kappa Sigma party. That's cool."<p>

Will nodded his head. "It was out of the blue and the guy told me to rush next semester. It was like he knew who I was and wanted me to join specifically."

Sonny looked the flier over and then up to Will. "I've thought about joining a fraternity in the past because most of my family were in frats, but I'm not sure I'd fit in."

Will placed his hand on Sonny's hand. "You're a great guy. They would be idiots not to let you in."

Sonny shrugged his shoulders when there was a knock on the door. Will got up and answered the door to find his mother carrying a few bags in her arms. Will grabbed a bag from her to help her bring the bags in. "Come in, mom. What is all of this stuff?"

Sami followed Will to the dining room. Sonny immediately stood up and helped Sami put the bag on the table as she answered Will, "It's food that your great-grandma made specifically for you and your friends. She wanted to give you a treat since she knew it was finals week." Sami felt she had a good cover to get info from Will.

Sonny smiled. "It smells good."

Will began to help Sami unpack the bags so they could set everything out on the table. "That was nice of her. I'll have to make sure I stop by to thank her."

Sami looked around the kitchen/dining room and into the living room and hall outside of the bathroom. "Where's Chad? I hope he's here to enjoy the food."

"He'll be here soon. He had a late final." Will folded the bags that the food was in. "This is a feast and it feels like Thanksgiving all over again. Great-grandma really outdid herself."

Sami nodded her head in agreement. "So how is Chad doing?"

Sonny looked at Will making eye contact with him. Will turned his attention back to his mother wondering why she was asking all these questions about Chad. "I guess he's fine. A bit stressed out from finals week."

"That's good. I'm sure he'll be fine. Stress can make people do crazy things sometimes." Sami eyed Will to see if his body language would tell her if something happened between him and Chad. "Have you talked to him today at all?"

Will realized that his mother wanted to know something specific. "Mom, what are you getting at? What do you want to know?"

Sami smiled hoping she had not annoyed Will. "I'm just making sure that you and Chad are okay. Are you?"

Will froze for a moment unsure of what to say. He did not want her to worry about his relationship with Chad, but knew he could talk to her about it without her judging him – too much. Will looked away when he heard the front door open. He felt relieved when he saw Chad walk in. Sami backed off from her question and smiled and welcomed Chad with a hug. Will gave Chad a hug and kiss as well. "Mom brought some food from the Brady Pub," Will told Chad with a smile. His body and tone shifted from earlier.

Chad felt a bit uncomfortable about Will kissing him in front of Sami, but tried to not make a big deal about it. "That's cool. It looks good."

Will wanted to show Sami that everything was fine with him and Chad. "Have a seat Chad. I'll grab a plate so you can tell me what you want."

Sonny and Chad gave Will a weird look. Sami seemed impressed that things seemed well with Chad and Will. Will put food on Chad's plate and gave it to him. Chad looked up at Will wondering why Will was doting him. "Thanks, Will." He gave Will a curious look. "Are you okay?"

Will forced a smile. "Yeah, things are great, honey."

"Will, don't call me honey ever again," Chad jokingly shot back. "That's just weird." Chad began to eat as Sonny and Will began to make their plate. "Honey? Where did that come from?" Chad did not want to let that go.

Sami watched Will and Chad and noticed things seemed a little strained between them. She decided not to say anything because she knew Will was trying to convince her that things were okay. She thought it would be best if she talked to him about it later. "Well, I am going to head home. I have to figure out what your brother and sister are going to eat."

"You can take some of this food back. There's plenty here," Sonny suggested.

Sami threw her hand at the food. "No, that's for you boys. You need to eat." Sami gave Will a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll check in with you later." Turning to Chad and Sonny, she said, "I'll see you guys around."

After Sami left, all of the guys were now eating at the table. Chad took a deep breath enjoying the meal. "Tomorrow is my last final. It's in the morning and I am free of this semester!"

Will smiled. "You're lucky."

"No kidding. I'm jealous you are done on Wednesday when Will and I still have finals on Thursday! You're going to leave us behind and celebrate without us."

Chad laughed. "It will be okay. It will all be over soon enough." Chad looked down at his food and suddenly began to think of the nightmares he was having. He thought about how Will talked about Chad leaving him. Chad wondered if he should talk to someone about his nightmares.

* * *

><p>After cleaning up at her apartment, Melanie walked out and locked the door. She turned around and looked across to Gabi's apartment door. She decided she should check in with Arianna before heading out to talk to Jen. Arianna answered the door and let Melanie in after she knocked on the door. Melanie gave Arianna a hug and noticed there were boxes and suitcases out. "What's going on here?"<p>

"We are moving so that my mother can have the peace and quiet she needs," Arianna answered as she poured her mother a glass of water. Walking over to give her mother the glass, she turned back to Melanie. "We unpacked all of Mama's things already and now we have to repack them."

Isobel looked at Melanie. "Who are you?"

"She's Melanie. She lives across the hall, remember?" Arianna put some things in a box after wrapping them with newspaper.

"I can help pack things if you need help," Melanie began wrap things in newspaper. "I can't believe I am losing you as a neighbor already. It hasn't been that long."

Isobel continued to look Melanie over and realized she was the girl who Dario dated for a while. "Oh, I remember you now. You dated my son, Dario. What happened?"

Melanie stopped what she was doing and felt awkward. "We decided to just be friends because it got too complicated when we were dating."

Arianna eyed her mother wondering if she would let it go, but Isobel wanted to know more. "I believe Dario told me that your heart belonged to someone else. Was that true?"

Melanie froze again. This time Arianna decided she needed to step in. "Mama, why are you asking her so many questions? You need to take care of yourself. Te ves tensa."

Isobel got upset that Arianna said she looked tense. "No estoy tenso. I am just curious. Was Melanie the reason that Dario decided to go?" Isobel made sure she asked her question in English so Melanie knew what she was thinking.

Arianna gave Melanie an apologetic look and turned to her mother to answer. "Mama, you know Dario only took that job for the money so he could help support our family. He'll be back in Salem soon enough. He did not run away."

Melanie realized that her presence bothered Isobel. She did not want to cause problems. "I think I should go as I am supposed to meet with someone. I'll talk to you later, Ari."

Arianna followed Melanie to the door and hugged her goodbye. After Melanie left, Arianna left the front door cracked and took a seat next to her mother. "Mama, what's wrong? You seemed tense before Melanie got here. Are you having second thoughts about moving?"

Isobel shook her head. "No, it's not that. I'm just worried about how Dario and Gabriella will take the news that I am dying. They will be so disappointed that the treatment didn't work."

Gabi had arrived at the door to hear her mother say that. She leaned against the wall by the door to take it in. She could not believe her mother's treatment didn't work. She began to cry and decided not to go in.

* * *

><p>Sami arrived at the Dimera Mansion to meet up with EJ and the kids for dinner. She found them in the living room playing before dinner. She gave the kids a kiss on the head and walked over to EJ who was sitting at the desk. Giving him a kiss, she asked, "So are we going out or eating here?"<p>

EJ watched as Sami took off her jacket. "We are eating here. I had the chef cook up something special."

Sami was relieved they were eating at home. "Sounds good. Helping my grandmother can be workout sometimes." Sami thought about Chad and Will. "I stopped by Will and Chad's apartment with food from the pub to see if I could find out if there was something wrong."

EJ pulled Sami onto his lap. "Oh?"

"Will did not say much, but I could tell something was wrong," she admitted. "Will was trying too hard to prove that everything was okay, but Chad looked completely confused as to why Will was acting that way. I do think they still love each other though"

"I think you should just leave it alone as they might be going through a shift in their relationship." EJ looked at Sami and smiled. "I don't think you'll stay away though." EJ gave Sami a kiss knowing her all to well. "I love you."

Having heard his parents talking about Chad and Will, Johnny walked over to them and asked, "Why are you talking about Chad and Will like that? Are they not happy with each other? They're still friends, right?"

Sami realized that she might have said too much in front of Johnny and Sydney. EJ decided to answer Johnny's question. "Sometimes people fight and have to work together to get through it."

"So they're going to be okay?" Johnny asked. EJ and Sami nodded their heads. "It's like when you two get in a fight and then show that you love each other after when you're done. Chad and Will are like you and mommy."

EJ and Sami looked at each other and then nodded to Johnny. "You are right." Deep down EJ and Sami wondered if Johnny fully understood Chad and Will's relationship.

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Nathan, Daniel, and Colin arrived and headed to the pool table to shoot some pool. Adrienne walked over and took their drink order. They decided to take turns on who played. Daniel and Colin would play the first game, so Nathan would play the winner in the next game. After Daniel beat Colin in the first game, they decided to grab another round of drinks before starting the next game.<p>

When they started the next game, Nathan felt a bit uncomfortable going against Daniel and wondered if he should let Daniel win. Daniel noticed something seemed off about how Nathan was playing. Before Nathan could take his next shot, Daniel approached him. "You're not purposely playing awfully just because I'm your girlfriend's father are you?"

Nathan did not know what to say. "Well…"

"It was a rhetorical question. Just play man and relax." Daniel patted Nathan on the back. He wondered why Nathan seemed so nervous.

Colin sat back and watched the two. "I want to thank you two again for joining me tonight."

Daniel stepped back as Nathan took his shot. "No problem. This is fun!"

Brady walked in and spotted Colin hanging out with Daniel and Nathan. He realized that Colin was working at the hospital again. Remembering the last time he saw Colin, Brady wondered if Colin was up to no good again. As Colin headed to the bar, Brady decided to confront him. "Colin, it's been a while. Are you working for the Dimeras again?" he asked rather straightforward. Daniel and Nathan glanced at each other wondering where this was coming from.

Colin winked at Brady. "It's good to see you, too. How's Nicole doing?"

Brady grabbed Colin by the collar. "Watch it, Colin. I'm watching you. If you…"

"Get off." Colin pushed Brady off of him. Suddenly, Brady punched Colin in the face causing an all out brawl between them. Daniel and Nathan rushed over to break up the fight.

When Daniel and Nathan were finally able to break them apart, Adrienne got in the middle of them. "We are not going to have any fighting in my bar. If you want to fight take it outside. I don't care if you're family." She glanced at Brady ashamed of what he started.

Brady looked at Colin and warned him again. "If you do anything to anyone I care about, you'll have to answer to me."

Colin shot back. "I have no idea what you're talking about. You're delusional."

Brady tried to fight off Daniel so he could go after Colin again. Adrienne had enough. "You two. Outside. You are banned from the bar tonight."

Nathan sighed as they walked outside. He watched as Daniel decided to take Brady home. He realized he would never get Daniel's permission if things continued the way they were going.

* * *

><p>In Chad and Will's bedroom, Chad and Will laid in bed in silence. Each looked up to the ceiling wondering where they went wrong in their relationship. Both searched for a simpler answer than the current complicated answers that came to them. Even though some of the issues had come out when they fought the night before, Will still questioned whether he was enough for Chad. He hated that he allowed himself to blow up at Chad like that. Will guided his hand across the bed to grab Chad's hand. "I want things to go back to how they used to be. I don't like it when we fight."<p>

Chad looked at Will, who was still looking at the ceiling. "I don't like it when we fight either."

Will thought about what his mother said about stress. "I want to go back to when things were calm and cool with us. I think maybe finals week is getting to both of us and we're stressing out and letting it out on each other." Will turned his head and looked into Chad's eyes. "I don't want to take that stress out on each other anymore."

Chad looked into Will's eyes and moved closer to him thinking that Will's reason made sense. "I think it's all the stress from finals, too." Chad moved his face closer and gave Will a kiss. "I'm sorry."

Will softly smiled at Chad happy that they could come back together. "I'm sorry, too."

Chad moved Will closer to him so he could hold Will. "After you are done with your last final on Thursday, I want to take you out for the rest of the day. Just the two of us."

"I'm game." Will turned around to face Chad glad they could reconnect. After kissing him, they cuddled and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7 Hopeless

**Chapter 7: Hopeless – Wednesday, December 14th, 2011**

Sonny and Will met up at Salem U to head to their next final. As they walked through campus, they ran into Chad. Will smiled when he saw Chad and shook his hand. "How did your last final go?"

"I think I knocked it out of the park." Chad felt relieved that he was done with his finals for the semester. "Off to a final?"

Will nodded his head. "Yeah. I'm not too worried about this one. What are you going to do while I'm in my final?"

"Actually, I am going to hang out with Lexie and then have lunch with her before she has to head into the hospital." Chad felt bad for abandoning Will during lunch. "Are you going to be okay at lunch without me?"

Sonny put his arm around Will and looked to Chad. "Don't worry about Will. I'll take care of him."

"Yeah, Sonny will make sure I am safe and sound." Will put his arm around Sonny.

Chad then remembered his nightmare from two nights ago. He looked down remembering Sonny comforting Will on the couch. Chad snapped out of it when Will asked if he was okay. "Yeah, I'm fine." Chad walked over to Will and Sonny, who no longer had their arms around each other, and patted them on the back. "Good luck on your finals. I'll see you later."

Will wanted to hug Chad, but knew it was not the place. "See you later." Chad watched as Will and Sonny walked off together. He tried to shake off the memories from the nightmares that haunted him.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Jennifer walked up to Daniel, who had just finished talking to Nurse Maxine, and gave him a hug. "So, Dr. Jonas. What did you do after your shift last night?" Jennifer gave Daniel a flirtatious look.<p>

Daniel gave Jen a kiss before answering. "I went out with Nathan and Colin to play some pool."

As soon as Jen heard Colin's name she cringed. "Daniel, I don't think you should hang out with Colin. He can't be trusted."

Daniel gave her a skeptical look. "Jen, you did know Colin from somewhere else, didn't you?"

Jennifer sighed as she thought about her past with Colin. "Yeah, I knew Colin. He lived in Salem before and worked at this hospital."

Daniel thought about the fight between Colin and Brady and the accusations that Brady threw at Colin. "Well, I think I figured that out when Brady approached him last night at the Cheatin' Heart. Did Colin date Nicole? There seemed to be some sort of history there."

Jennifer nodded her head. "I believe he and Nicole had an affair while she was married to Victor." Jennifer went back to her history with Colin and thought about the sacrifice she made for Jack's life. She felt bad for keeping Daniel in the dark about that, but figured it was best for all of them if it wasn't mentioned. "It was a complicated time."

Daniel agreed. "Sounds like it."

* * *

><p>Sami walked downstairs and met EJ in the foyer of the Dimera Mansion. "I'll talk to you later. I'm going to help my grandmother at the pub again." Sami and EJ kissed and he opened the door so she could leave.<p>

After Sami was gone, EJ closed the door and made his way to the living room where his father was waiting for him. Stefano spoke first. "So when are they getting here?"

EJ pulled his sleeve up and looked at his watch. "They should arrive soon." EJ looked up to his father. "You're not having second thoughts again about them moving into the guesthouse are you? They'll be out of your way."

Stefano shook his head. "They are Hernandez's. I don't understand how you can trust them."

EJ rolled his eyes. "They are not Rafe. How many times do I have to tell you that." The doorbell rang, which caused EJ to give Stefano a stern look. "Don't be rude."

Harold answered the door and showed Isobel and Arianna in. Arianna helped her mother walk over to EJ and Stefano. "We know that this is not the guesthouse, but my mother wanted to thank you personally, Stefano."

Stefano turned his attention to Isobel as she spoke, "Mr. Dimera, I want to thank you for your kindness for allowing me and my family to move into your guesthouse."

Stefano took Isobel's hand and gave her a convincing smile. "You should thank my son. He put this all together. Where is your luggage?"

Arianna answered, "Your men are taking it into the guesthouse now."

Isobel looked the room over. "You really have a beautiful home, Mr. Dimera." Isobel began to look at the pictures and then stopped when she saw a picture of Tony and Anna. She immediately began to feel weak in the knees.

EJ rushed over to help Arianna hold her up. "Ms. Hernandez, are you okay?"

Isobel stood up and shook her head trying to gain her balance again. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I got a bit dizzy and probably need to get some rest."

"Mama, we'll take you to the guesthouse." Arianna and EJ helped Isobel to the guesthouse as Stefano watched. He rolled his eyes and shook his head once again.

* * *

><p>At the Carver House, Lexie and Chad sat in the living room waiting for lunch to cool down. Lexie asked Chad to catch her up on his relationship with Will. "It's just been really stressful for the both of us, and I think that's why Will blew up on me Monday night."<p>

Lexie gave Chad a concerned look. "What's been so stressful? The relationship?"

"No, well, I don't know. I think it's because of school." Chad did not want to believe that there was stress in the relationship. "We have finals this week, so I think everyone is just naturally on edge and needing release of some kind." Chad thought about how Will seemed agitated more. "All I know is that I hope things get better when finals are over."

Lexie smiled warmly. "I hope so, too." Lexie looked at her watch. "I think lunch should be cool enough to dig in now." She looked at the door when the bell rang. "I forgot to tell you earlier that my mother was joining us." Lexie walked over to the door and opened it to let Celeste in.

Lexie gave Celeste a hug and brought her over to Chad. Celeste put her hand out to Chad and introduced herself, "I'm Celeste, Lexie's mother. You must be Chad, Stefano's youngest – currently."

Lexie gave Celeste a look, while Chad smiled at Celeste's comment. "It's good to finally formally meet you." He took her hand.

As they shook hands, Celeste got a strange vibe from Chad. "I see fear in your eyes. Something has been haunting you."

Caught off guard by Celeste's comment, Chad wondered how that happened. "I guess. I've been having nightmares," he admitted without thinking.

"Could you tell me more about your nightmares, Chad?" Celeste continued to look into Chad's eyes attempting to study the fear.

Slightly embarrassed by her mother's behavior, Lexie cut in. "How about we focus on having a positive conversation while we sit and eat lunch?" Lexie attempted to push Celeste and Chad to the dining room table.

Even though Chad felt intrigued, he agreed with Lexie. "I'd rather not talk about my nightmares." Up until now they were a secret and he hoped to keep them under wraps at the very least.

"Well, if you change your mind and want to talk or need my help, I am here for you. I'm here for all of my daughter's siblings." Celeste smiled as they walked into the dining room to have lunch.

* * *

><p>Outside of the Brady Pub, T waited for Gabi to get out as her shift had just ended. Gabi walked out and immediately melted into T as she gave him a hug. Looking Gabi over he could tell that the news that her mother's treatment didn't working remained on her mind. "Gabi, I am worried about you. I know that things look bad for your mom, but it's not a done deal, is it?"<p>

Melanie, who was on her way into the pub overheard T talking to Gabi. "Sorry, but I just overheard. What's going on with your mother, Gabi?"

Gabi turned to Melanie. "I overheard my mother and sister talking about the fact that her treatment didn't work and now there's nothing she can do to fight the cancer."

"I'm trying to tell her to stay positive," T told Melanie while keeping his eyes on Gabi.

Melanie put her arm around Gabi and held her close. "T's right, Gabi. I'm sure the doctors are looking at other treatments to help your mother."

"I'm not so sure. She's already been through different treatments and none of them have worked." Gabi looked down as she thought about her family. She grabbed T's hand, but glanced at Melanie on occasion. "The last two years has been hell for my family. We can't seem to catch a break. What did we do to deserve all of this?"

T continued to hold Gabi as he responded, "You just have to have hope. Things will be okay."

Gabi looked away and became cynical about the idea of hope. "I'm tired of having hope because it always fails me."

* * *

><p>After they finished their last final for the day, Will, Sonny, and Kai headed to the park. "So why are you taking us to the park," Will asked as he and the others trekked through the snow.<p>

Sonny looked down at his feet in the snow as he answered, "I thought it would be nice to come out here to get away from everything. Have some peace before we head to the party tonight and have to take our last finals tomorrow."

Kai got an idea and smiled. "I have a better idea." Kai reached down and grabbed a snowball and threw it at Sonny. The snowball hit Sonny's back causing Sonny to face him. Kai smiled wider. "SNOWBALL FIGHT!" he yelled as he threw another one at Sonny and then another at Will.

Sonny and Will immediately joined in and threw snowballs at Kai. "You're going to pay, Kai!" Sonny shouted as he threw another snowball while dodging another one.

Kai ducked as Will and Sonny threw snowballs his way. "This isn't fair. Two against one? What kind of game is this? I say we play everyone is on their own!"

Will took that hint and threw a snowball at Sonny. He ducked down and waved his hands. "How about we stop for 5 minutes so we can make snowballs so we can have a snowball war?" he shouted with excitement. He hadn't felt this loose in a while.

The other two agreed. Sonny set his watch to go off in five minutes while all three made as many snowballs as they could. When the five minutes were up, they stopped and looked around to see how many snowballs the other made. Kai had made the most.

They all looked at each other and counted down from five in unison. "5...4...3...2…1.." As soon as they all said zero they began to throw snowballs in every direction. Even though Kai had made the most snowballs his broke apart in mid-air because he did compact the snow together like Sonny and Will did. He looked up and noticed that Will had a lot more than Sonny. Giving up on his snowballs he quickly headed towards Will to take over his fort.

Will quickly realized what Kai was trying to do. "No, you don't!" he shouted as he tried to keep Kai away from his snowballs. Sonny smiled and threw snowballs at both of them as they struggled. Kai pushed back full force causing Will and him to trip and fall on each other. Will closed his eyes once he hit the ground, but immediately opened them and looked into Kai's eyes. They froze for a moment looking into each other's eyes. Both felt something that made them want to stay there, but Will snapped out of it first. "Are you okay?"

Kai snapped out of it as soon as Will spoke. He got off of Will and helped Will up. "I'm fine. I should ask you if you're okay since I fell on top of you. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Will wiped all the snow off of him. "I'm fine," Will replied keeping his eyes on his own clothes. He felt embarrassed by what just happened between him and Kai.

Sonny walked over to check on them. "Anyone hurt? I ran out of snowballs and realized that you guys weren't playing anymore."

Will nodded his head as he continued to avoid looking at Kai. "I think I am ready to go back to the apartment."

Kai agreed as he also questioned what just happened between him and Will. Kai wondered if he really had a moment with Will earlier. He glanced at Will and noticed that Will wouldn't even look at him.

Sonny wiped some snow from Kai's jacket and clothes. "Let's go back and get cleaned up." Sonny took Kai's hand as they headed back. Will watched the two together wishing that Chad was there.


	8. Chapter 8 Abigail's Return

**Chapter 8: Abigail's Return – Wednesday, December 14th, 2011**

After taking his shower first, Will got dressed and walked into the living room of his apartment. He took a seat on the couch next to Sonny, who was only wearing his boxers. "Where's Kai?"

"He's in the shower at the moment," Sonny answered.

Will leaned into the couch. "I cannot wait until tomorrow is over."

Sonny sighed and leaned into the couch as well. "I'm so over taking finals, but part of me is wanting things to go slow because I'm going to miss Kai when he heads home for the holiday break." Sonny looked back in the direction of the bathroom. "Maybe I should join him in the shower before he finishes up." Sonny stood up and headed to the bathroom after excusing himself.

Will stayed on the couch as he thought about the moment he shared with Kai at the park. He did not understand why he felt what he felt when he looked into Kai's eyes when he had never felt that way before when they hung out. Will looked at his phone and looked through his photos of Chad to try to change his focus. Even though Chad asked Will to delete the photos of Chad from Will's phone, Will kept a couple so he could look at Chad when he was not with him.

Kai walked out into the living room only wearing a towel. He spotted Will and felt a bit awkward about what happened at the park. Taking a seat on the couch next to Will, he spoke, "Since Sonny joined me in the shower last-minute, I have to wait until he gets out so he can let me know what I can wear of his to the party tonight." Kai hoped that Will did not feel awkward about him being in a towel.

Will nervously looked at Kai and noticed that Kai was not completely dry. "Well, if you need to borrow some from me, let me know."

"Even though we had a lot of fun at the park with that snowball fight, I hate that my jeans, socks, and shoes are all wet now." Kai looked over at Will and sensed that he was somewhere else. He decided to address with Will what he believed to be the problem. "I feel bad for you. I think you deserve better because Chad is just making excuses not to be with you." Will looked over to Kai and remembered what happened when he and Chad shared a shower. Kai could see the confusion in Will's eyes as he continued, "You're a great guy." Kai looked down for a moment trying to move past the awkwardness. "I know you felt it, too – when I fell on you. That's how I know you're a great guy and deserve better."

Suddenly the moment he shared with Kai made sense to Will. Will realized when Kai fell on top of him, subconsciously he remembered that moment he wrestled with Chad on the beach when they went camping over the summer. Chad pinned him down and kissed him when it started raining. So much had changed since then. What Will felt that moment with Kai was just him remembering how much he missed being close like that to Chad. Will turned his attention to Kai, who was still talking.

"You might need to find someone else because Chad and you are most likely not going to work out." Kai gave Will a sad look and patted Will's leg. Kai noticed that Will had not said a word and wondered if maybe he shouldn't have brought up what happened at the park in the snow. "I'm going to wait in Sonny's room." Kai stood up and left.

Will began to tear up the more he thought about how much his relationship with Chad changed, but fought his pain as he realized that Chad was more flirty when he did not know he was bi. Knowing that Chad was openly flirty when it was a joke frustrated and hurt Will even more. He hated that they no longer had that now that they were secretly dating.

Will's thoughts were interrupted when Chad called. Collecting his thoughts, Will cleared his throat and answered in a calm voice. He did not want Chad to pick up on his feelings through the tone in his voice. Chad replied in a somewhat subdued manner. "Hey Will. I'll just meet you at Abigail's tonight."

Will became worried. "Is everything okay?"

"I am walking around and I just need some fresh air," Chad answered. "So I'll see you there?"

"Yeah. I'll see you there." Will hung up and took Chad's not wanting to see him personally. He wondered if Chad was questioning if he really wanted to be in a relationship with him. Will became paranoid and wondered how much Chad really wanted to be with him.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Arianna finished unpacking a few things. She stood up and headed to where her mother was resting to check on her. Walking into Isobel's bedroom, Arianna took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Mama, are you feeling any better?"<p>

"Yeah, a little nap really helped," Isobel answered.

Arianna grabbed her mother's hand. "Why did you suddenly feel so weak?" Arianna worried that maybe her mother's health had gotten worse.

Isobel looked up to the ceiling and thought about the picture she saw in the Dimera Mansion. She looked at Arianna and decided not to mention the photo of Tony and Anna. "I think this move has just been somewhat stressful for me. I should have taken more breaks when I helped you with the packing."

Arianna hid her fear from her mother and forced a smile. "It's okay, Mama. How about I make some soup so that you have something in your stomach."

Isobel smiled and squeezed Arianna's hand. "I would love that, Arianna." Isobel watched as Arianna got up and left the room. Isobel thought about the picture again as she wondered if she saw correctly. Was that who she thought it was?

* * *

><p>In the kitchen at the Brady Pub, Sami helped her grandmother with the cooking as well as placing the food on the plates for people's orders. As Sami was putting food on a plate for an order, Caroline slowly walked towards Sami to talk to her. "How is Will doing?"<p>

"He's doing fine. He really appreciated the food you provided for finals week yesterday." Sami turned to Caroline quickly, who seemed happy to hear that, but also seemed to want to talk more. "I'll be right back. I'm going to hand this to Lisa." Sami disappeared to head out front.

When Sami came back, Caroline continued the conversation about Will. "The reason I asked is because I have noticed that when Will comes here, he's always with friends, but he has not once brought a girl or girlfriend to the pub. Has he met anyone at Salem U?"

Without delay, Sami felt uncomfortable and awkward. She forced a smile, but did not dare look at her grandmother because Caroline could always see right through her. "Will just wants to be single for a while so he can focus on school," she claimed. "Did he tell you that he decided to major in music production or something like that?" Sami hoped the slight subject change would stick.

Caroline smiled. "Yeah, he did tell me. He seemed really excited about it." Caroline took a seat to relax for a moment. "I supposed that it's smart that he's focusing on school and avoiding any kind of romantic distraction." Caroline checked on the food. "I'm sure he has plenty of time to meet someone eventually."

Sami nodded her head as she continued to check on the food. She felt bad for lying to Caroline, but felt she had to. She did not want a repeat of what happened the last time.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, Stefano and EJ called in Marco to discuss business. Stefano signaled to EJ to grab the package that he needed Marco to deliver. As EJ grabbed the package, Stefano gave Marco a serious look. "Please make sure you use discretion when the package is in your hands and when you deliver the package. No one can see you with it."<p>

"Yes, Mr. Dimera. You can trust me," Marco responded as he dipped his head to Stefano.

EJ handed the package to Marco. "Here you go."

Marco put the package in a black travel bag and zipped up the bag. Heading out, Marco opened the door to find a woman standing there. She was just about to push the doorbell. "May I help you?"

The young woman looked Marco over and gave him a warm smile. In an Italian accent, she asked, "Are you the man of the house? I just moved in next door."

"No, come in. I'll show you to the man of the house." Marco moved out of the way so that the woman could walk in.

Having heard Marco talking to someone, Stefano and EJ walked into the foyer as Marco left the mansion to make the delivery. Stefano took the woman's hand. "Welcome to my home. I am Stefano Dimera and this is my son, EJ."

The woman shook EJ's hand and gave him a warm smile. "I am Azzura Sarto and I just moved next door." She began to look through her bag and pulled out a small envelope. "This is an invite to a house-warming dinner. I hope you can come."

EJ took the invite and looked to his father as he opened it. After looking the invite over, he looked back to Azzura. "We should be free Saturday night."

"Great. I hope you will bring your families." Azzura gave Stefano and EJ another warm smile before heading to the door. "I will see you on Saturday."

EJ opened the door for Azzura. Both he and his father watched as she left. After EJ closed the door, he turned to Stefano. "So what do you think of our new neighbor?"

"Well, from her accent, it sounds like she's fresh out from Italy." Stefano put his hand on his chin. "She is very beautiful."

EJ agreed and noted his father was deep in thought. He wondered if his father picked up on the same things as he did. "Did you get a suspicious vibe from her?"

Stefano nodded his head. "I did. I will have to keep my eyes open at the party on Saturday."

* * *

><p>Jennifer stood in the student center with a large group of people waiting for the group that studied abroad in New Zealand to pull up in a charter bus. The group inside the student center cheered when they saw the bus pull up and open it's doors to let out the returnees out.<p>

Jennifer began to step on her tippy toes to look over the crowd hoping to spot Abigail. She decided she needed to get closer. She made her way through the crowd and found Josh and Abigail walking over with their luggage. Jennifer immediately went for a hug and kissed Abigail on the cheek. "I'm so glad you're back safe and sound." Jennifer turned to Josh and grabbed his hand. "The both of you." Jennifer looked back to Abigail and noticed she looked different. "I love your new look!"

Abigail hugged her mom again and barely looked at Josh the rest of the time. "I'm going to miss living in New Zealand, but I am glad to be back home in time for the holidays. It was bad when I had to miss Thanksgiving."

Josh agreed trying to get Abigail's attention. "Yeah, we had to make our own small thanksgiving. It was good though." Josh glanced at Abigail and noticed that she wouldn't look at him.

Jen gave Josh a hug. "I'm glad Abigail had you there with her. Are your parents here to take you home?"

"No, Ms. Horton. They're out of town, but I have my car here so I can just drive home." Josh figured it would be best if he went home to give Abigail some space.

"I don't want you to go to an empty home. Why don't you come to our house for a bit," Jennifer suggested. "I'd love to hear both your stories from your study abroad." Josh agreed after Abigail signaled it would be okay. Abigail smiled as Jen helped them through the crowd so they could leave. Jen smiled as she believed that things were working out perfectly.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, almost everyone had arrived to wait for Abigail to come inside for her surprise welcome back party. The only person who had not arrived yet was Gabi. Sonny looked out the window and spotted Jen pulling into the driveway. "They're here! Everyone, get down and hide!"<p>

When Jen walked in with Abigail and Josh, everyone stood up and yelled surprise. Maggie, who stayed in the kitchen, walked out and over to Abigail to give her the first hug. "So glad you're back in Salem. Your mother and I made a few batches of Alice's famous donuts for everyone to enjoy."

"Thanks so much, Aunt Maggie." Abigail smiled as she looked around. She could not believe so many people came over to welcome her back to Salem.

Sonny was next and brought Kai over with him. After giving her a hug, Sonny introduced Abigail and Kai to each other, "Abigail, this is my new boyfriend, Kai. Kai, this is my cousin, Abigail."

Kai shook her hand. "It's so nice to meet you. Sonny has told me so much about you."

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Abigail replied, "I hope only good things." Abigail looked back and realized that Josh was still by the door talking to her mother. She was happy to have the space from him at the moment, but knew she had to pretend everything was okay.

While Sonny and Kai continued to talk to Abigail, Will and Chad came over to say hello. Seeing Chad made Abigail think about why she decided to go on the trip in the first place. Before she left for New Zealand, she could not stand to see Will and Chad together because of how Chad hurt her – even if they mutually decided to end their relationship. Now, Abigail realized that the time away really helped her heal and adjust to the idea that Will and Chad were together.

After the hugs, everyone sat around to hear Abigail and Josh's stories about what they experienced in New Zealand. Will noticed that everyone his age was paired up and showing PDA. Abigail curled up in Josh's arms as they spoke. Sonny and Kai sat close together holding hands. Melanie sat on Nathan's lap as they listened to Abigail tell a story about getting lost. Will looked over at Chad. They were sitting next to each other, but there was space between them.

Will got an idea and grabbed the couch pillow from behind him and put it on top of Chad's hand. He put his hand under the pillow so they could hold hands like they did at the Dimera Mansion that one time. He hoped he could reignite the public playfulness they used to have. As soon as Will grabbed Chad's hand, Chad quickly removed it from Will's grasp. Chad subconsciously removed his hand and placed it on his own lap as he was into Abigail's story, but Will did not know that.

Chad turned to Will with a smile unaware of what just happened. "That sounds like a nice escape." Will gave Chad a strange look as he was confused about why Chad would not hold his hand when no one else could see. He also wondered how Chad could be so nonchalant about it like it didn't happen.

The doorbell rang. Jennifer got up and let Gabi in. Gabi walked over to Abigail as she stood up for a hug. "I'm so sorry I'm late. T could not make it and he will try to welcome you back later."

Abigail smiled. "It's okay. I'm glad you could make it."

"I'm so glad that you're back. It's been kind of lonely." Gabi gave her a small gift. Abigail thanked her as they hugged again.

* * *

><p>Later on that evening, Will walked into his room deciding he could no longer study and would just pick it up in the morning. He began to undress as he looked through his clothes to put something on.<p>

Chad walked in wanting to talk to Will about tomorrow. "Will, I want to take you to a play after your last final tomorrow. Look at it as a celebration of finishing the semester and surviving." Chad smiled as he watched Will undress.

Will turned around as he put on some pajamas. "I'm not sure I'll be able to get through that. I might just want to sleep when I am done." Not wanting to get his hopes up, he figured it would be best if he didn't go. Will got on the bed and closed his eyes.

Chad watched as Will turned his back to him. He wondered if something made Will upset. Chad took off his clothes, but kept his briefs on. He got into bed as well. Wrapping his arms around Will, he brought his mouth close to Will's ear. "I love you, Will. I hope you know that."

"I do," Will responded keeping his eyes closed. With those words, Chad was able to pull Will back in. "I love you, too."

As Chad turned off the lights, Will wondered again about Chad's reasons for being with him. Was Chad only with him because he loved Will too much to not at least give being gay a try? Was Chad making that sacrifice to make Will happy?

Will grabbed Chad's hand as Chad wrapped his arms around Will again. Will hated how he felt so insecure. He wanted to throw those insecurities about his relationship with Chad away. Will wanted to be wrong about how he felt at the moment. He did not want to lose Chad. Will felt guilty as he continued to think about it. Was he being selfish for trying to keep Chad for himself and allowing him to make that sacrifice?


	9. Chapter 9 Prep

**Chapter 9: Prep – Thursday, December 15th, 2011**

Stefano and Kate sat in the living room at the Dimera Mansion enjoying a few drinks. Stefano turned to Kate. "Oh, Katherine, before I forget there's something I need to tell you."

"What do you have to tell me, darling?" she asked as she took a sip of her drink.

"We have been invited to a housewarming dinner on Saturday evening." Stefano placed his glass down before continuing, "I met the new neighbor and I was right. She is Italian."

"She?" Kate gave Stefano a jealous, but playful look. "How old is she?"

"Her name is Azzura. She is quite young – almost too young to be able to afford that mansion." Stefano thought about how she came alone to bring the invitation. "She must have a family since the mansion next door is almost as big as mine."

Kate finished her drink and put the glass down. "Did she say anything about a family?"

"No, she did not. She did ask EJ and me to bring our families. Maybe she has children that Giovanni and little Sydney can play with."

Kate suddenly became a bit more serious about the situation. "Maybe. It's all a bit mysterious," she replied picking up on the fact that Stefano most likely felt the same way.

* * *

><p>Sami and EJ walked around Horton Town Square with Johnny and Sydney. They were shopping for new clothes for the party on Saturday night. Johnny was not impressed as he was not a fan of shopping for clothes. He found it quite boring – especially when they had to shop for dress up clothes. Johnny looked up at both of his parents. "Can we go to the toy store instead? I want to play games."<p>

Sydney nodded her head to her mother. "Toys!"

EJ, who was holding Johnny's hand, looked down at Johnny and answered, "We don't have time for that now. We need to find you a new suit since you're growing so fast."

"Dad, am I going to be as tall as you one day?" Johnny asked as he looked up at only EJ now.

EJ picked up Johnny and raised him high into the air. "Son, one day you're going to be this tall!" Johnny laughed at his dad and thought he was silly.

Sami, who was holding Sydney, smiled at the moment between Johnny and EJ. When EJ put Johnny down, she nudged him. "So are Will and Chad invited to this dinner party on Saturday?"

"Well, my father invited Chad, but I don't think he mentioned to Chad about Will coming as well," EJ realized.

Sami shook her head and rolled her eyes. She whispered into EJ's ear so Johnny could not hear. "Sometimes I wonder if Stefano still wants Chad to be straight."

EJ disagreed and declared, "I think my father has accepted Chad and Will."

"Well, I'll make sure Will knows about the party then." Sami replied as she and EJ walked into the children's clothing store with Sydney and Johnny.

* * *

><p>Will walked out of the building where he had to take his last final for the semester at Salem U. He spotted Sonny and Kai walking towards Chad, who was waiting on Will to walk out. Will walked over to Chad and raised his hands in excitement. "Gentlemen, I just finished my first semester."<p>

Kai playfully tried to put Will's hands down because he and Sonny still had their last final. "I wish I could be done with my first semester, but Sonny and I still have one more."

"Yeah," Sonny looked over to Kai dreading their next and last final, Organic Chemistry.

Chad moved closer to Will. "I think we should grab lunch and relax at the apartment before we go to that play tonight."

Sonny put his hands on both Will and Chad's back. "You should skip the play because I'm throwing a small party at the apartment to celebrate the fact that finals are over."

Chad was annoyed that Sonny decided to throw a party tonight because he was hoping to have a quiet evening with Will at the apartment after the play. "Sorry Sonny, but I already bought the tickets."

Will looked at Chad and held his neck. "We don't have to go to the play. We can hang out at the party." Will decided earlier that he was going to skip out on the frat party. He figured he should attend at least one end of the semester party.

Chad got worried that Will wanted to back out on hanging out alone tonight. He knew he needed to compromise. "Tell you what, we can go to the play and just go the party when the play is over. I want to hang out with you tonight alone – even if it's just during the play."

Sonny realized he might have ruined Chad's plans on taking Will out on a date. He knew he had to do damage control. "I think Chad has a great idea. Go to the play Will. I hear it's going to be good." Sonny looked at the time knowing he could not fix things. "We should go Kai. We don't want to be late for our last final." Sonny grabbed Kai's hand and they walked off.

Will watched them walk off and turned to Chad. He asked curiously, "Why do you want to go to this play so badly?"

Chad wondered why Will was fighting this so badly. He hated that he had to sell Will on going on a date with him. "Like Sonny said, I heard it was funny, too. I think we could both use a laugh after this stressful week."

Will took a deep breath thinking about the stress of finals week and agreed. Not thinking he tried to grab Chad's hand, but Chad moved back. Will immediately apologized. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Chad whispered to Will, "You know I want to hold your hand, but people can see. I'm sorry, too." He thought about what Gabi warned him about in the beginning of the week. He wondered if his wanting to keep it a secret from everyone at school was futile.

"It's okay," Will replied. He did not want Chad to feel bad about it even though a part of him wished Chad felt bad about it. "So where do you want to eat lunch since I am free of this place?"

Chad smiled. "I thought we could just go to your family's pub."

Will quickly became annoyed with Chad's suggestion. He wanted to say something, but bit his tongue. "Sure. We can go there. My great-grandma will be happy to see me. I can even thank her for the food the other day."

* * *

><p>Jennifer and Abigail were enjoying lunch and conversation about Abigail's trip at the Brady Pub. Before taking a bite, Abigail looked at her mother. "I don't know why you want to hear these stories again. I told you these yesterday."<p>

Jennifer smiled. "I guess I am just happy that you're back." Jennifer took a drink and suddenly turned serious. "Abigail, I know you left Salem to get away from everything that happened between you, Chad, and Will. Is everything better with that now that you're back in Salem?"

Abigail sighed. "It is better because I did not have to see them together. On the trip I focused on myself and it was great. I feel like I grew up a lot from my experience in New Zealand."

Jennifer was glad to hear that. Giving her daughter a funny look she said, "What about Josh? Did you leave him out in the cold while you focused on yourself?"

"I really would rather not talk about Josh at the moment." Abigail quickly put food in her mouth so she would not have to say more. Jennifer wondered why Abigail did not want to talk about him, but figured now was not the right time to push it. She figured Abigail would come to her when she felt ready.

Chad and Will walked in and took a seat at an empty table close to the bar. Chad noticed that Will had shut down on him again on the ride over and wondered what was on Will's mind.

Caroline smiled when she spotted Will and decided to head over to talk to them. As she hobbled over, Will stood up to give her a hug. "Hey! Thanks for the food you made for me and my roommates on Tuesday." Will and Caroline released from their hug. "By the way, I'm done with finals, great-grandma."

"That's great, Will." Caroline smiled and watched as he sat down. "How did your first semester go?"

"It was challenging," Will admitted. "But I think I'll get straight A's this semester."

Caroline rubbed Will's back. "I am so proud of you. You better find time to find a girl before you graduate." Caroline winked at him before proceeding, "I'll go back and fix your regulars." As Caroline walked off she patted Chad on the shoulder.

After she was gone, Chad smiled at Will. "She seems to be better."

Will gave Chad an annoyed look noticing that Chad didn't seem phased by the fact that his great-grandmother was trying to pair him up with a girl. He was thankful that Caroline was getting better. "Yeah, I think she'll be able to get full motion in her leg soon enough."

Chad knew he needed to fix things between him and Will. "I'm sorry I did not hold your hand earlier. I can tell you're upset."

Will wanted to keep things calm, but he couldn't. "I am annoyed," he admitted before continuing, "because I know why you wanted to come to lunch here."

"Why?" Chad asked rather confused as to what Will was implying. "I thought you'd be happy to see your great-grandmother."

Will shook his head at Chad and decided to call Chad out. "The only reason you wanted to come here is because we can't act out on our feelings in front of my great-grandmother."

"That's not true," Chad denied it. "You know that I would not act out on our feelings anywhere in public."

Will became even more frustrated because that just made things worse. "Yeah, I know that, but you know when we are both here that I don't feel comfortable showing any PDA. You know this is the one place where I won't make a move on you because I don't know what will happen if my great-grandmother remembered what she did to me over the summer." Will looked around to make sure Caroline was nowhere in sight.

Chad shook his head and decided to let it go. This was not supposed to happen and he wanted things to go smoothly for the rest of the day. "Let's just drop this. I don't want to argue with you. I want to relax and enjoy each other."

Even though he was still frustrated, Will began to feel bad for lashing out at Chad again. "Okay… fine."

* * *

><p>Back at Salem U, Kai and Sonny finished their last final and made their way across campus holding hands to get to Sonny's car. As they walked through the parking lot, they ran into Gabi. Gabi noticed they were holding hands and gave Sonny a look. Even though Gabi was happy that Sonny was not with one of her brothers, she became annoyed because of how fast Sonny seemed to move on. "I see you have no problems moving on and getting a new boyfriend. Who knew there were so many available men for you?"<p>

Kai knew that Gabi did not like Sonny because of the way she talked to him whenever they ran into her, but he did not really understand why except for the fact that Sonny told him that she was anti-gay. "What are you talking about?" Kai stepped in tired of her unwarranted and unwanted shit.

Gabi smirked at Sonny. "So I guess the new boy speaks for you now?" Gabi turned her attention to Kai. "Your boyfriend over here dated two of my older brothers over the summer. He claimed to be in love with one of them – well at least one of them."

Sonny could not believe how rude Gabi was being this time. He did not understand why she hated him so much when he had been so nice to her and her family. He knew that he and Gabi would have to have it out, but he could not help worrying that Kai would be upset with him. He remembered his mother mentioning Dario's return when he and Kai had lunch at the Cheatin' Heart. He told Kai that Dario was just a friend.

Kai stepped up again. Even though he wanted to know more, he could not stand to see Gabi picking on Sonny. "We should go, Sonny. We don't have time for a person filled with so much hate." Kai pulled Sonny away from Gabi, who scoffed at Kai.

As they got into Sonny's car, Sonny turned to Kai. "I'm sorry that…"

Kai interrupted him. "You don't have to… let's just get back to your apartment."

Sonny started his car wondering if Kai was upset with him. He turned on the radio hoping that would be able to get their minds on something else as they drove back to his apartment. He still wanted to talk to Kai about what happened though.

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Chad and Will sat on the couch in silence for a moment. Chad broke the silence when he grabbed Will's hand and moved it to his lap. He told Will, "I want things to be alright between us."<p>

Will turned his body towards Chad. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you in the pub earlier. I'm telling you it's all the stress from finals week." Deep down Will knew that was not the real reason, but he didn't want to get in the way of Chad's wanting to connect with him.

Chad pulled Will closer and began to make out with Will. For a moment, both could forget all their problems. Taking a break, Chad removed his lips from Will's. "I hope tonight will make up for everything."

Will liked the sound of that and outlined Chad's lips with his finger. Thinking about how much more easier it was for them when they were just friends, Will claimed, "I just want everything to go back to how they were."

Chad agreed and went for Will's lips again, but Sonny and Kai walked in before they could continue. Chad and Will separated from each other. Trying not to sound annoyed because Sonny and Kai interrupted them, Chad greeted them with a forced smile. He still did not like that Sonny decided to throw an impromptu party at the apartment tonight because it would most likely ruin his plans.

Will stood up and adjusted himself. "I should go clean up and take a shower before we head out later."

After Will disappeared in the back of the apartment, Chad decided to take the opportunity to talk to Sonny and Kai. "Hey guys, I have a favor to ask about your party."

"Sure, what's up?" Sonny replied wanting to be helpful because he realized he should have talked to Chad and Will about this party before he sent out invites.

"Please don't let anyone from the party in my room." Chad looked at the time as he continued. "There will be two girls coming to the apartment while Will and I are at the play. They are allowed to go into my room." Sonny and Kai nodded their heads to let him know that they understood. "Well, I am going to change. Thanks."

After Chad left, Kai gave Sonny a weird look. "Is Chad going to cheat on Will with two girls?"

Sonny shrugged his shoulders before he could really think the question through. "I'm not sure. I don't think so." Sonny believed that Chad wouldn't do that.

Kai decided to let it go and decided to change to a subject more personal. "So that whole scene with Gabi earlier… Why did you keep me in the dark about the guys you dated over the summer?"

Sonny felt bad. "It's complicated."

"She's that one guy's sister. That guy – Dario – is coming back to Salem when I'll be gone. Your mother mentioned him when she brought out our food the other day." Kai began to worry what that would mean. "Sonny, you know that you're my first, and you only told me about that one boyfriend you had before you came back to Salem."

Sonny looked Kai over and could tell he was concerned. "I'm sorry I kept that from you. You look worried now."

Kai looked down feeling insecure. "I'm afraid that you might find me boring and inexperienced even though you have claimed that I am good at making love."

Sonny put his hands on Kai's shoulders. "You are good. The best I've ever had."

Kai looked into Sonny's eyes. "Should I be worried that Dario is coming back into your life?"

"No," Sonny answered rather quickly. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm with you and like I said, Dario is just a friend. He would have it no other way." Sonny pulled Kai into a kiss to let him know he had nothing to worry about. He wanted to prove to himself that he had nothing to worry about as well.


	10. Chapter 10 Touch

**Chapter 10: Touch – Thursday, December 15th, 2011**

Chad and Will arrived at the theatre where the play was being performed. They arrived at the doors and Will immediately noticed that Michelle and Beth were passing out programs. Chad and Will walked over to them to grab a program before entering through the doors. As Beth handed Chad a program, he slipped her something. Beth quickly put whatever it was in her pocket. "Enjoy the show," she said to Chad and Will.

Chad and Will entered the auditorium and found some seats in the center section close to the front. "These look like good seats." Chad smiled at Will hoping he was enjoying everything so far.

After taking a seat, Will moved his head closer to Chad. He whispered, "Did you want to come to this play because you wanted to see those girls?" Will looked at Chad and noticed Chad seemed uncomfortable with the question. Will realized he was sabotaging their night out by allowing his insecurities take over.

"I don't have to answer that question." Chad hated that Will did not trust him. He looked at the program and thought about how he knew Michelle and Beth would be there. They were only partially the reason he wanted to come to this exact play.

Will looked through the program as well wishing he hadn't asked Chad that question. His insecurities were really getting the best of him. He looked up to the stage when the lights went out. Will calmly took a deep breath to prepare for the play, but he nearly jumped when Chad grabbed his hand. He looked over to Chad, who was now looking at the stage. Will squeezed Chad's hand to make sure he felt right. Chad squeezed Will's hand back. Will smiled to himself as he looked towards the stage.

* * *

><p>Colin sat in his office at the hospital looking through some paperwork. His cell phone began to ring and he immediately picked it up. "I hope you're calling me with progress made."<p>

"Yes, Doctor," a voice on the other side said.

"Has everything been moved over to the new lab?" Colin asked as he tapped his pen against his desk.

"Everything should be set in order to work on the drug," the voice answered.

Colin smiled. He was pleased to hear everything was going as planned. "What about Mrs. Dimera?"

"Saturday evening will be a big day for the Dimera family, doctor."

Colin let out a small laugh. "I wish I could be there to see everyone's faces. It's going to be a lovely night indeed."

* * *

><p>At Dario's old apartment, T helped Gabi pack some of her things. Gabi went to answer the door when she heard a knock. Melanie and Nathan were on the other side and walked in. "We wanted to invite you two to join us for a movie at Melanie's apartment."<p>

T thought that was a good idea. He walked over to Gabi and put his arm around her back. "We should take a break from packing."

Melanie looked the place over and noticed boxes and a suitcase. "Wait. Why are you packing, Gabi?"

Gabi walked over to wash her hands in the kitchen. "My sister and mother already moved out, so I figured I might as well go with them. They moved into the Dimera guesthouse. This apartment still belongs to Dario, so I am not sure what he'll do."

Nathan stepped over to Gabi. "Your family moved into the Dimera guesthouse?"

Gabi nodded her head. "I'm not exactly comfortable with the fact that my family is living on Dimera property, but it might be good for my mother and her health. I want to be there with her. I have to think of her health first."

"So are you packing everything then?" Melanie asked.

"We are packing my stuff, but also putting mostly everything in boxes in case we have to completely move out of this apartment when Dario returns." Gabi looked at everything else she still needed to pack.

"When will you know for sure that you have to move completely out of the apartment?" Nathan wondered.

"It depends on what Dario wants to do when he gets back." She scratched her neck as she continued, "I'm not sure if he's going to be in Salem just for the holidays and then head back up to Alaska after."

"How about we go watch that movie now instead of standing here?" T suggested as it had been a while since he and Gabi hung out with other people.

Gabi looked around again. "I don't know. I still have so much to do."

"Come on Gabi. We finished finals today. We need to celebrate or something." T thought about how he was invited to Sonny's party, but Gabi did not want to go.

Melanie stepped in realizing that T alone would not be able to change Gabi's mind. "Come on, Gabi. T is right. You have to do something fun today."

Gabi realized that T and Melanie were right. She would have the extra time since she no longer had classes. "Fine. I'll watch the movie and try to have fun, but I have to come back over and do some more packing."

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Sonny's party had already started. Music from the game Rockband was playing loudly and everyone was having fun. Kai was talking to another guy who happened to be gay. "I really love Sonny. He's probably the best boyfriend ever."<p>

"Yeah, you two really seem to get along." The guy looked around. "I wish I could be that lucky."

"Have you met Sonny's roommate? He's a really good guy. His name is Will and I think you two would really hit it off." Kai smiled hoping he could help Will out on his situation by playing matchmaker.

"Are you talking about Will Horton?" the guy asked. "I've heard great things about him. Is he gay and single?"

Having heard Kai talking up Will to the guy, Sonny stepped in. "Excuse me… what's your name?"

"It's Brett," the guy responded.

"Excuse me, Brett, but I need a moment with my boyfriend. I'll make sure he comes back to talk to you when we're done." Sonny forced a smile as he grabbed Kai's hand and led him towards the front door.

Kai became annoyed. "What are you doing?"

"I should be asking you that question." The door opened causing Sonny to stop laying into Kai about what he was doing. Michelle and Beth walked in carrying bags and recognized Sonny. Michelle spoke for the both of them, "Hey, we're here because Chad told us to come."

"Oh yeah. I can show you to his room." Sonny looked back at Kai. "I will be right back. Please don't wander off."

Kai watched as Sonny took Michelle and Beth to Chad and Will's bedroom. He thought it was bull that Sonny was okay with Chad cheating on Will with two extremely attractive girls. He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall by the front door.

Sonny returned after a moment and posed the question again. "What are you doing?" Kai looked away and did not answer. Sonny continued talking to him in a whisper. "Do I have to remind you that Chad and Will are together?"

Kai whispered back. "I think Will deserves better."

Sonny wondered why Kai was so overprotective about Will when he barely knew him. "Are you interested in Will?"

Kai immediately looked into Sonny's eyes with concern. "No." He grabbed Sonny's hands and repeated his answer, "No way." Kai continued to look into Sonny's eyes. "Were you ever interested in Will?"

Sonny looked down for a moment. "Will and I talked about it once, but we realized we were better off as friends."

Kai pulled Sonny closer feeling better about their relationship. "Thanks for the honesty. We can trust each other." Kai pulled on Sonny's shirt to pull him into a kiss.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, Stefano, who was clearly frustrated, began to dial another number after he couldn't get through from a different number. He put the phone to his ear as he waited for someone to answer. When he got no answer, he hung up even more frustrated. He decided to try one more number.<p>

EJ and Sami walked in hoping to talk to Stefano. Sami wanted to ask him about Will and Chad coming to the party to make sure he still did not have a problem with Chad and Will's relationship. Sami and EJ quickly realized that Stefano was frustrated though, so they waited until he finished his phone call.

Stefano dropped his phone on the desk upset that he could not get through to anyone on the phone. "Where is she?" he asked himself and then realized that EJ and Sami were standing there.

"Father, what is the problem?" EJ asked.

Stefano took a few deep breaths and threw his hand at EJ. "Don't worry about it, son."

Sami did not waste time once Stefano seemed to be done with his problem. "Is Will invited to the dinner on Saturday?"

Stefano took another deep breath. "Will is family. Of course he is."

"I just wanted to make sure," Sami replied pleased to hear that Stefano called Will family.

EJ decided to change the subject as there was tension in the air. "How were Johnny and Sydney?"

Thinking about his grandchildren helped Stefano cool down a bit. "We all had fun together. Johnny and I had to have a little chat about life earlier. He's so curious about the world." Stefano looked up and smiled.

"That's nice," Sami said trying not to show her worry. "I'll go check on them now." Sami left and headed upstairs.

* * *

><p>The party continued at the guys' apartment. Kai enjoyed playing Rockband with a few people, while Sonny brought out a fresh batch of homemade cookies. Will and Chad arrived after the play was over. Both had huge smiles as they walked in. Will turned to Chad but made sure he did not touch Chad. "Thanks for taking me out to that play. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I really enjoyed it."<p>

"No problem." Chad placed his hand on Will's shoulder. He was glad to see Will happy.

Sonny walked over with the cookies. "Hey guys, you want a cookie?"

"I will in a sec. Bathroom first." Will headed to the bathroom.

Sonny took the opportunity to talk to Chad alone. "Those two girls showed up, but they already left. Why did they come over?"

Chad smiled and raised his eyes. "It's a surprise." Chad looked the place over. "Is the party going to end anytime soon?"

"Do I need to wrap things up?" Sonny asked wondering what Chad had planned.

Chad felt uneasy about answering. "I feel bad because this party seems to be hopping, but yeah. I was hoping to have some quiet time tonight."

While Chad and Sonny continued talking, Will walked out of the bathroom and was greeted by Kai and Brett. "Hey Will, have you met my friend Brett? He's a vocal performance major and I told him about you majoring in Music Production next semester."

Will shook Brett's hand. "Nice to meet you, Brett." While Will was shaking Brett's hand, Kai decided to sneak away so the two could talk alone.

Brett smiled and looked Will over. "It's very nice to finally meet you. I think it will be good to see you in my parts of the university next semester. If you need a tour of the music building, I'd be more than happy to drop whatever I am doing."

Will blushed. "Thanks. I might take you up on that."

Brett patted Will on the arm. "It's no problem." Brett began to feel up Will's arms. "Do you work out?"

"Yeah. I do. Do you?" Will began to notice that Brett was extremely friendly.

"When I can? Where do you go?" Brett let go of Will's arm and raised his sleeve to flex for Will.

Chad looked over and noticed Will talking to Brett. He could not help but notice that Brett was flirting with Will. Walking away from Sonny, he made his way over and stood next to Will. "So what's going on over here?"

Will sensed the jealousy in Chad's voice. He could not believe Chad was making a scene. Will had to make sure Chad did not do something he would regret. "We're just talking, Chad. He's a music major."

Brett looked back at Chad and pointed at him. "You must be the straight roommate I heard about. I'm Brett." Chad and Brett shook hands. "You know you are quite protective of your gay roommates," he joked.

After putting the tray of cookies on the table, Sonny walked over grabbing Kai on the way after noticing that things seemed awkward between Chad, Will, and Brett. He wondered if Kai was responsible. "What's going on here?"

Brett turned to Sonny. "Is Chad as protective with you as he is with Will?"

Sonny looked over at Chad and Will and noticed they were extremely uncomfortable with where the conversation was going. Sonny smiled, "Chad just wants to make sure we're safe. He's a good big brother like that." Sonny faked a smile and then looked around to find a way to get Brett away from Will and Chad. "Hey, it looks like Rockband just opened up. We should play!" Sonny patted Kai and Brett on the shoulder to get them to agree.

Kai felt bad somewhat and agreed. Brett looked back at Will. "I'll see you around Will."

As Sonny took Kai and Brett to the game, Chad realized that other gay guys could snatch Will up because they think he's single. Chad looked at Will and wondered if Will would let them. "Sorry if I made things weird. He seemed a bit too friendly."

Will sensed Chad's own insecurities. Giving him a look of concern, Will asked, "Are you okay?" Will placed his hand on Chad's arm. "I'm okay. I guess I was a bit surprised..." Will decided not to finish his statement since they were surrounded by people.

Chad nodded his head. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Do you want something to drink? It might help you relax." Will removed his hand from Chad's arm realizing that he might have let it linger there for too long. Will smiled at Chad. He sort of liked seeing Chad jealous. It made him feel like his insecurities were wrong. Especially after Chad held his hand through most of the play.

"Yeah. I'll take whatever you're getting." Chad looked around the crowd as Will walked away. He wished that everyone would just leave.

* * *

><p>After the party was over, Chad and Will finally walked into their bedroom for the first time since they returned from the play. Will was tired and ready for bed, but when he saw that the room was decorated, his whole body lit up. Turning to Chad he asked, "What's going on? Did you do this?" Chad smiled and nodded his head. "How? I was with you the whole time and the room was not decorated this way when we left for the play."<p>

"Michelle and Beth did it while we were in the play. I told you that you had no reason to be jealous of them." Chad smiled noting how excited Will seemed.

"Wow." Will felt like crap for asking Chad if they were the reason he wanted to go to the play, but then he realized something else. "Wait… did you tell Michelle and Beth that you're gay?"

"Yeah," Chad admitted. "I know I can trust them."

Will lit up even more. "You did?" he asked surprised. "I am so proud of you." Will gave Chad a hug.

After separating from Will, Chad looked down as he spoke, "Now that the semester is over, I need to focus on coming out of the closet." He looked into Will's eyes as he continued, "I love you, Will, and I hope tonight proved it."

Will thought about all his insecurities and felt guilty that he made Chad think he had to prove it to him. "I'll try to be better about attacking you to force you to come out. I love you and I never want to lose you." Will looked down as he continued, "I definitely don't deserve this, Chad. I have been awful and pushy towards you."

Chad put his hand on Will's chin to make Will look into his eyes. "Will, don't be angry with yourself. I gave you plenty of reason to go off on me. I took advantage of your patience, but I wanted to make sure I had everything in control and now that finals are over, I can finally focus on what's most important: You."

Will blushed and gave Chad another hug. "It's been so hard for me to suppress what I want. I didn't want to disappoint you and that's why I feel bad for going off on you. I feel like I let you down by letting these doubts get the best of me."

"I'm sorry I made you feel so alone. I should have seen it, but I guess I sort of didn't want to see it." Chad gave Will a half smile. "I think we should work on being open and honest about our feelings more." Chad stroked Will's cheek as he continued, "I don't want us to hide behind music. Don't get me wrong, 'Moves Like Jagger' is a pretty cool song, but…" Chad began to laugh.

Will began to laugh as well feeling slightly embarrassed. "I'll have to show you that I do have moves like Jagger," Will joked even though he was slightly serious. He looked down trying to collect his thoughts, but could not stop laughing. "I apologize for trying to give you hints by playing provocative music."

"It's cool. I do like Boyz II Men. I think that was one of my favorites that you played." Chad pulled Will closer and they began to kiss. Soon they were making out and fell onto their bed. Chad was on top of Will and took Will's shirt off. Chad took a moment to look Will over before kissing him again.

Will stopped and looked into Chad's eyes. "I think it's getting too hot in here. Let me help you with your shirt." Will pulled Chad's shirt off causing Chad to straddle him. Will rubbed his hands down Chad's hard chest and stomach as Chad did the same.

Chad pulled Will up so that Will sat up with him. Still straddling Will as he sat on Will's lap, Chad began to make out with Will again as they ran their hands trough each other's hair. Will then put his hands on Chad's bare back and pulled him back down so they were lying on each other again. Chad moved his legs from around Will as he began to kiss Will's neck. Will moaned as he pulled Chad's body as close to his as possible. Chad then went lower and began to kiss Will's chest and nipples. Will really enjoyed that. Eventually Chad moved down to Will's lower stomach and began to undo Will's belt.

Will didn't notice what Chad was doing until Chad started to unbutton his pants. He lifted his head to look at Chad and gave him a surprised look. "Chad, what are you doing?" he asked cautiously trying to contain his excitement.

Chad looked into Will's eyes with a smile. He began to bust out on Boyz II Men's 'I'll Make Love to You'. "I'll make love to you like you want me to and I'll hold you tight, baby, all through the night…."

Will sat up and pulled Chad up so they could see eye to eye. "Does this mean you're ready?"

"Why do you think I set the mood?" Chad rhetorically asked as he winked at Will.

Will grinned the biggest grin he had ever grinned. He pulled Chad into another kiss as he began to mess with Chad's pants to take them off. Breaking a part for a moment they exchanged 'I love yous' and went back to business. Will pulled Chad's pants and briefs off first. He could not believe how excited Chad was about this as he looked him over.

Chad stood there in all his glory with a goofy smile on his face. Although Chad was somewhat nervous about how this was going to go, he knew that he loved Will and wanted to be with him. Chad pulled Will's pants and briefs off as Will laid on his back. Throwing Will's clothes where his clothes were on the floor, Chad crawled on top of Will again and pressed his body against Will's body. Both pressed and released their naked bodies together as their hands explored different parts of each other's bodies. Their breathing became heavier and harder.

Will rolled Chad over onto his back. He began to kiss Chad's neck, chest, and nipples. He knew Chad enjoyed it because of how fast Chad's heart beat became and the noises that came out of Chad's mouth. Will followed Chad's treasure trail while he grabbed onto Chad's dick. Finally making his way to it, Will went down on Chad.

Chad went crazy as Will continued to give him a blowjob. He never had it so good. After a few moments, Chad pulled Will up to return the favor. As Will stood up, Chad got on his knees and grabbed Will's erection. Chad looked at it for a moment hoping he would be as good as Will. He finally put it in his mouth and Will stood on his toes for the first few seconds. He looked down at Chad and still could not believe this was happening. The guy that he loved first – his first love – was actually making love to him. He was ecstatic as he rubbed his chest filled with delight. He never imagined that it could feel so good.

Will stood Chad up and kissed him for a few moments. Chad picked up Will as Will wrapped his legs around Chad's waist. Chad and him moved back to the bed looking each other over feeling the closest they had ever been. They pulled out protection and after another kiss, Chad asked, "Do you want to go first?"

Will caressed Chad's cheek and looked into his eyes. "You can go first, but go slow."

"Don't worry, Blue Eyes. I'll make sure you're okay." Chad, with the help of Will, put the condom on. Chad and Will slowly continued to make love and after getting used to the feeling, Chad raised Will's legs and rested the back of Will's knees on his shoulders so he could kiss Will.

Will stopped Chad after a while and said, "It's my turn, Tiger."

They switched positions and Will slowly entered Chad. Chad had to bite his hand as they started, but after a while he felt the pleasure of being one. He could feel the ecstasy. He could feel the closeness as they looked into each other's eyes. He loved Will and Will loved him. When they came, everything they had experienced turned into pure bliss. Will fell onto Chad's body and they slowly began to kiss again. In their weakened state, they held onto each other as they fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11 After Glow

**Chapter 11: After Glow – Friday, December 16th, 2011**

The next morning, Chad and Will still held onto each other as they slept. They began to stir, opened their eyes, and looked at each other for a moment in silence. They smiled as they thought about the night before. Everything seemed different now. Will placed his hand on Chad's cheek and pulled him into a kiss. "I'm sorry again for ever doubting how invested you were in this relationship," Will said after the kiss.

"I'm sorry it took so long, but I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing." Chad looked away for a moment. "I did some research online," he quickly admitted feeling a bit embarrassed by the fact that he used the internet.

Will moved his hand to Chad's chest. "Well you definitely knew what you were doing." Will could feel Chad's heart beat and it made him smile even more. "I talked to Sonny about it," Will admitted.

Chad smiled at how they both wanted it to go perfectly. "Sonny must have given you some good pointers." Chad gave Will a funny look. "I just let my pointer lead the way."

Will began to laugh with Chad. "I didn't think it was possible for you to get even cornier."

Chad felt a bit annoyed by Will's comment, but decided it was not worth wasting energy on. "We should stop talking and have more fun."

"I'm game. I love that idea." Will climbed on top of Chad and began to make out with him. They were ready to make love again.

* * *

><p>Sonny and Kai were still in bed as well. They smiled as they held each other completely naked. They looked to the wall as they heard Chad and Will having sex in the next room over. Both wanted to laugh, but both refrained. Kai couldn't help smiling though. "Maybe I was wrong about Chad. He sounds like he's really into it."<p>

Sonny agreed. "I'm so happy for Will, but I kind of wish these walls weren't so thin."

"Oh my gosh!" Kai let out as they both realized what that meant. "It must have been extremely awkward for Chad and Will when we were having sex during their dry spell. I can't even imagine what they were thinking."

Sonny and Kai began to laugh about it even though they were slightly embarrassed. After the laughter died down, Sonny looked into Kai's eyes and became serious as he realized that their time together was almost over. "I wish that you did not have to leave."

Kai did not want to leave either. "My family has missed me and I've actually kind of missed them. It's going to be weird going back into straight mode though. There's no way I can tell them about you and me."

Sonny felt bad for Kai because he could tell Kai wished he could tell his parents everything. "Am I allowed to call you?"

"Yeah," Kai started. "It might have to be limited though." Kai sighed and turned onto his back as he thought about how he would have to suppress everything he discovered about himself during his first semester at Salem U. He did not want to have to experience the pain of his parents disowning him at the drop of a hat if they ever found out he was gay. He turned his face to Sonny. "I wish I was as excited about going home as my parents are. I mean, I am excited to see them, but the fact that I can't be honest with them makes it hard for me to fully enjoy the idea of seeing them for the holidays."

Sonny kissed Kai and replied, "I'm there if you need me."

Kai smiled and looked at the time. "We should take a shower, so I can head back to my dorm room to pack the stuff I'm taking home for the holiday break."

"Shower sounds nice." Sonny and Kai got out of bed, pulled on their briefs and grabbed a couple of towels for their shower. They shook their heads and laughed as they continued to hear Will and Chad go at it.

* * *

><p>In Melanie's bedroom, Nathan held Melanie in his arms as her head rested on his chest. Nathan kissed the top of Melanie's head as Melanie ran her hands along Nathan's pecks. "I could really go for some coffee right now," Nathan randomly threw out there.<p>

Melanie moved her head so she could look at Nathan. "It's safe to go out into the kitchen. My dad said he was staying the night at Jen's and going to work from there."

"It's settled then. I will be right back." Melanie moved so that Nathan could get out of bed. He stood up from the bed and grabbed his briefs so he could put them on. He turned to her as he headed towards the door. "I'll grab a cup for you as well."

"Thanks!" Melanie smiled as she pulled the blanket over her. "I'll patiently wait right here." Melanie did not want to get out of bed because it was so cold.

Nathan walked into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. He grabbed two cups and placed them on the counter. It was cold, so he put his arms around his chest to stay warm. "I should have brought a blanket out here."

Suddenly Daniel's bedroom door opened and Daniel walked out whistling. He jumped when he saw Nathan, almost completely naked, just standing there in his kitchen. "What's going on?"

Nathan began to feel uncomfortable wishing even more that he had covered himself with a blanket. He quickly covered the front of his briefs with his hands. "I… I'm just making some coffee for Melanie and me."

Daniel looked around for Melanie and then back to Nathan. "I really do like to avoid awkward conversations, but I have to ask you why you're walking around my apartment in only your underwear?"

Nathan froze unsure of what to say. Luckily, Melanie heard two voices and walked out of the room with the blanket wrapped around her body. Wide-eyed, Melanie quickly asked Daniel, "Dad, why are you here?"

Daniel looked back at Melanie. "I forgot something and had to pick it up before I went in to work." Daniel knew what was going on with Melanie and Nathan now. He hated awkward conversations, but he knew as a father he needed to handle things properly even if Melanie was old enough to make her own decisions. "Melanie, can I have a moment alone with Nathan?"

Melanie looked at Nathan wondering if it was a good idea to leave Nathan alone with her dad when he most likely figured out that Nathan spent the night and that they were sleeping together.

Nathan was not too sure he wanted to be left alone with Daniel, but then figured it might be good for them to talk about this so Nathan could say what he needed to say to Daniel. "Melanie, it's okay. I'll be fine."

"Yeah, he'll be fine," Daniel assured Melanie as he smirked at Nathan. Daniel wanted Nathan to feel a little nervous. After Melanie went back into her bedroom and closed the door, Daniel walked closer to Nathan, but still kept some distance. "Just curious. Do you plan on staying with my daughter for the rest of your life?"

Nathan smiled nervously as this was the perfect opportunity. "Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about that."

Before Nathan could say anymore, Daniel's pager went off. Daniel looked at it and then back to Nathan. "I've got to go, so we can talk later, but on one condition."

Nathan's heart began to beat faster wondering what Daniel's condition would be. "What's that?"

Daniel slapped Nathan's arm playfully causing Nathan to jump a bit. "Make sure you have more clothes on," Daniel joked as he let out a chuckle. Nathan laughed in relief. Daniel walked closer to Nathan and put his arm around Nathan's shoulders. "Nathan, you better marry my daughter if you plan on continuing to sleep with her. We can talk later tonight."

Nathan laughed nervously, but then remembered he would not be available later. He walked with Daniel to the door, "Actually, Melanie and I are going away this weekend… we can…"

Daniel cut Nathan off because he was in a hurry. "Don't worry about it. We can talk when you get back then." Daniel walked out and closed the door.

Nathan sighed and figured that was as much of a blessing he would get before his weekend away with Melanie. He walked to the coffee pot and poured two cups of coffee. He yelled as he walked back into the room. "I've got two hot cups of coffee! Hopefully they'll help me forget the awkwardness I just experienced with your dad!"

* * *

><p>Kai and Sonny arrived at Kai's dorm and walked inside. Kai turned to Sonny and told him that his roommate already went home the night before. They began to go through Kai's things to decide what he was taking and what needed to stay. Sonny picked up a shirt and showed it to Kai. "I hope we can get your packing by tonight." Sonny winked at Kai to give him a hint on what he wanted to do his last night in Salem.<p>

Kai couldn't believe the semester was over. "Do you remember the first time we saw each other in Organic Chemistry class? That's crazy that we have come this far."

Sonny smiled as he thought about that day. "You definitely caught my eye when you walked in the first day."

"And we couldn't keep our eyes off each other ever since then. I was this new kid who had no idea what it meant to be gay." Kai finally took the shirt from Sonny and packed it.

Sonny began to laugh as he thought about how innocent and cute Kai was about the whole thing. "You moved closer and closer to where I sat as the semester went on. Every time I looked back you were somewhere else."

"You surprised me though when you decided to take matters into your own hands. I could not believe the day you walked into class and took the seat next to me." Kai stopped packing and pulled out a sheet of paper from his wallet that had a number on it. "That was the day you gave me your phone number. You made me so happy." After putting the paper away, Kai continued, "You are a good guy and I'm glad I met you. You have taught me so much." Kai and Sonny kissed.

"I'm glad I met you, too, Kai." Sonny rubbed Kai's back.

Kai went back to packing things. "Will we have to start over when I return for the next semester?"

Sonny grabbed one of Kai's hands. "You can always sit next to me in class."

* * *

><p>Back in Will and Chad's room, Chad and Will continued to cuddle in bed. Will sat up. "I'm feeling a bit lazy," he admitted.<p>

Chad smiled and sat up as well. "We've worked so hard though. I think we've earned the right to stay in bed all day."

Will kissed Chad. "I'm not too keen on staying in bed all day. I'll have to wash these sheets." Will thought of the date and remembered something. "That frat end of the semester party is tonight. We could go." Even though he had decided earlier he wasn't going, he thought it would be nice if he and Chad went out tonight.

"I'm not sure I want to go to that. I'd rather just hang out with you." Chad moved closer to Will to give him a hint.

"Again?" Will gave Chad a surprised look. Will and Chad's thoughts were interrupted when Will's cell began to ring. Will got out of bed and walked over to his pants to grab his cell out of one of the pockets. He answered. His mother was on the other side. Chad whistled as he checked Will out. Will gave Chad a look so he would cut it out.

"Hey, Will. I'm just calling you to invite you to this dinner tomorrow night. Chad knows all about it as he is already going, so you should join him. The family will be there."

"Sure. That sounds great." Will was glad to get an invite out that had nothing to do with school.

After Will hung up, Chad perked up. "Who was that?"

"That was my mom. She invited me to some family dinner thing tomorrow night. She said you knew about it." Will sat on the edge of the bed not wanting to get back in because he knew it would only lead to more laziness. "I told her I would go."

"I'm not sure if I want to go because it's my father's new neighbor," Chad admitted. "She invited the family for some kind of housewarming dinner."

Will stood up and sat next to Chad on Chad's side of the bed. "I think we should go because we have to start doing more family things since we are done for the semester. I'm sure your father would appreciate it." Will looked Chad over as Chad thought about it. "Are you ready to go public?"

Chad sighed. "I know I need to be."


	12. Chapter 12 Flash from the Past, Pt 1

**Chapter 12: Flash from the Past, Pt. 1 – Saturday, December 17th, 2011**

Melanie and Nathan had enjoyed their time at Green Mountain Lodge so far. They had arrived Friday night and relaxed in front of a fireplace before heading to their room to sleep the night away. The next morning, Nathan got out of the shower and began to get dressed, while Melanie put make up on. Melanie looked at Nathan through the mirror. "You better hurry and get dressed before my father walks in," she announced with a playful smile.

Nathan turned to face Melanie. "Ha. You're funny." Nathan turned back around and put on his briefs. "I have to admit your father walking in the room after you told me he wasn't there was both surprising and embarrassing. He totally gave me the third degree."

Finishing her eyes, Melanie replied still looking in the mirror, "My father really respects you, so you don't have to worry about it." Melanie turned around when she was done putting on her makeup and looked Nathan over. "Besides you have no reason to be embarrassed at all."

Nathan pulled up his jeans and walked over Melanie and gave her a kiss. Melanie enjoyed being held by Nathan's bare arms, so when Nathan put on a shirt and a sweater she frowned a bit. After Nathan was done getting ready, he turned to Melanie with excitement. "You ready to go skiing?"

Melanie quickly answered with even more excitement than Nathan. "Yes! I'm excited!" Melanie loved that Nathan brought her here for the weekend. It was nice to get away from Salem.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, Stefano and Kate sat on the couch discussing business. Stefano was very curious about one specific project of Kate's Hearth and Home. "So how did your bedroom project do? You know the one where you had to use every empty bedroom in this house to redecorate so that Chad and Will could share a bedroom." Stefano gave her a serious look knowing he had just called her out.<p>

Kate smiled knowing full well that Stefano was toying with her and countered, "People have been sending in questions about the looks and are wanting to redecorate their own bedrooms in similar ways." Kate eyed Stefano for a reaction as she continued, "I'm set for the next several months."

"Well, I am glad that business is going well for you." He took her hand and kissed it.

EJ walked into the room. "Father, you called for me?"

Stefano stood up from the couch. "Ah, yes. I've been having problems with contacting Marco. He's not answering his phone. Have you heard from him?"

EJ looked at his phone. "I have not, which is really odd." EJ put his phone in his pocket again as Arianna walked in. "I'll find Marco before we head out for the dinner party next door."

Arianna spoke up to make her presence known. "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could borrow some milk and sugar as we are out in the guesthouse."

"Sure, I'll take you to the kitchen. Follow me." EJ put his arm out so she would follow him. Stefano shook his head at how Arianna interrupted an important conversation. "We should have made sure everything was in stock in the guesthouse before you and your family moved in."

"It's okay. You've done plenty." Arianna followed EJ through the back entrance of the living room. As they walked towards the kitchen, Arianna curiously asked, "What dinner were you talking about?"

"My family and I were invited to the mansion next to ours. We'll be gone for most of the night." EJ looked at the time wondering if Sami would be there soon.

"That sounds exciting. I hope it all goes well." Arianna looked the house over. She had never seen this part of the mansion before. It was even more beautiful than the main room. "Your father has a knack for decorations."

EJ nodded his head in appreciation. "If you need anything tonight, just ask Harold or Mary. They know where everything is. EJ smiled as they finally arrived to the kitchen.

Arianna looked around the kitchen and was amazed at how big it was. "Thanks EJ!"

* * *

><p>In the kitchen next door, Azzura walked in to have a short meeting with the cooks and other servants in the house. She wanted to make sure everything was going as planed for the night's festivities. Addressing the cooks, she said, "You must make more than enough food for everyone. I'm not sure who is coming and who is not, but lets plan for everyone who was invited. Plan on setting the table accordingly. Mr. Stefano Dimera will sit on one end of the table as he is the head of his household." She turned to the servants. "Make another sweep around the mansion to make sure everything is in order. Make sure all the locks work on all doors. We don't want our guests wandering around where they shouldn't be."<p>

Azzura smiled at all of them. "Tonight will be the most eventful night in Salem!"

* * *

><p>Outside of Kai's dorm at Salem U, Will and Chad brought down a few things and placed them in the trunk of Chad's old car. Chad looked up to the window of Kai's dorm room and asked, "What do you think is taking Sonny and Kai so long. Kai didn't have much to bring down."<p>

Will wanted to laugh as he answered, "I think they might be taking advantage of some last-minute alone time."

Chad looked over to Will and agreed. "Let's wait in the car. It's too cold to stand out here and wait for them to finish whatever they need to finish." Chad unlocked the doors so they could get in. "I'm sure Kai and Sonny will want to sit together, so you should take shotgun."

After getting in the car, Will grabbed Chad's hand and smiled. He loved that Chad seemed more comfortable with holding his hand outside of their apartment.

Chad smiled back and admitted, "I want to kiss you right now."

"Chad, you don't have to overcompensate with coming out of the closet. You can take things slow. We have our whole life time." Will squeezed Chad's hand to reassure him things were good.

Chad really appreciated Will's sweetness and patience. He knew he didn't want to let Will go. Chad moved in closer and gave Will a kiss.

Suddenly there was a pounding on the door. Chad got a bit nervous and looked and spotted Kai and Sonny standing there. "Pop the trunk," Sonny said as he and Kai made their way to the trunk of Chad's old car.

"I guess I accidentally closed it," Will said while Chad popped the trunk.

After Sonny and Kai put the other things in the trunk, they closed it, and got in the back of the car. Chad began to head to the airport. Kai moved in closer to Sonny so they could hold each other. "I'm glad you're seeing me off to the airport." He rested his head on Sonny. "This is going to be harder than I thought," Kai admitted.

Sonny grabbed Kai's hand. "It's not over yet."

* * *

><p>Caroline and Sami were talking at the Brady Pub. Caroline grabbed Sami's hand and patted it. "You have no idea how much I appreciate your help. I hope that I didn't get in the way of your life too much."<p>

Sami smiled and leaned closer to her grandmother. "I told you that it's fine. You have helped me a lot over the years when you babysat the kids."

"It was really nice to have everyone helping me out. I definitely enjoyed Kimberly and Kayla coming to Salem to help for those weeks when they could." Caroline smiled as she wished her whole family was in Salem. "I am happy that I will get a more permanent helper tomorrow."

"Yeah, that will be nice for you, I am sure." Sami looked at the time and realized her time was limited. "I hate to do this, but I have to leave soon. I'm supposed to meet up with EJ and the kids for dinner."

Caroline let go of Sami's hand. "Go ahead and go if you need to. It's okay because Bo and Hope are supposed to stop by later and Gabi's in the back doing the cooking at the moment. She's a quick learner. She'll be here until Bo and Hope arrive."

"Thanks grandma." Sami stood up and gave Caroline a kiss on the cheek.

Before Sami could take off, Caroline grabbed Sami's hand again. "Sami, are you really happy with EJ?"

Sami smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, I am, and things are great."

Caroline smiled as she let go of Sami's hand. "That's all that matters. I hope that one day all the bad history between our families will end." Sami nodded her head in agreement. "I feel bad that I can't remember the wedding."

"I'll bring over the wedding album the next time I'm over." Sami responded causing Caroline to smile.

* * *

><p>Victor arrived at Bo and Hope's house to talk to them. When Bo let Victor inside, Bo and Hope explained the mess in the living room. "Hope and I are trying to get things in order and ready for when Chelsea arrives. It's going to be great having her here – especially during the holidays."<p>

"We want to make sure that there's enough space for some of her things," Hope added.

Victor cleared his throat. "I actually came here to talk to you about Chelsea. I think it would be better if she stayed with me at the mansion as I have plenty of room for her. She'll have more space there."

Bo nodded his head to Victor to show appreciation for the offer as Hope watched in silence wondering if Victor's offer offended Bo. "Thanks for the offer, Victor, but Chelsea specifically asked to stay here so she could spend some time with her sister."

"Well, I guess if that's what she wants, I shouldn't argue with her." Victor smiled as he continued, "I am sure Ciara will be happy to spend a lot of time with her older sister. I already arranged for my driver to pick her up. I'll make sure he brings her here."

Hope gave Victor a warm smile. "Thank you, Victor." She wanted to make sure Victor knew his help was appreciated.

* * *

><p>Chad, Will, Sonny, and Kai arrived to the airport. Chad parked his car in the parking garage. Everyone got out and walked to the airport entrance. Will and Chad decided to say their goodbyes first, so Sonny could get the last goodbye. "It's been cool getting to know you this semester. Have fun in Canada," Will started things off.<p>

"Thanks Will, you have fun here." Kai looked at both Chad and Will as he continued, "I am so sorry for trying to get in the middle of your relationship. I'm new at this and I had no right to do that."

"It's okay," Chad said and Will agreed. "Just make sure you don't do it again." Chad and Will laughed and Kai joined them. Kai agreed to not interfere in their relationship again.

Sonny walked over to Kai. He had remained quiet at first as it felt like déjà vu as soon as they arrived to the airport entrance. Then it hit him that the last time he was at the airport was when he had to say goodbye to Dario. He remembered when Dario kissed him causing Sonny to touch his own lips. Feeling guilty, Sonny turned around wanting to run off, but Kai stopped him.

Kai made Sonny look at him. "I told you this was even harder than we expected, and I understand that you want to pretend this isn't happening. I know you don't want me to leave, but not saying goodbye will only make it worse." Trying to lighten the mood, Kai joked, "It will only be a few weeks … or so."

Sonny smiled and decided to go with Kai's excuse. Sonny pulled Kai into a hug and kiss. "I'm going to miss you so much!"

Kai began to tear up. "I'm going to miss you as well."

As Sonny and Kai let go of each other, Mia McCormick walked out of a different door, and turned her attention to Will and Chad when she spotted them. As she hid behind a newsstand, she made sure to keep an eye on them. She had just arrived back in Salem and wondered what was in store for her since she had told no one except for her mother that she was coming back to Salem.


	13. Chapter 13 Flash from the Past, Pt 2

**Chapter 13: Flash from the Past, Pt. 2 – Saturday, December 17th, 2011**

At the Dimera Mansion, EJ walked into Johnny's bedroom and found Sami and Johnny arguing. "What's going on? The dinner will start soon and we need to head over."

Sami sighed. "Johnny does not want to put his suit on. I managed to get his pants on, but that's about it."

Johnny, who sat on his bed, crossed his arms around his chest as he declared, "I don't like wearing suits!"

EJ tried to excite Johnny about wearing suits by pointing to his own. "Look, Johnny. I'm wearing a suit, too. It's not so bad."

Johnny looked at his father's suit and thought about it. "I don't know, daddy. They make me hot and are not comfortable."

Will walked into the room and whispered to Sami, "Chad and I just got here and Stefano said there was a problem."

Sami whispered back to Will. "Your brother does not want to put on his suit."

Will, who was also in a suit, walked over to Johnny. "Hey buddy, mom just told me that you don't like wearing suits." Johnny nodded his head. His arms still crossed around his chest. "I don't really like wearing them either, but I know that it's good to wear one when we go over to someone's house to eat."

Johnny gave Will a curious look. "Why?"

Will sat next to Johnny. "Because when we wear suits, it makes us all look good. We look like a family that loves and cares for each other. Besides, even though a suit can be uncomfortable, we can look cool in suits. Don't you think that your dad and me look cool in suits?" Johnny nodded his head as he liked that Will said about looking cool as a family. "I think you should look cool, too."

"Okay." Johnny agreed with Will and turned to Sami. "Mommy, can you make me look cool like daddy and Will. We can look cool as a family."

Sami smiled and walked over to Johnny to help him get dressed. She gave Will a look of appreciation. EJ appreciated what Will did as well.

Downstairs, Stefano had his doubts that they would leave on time. "I'm not sure sending Will up there will help things. EJ went up there after promising to get everyone downstairs, but I have not seen results yet."

Chad gave Stefano and Kate a nervous look, but managed to hide his nervousness after a while. "Well, since we have to wait, I might as well tell you and Kate something that's important." Kate and Stefano gave Chad their full attention. "Will and I are going to be more public about our relationship."

Kate looked to Stefano to say something but noticed he seemed uneasy about Chad's announcement. She decided to step in. "I am happy for both you and Will. I admire that you two are going at the pace that is right for the both of you."

Chad appreciated Kate's response, but he really wanted to hear from his father. "Father, what are you thinking?"

"I think it's good that you are becoming your own man, but I still think you should be careful. I would hate if anything happened to you or Will." Stefano gave Chad a hug to let him know he would support him either way, but hoped that Chad would keep his relationship with Will a secret if he planned to join the family business again.

Will walked down the stairs and announced, "My mom, EJ, Johnny, and Sydney should be down soon."

Kate smiled and put her arms around Will when he arrived at the foot of the stairs. "Glad you got things figured out up there."

Marco suddenly walked into the mansion. When he saw Stefano, he apologized immediately. "Mr. Dimera, I apologize for not answering your calls. My phone was turned off and I did not know about it."

Stefano put his hand up to help calm Marco. "Marco, it's okay. Technology cannot always be trusted. What's important is that you're here now. I want you to head up security tonight while my family is out. Keep an eye on things." Stefano still had a suspicious feeling about tonight.

"Will do, Mr. Dimera. Thanks." Marco walked out to make sure everything was set for security.

* * *

><p>Out at Green Mountain Lodge, Nathan ordered room service for dinner. Both Melanie and Nathan were exhausted from skiing earlier, so a nice quiet dinner to themselves was needed very much. Even though they were tired, Nathan tried to make it as romantic and lively as possible. He lit a few candles and dimmed the lights. Taking a seat across from Melanie, Nathan smiled as he looked at Melanie. "I'm so glad we could get away from Salem and just enjoy each other."<p>

Melanie yawned as the lighting in the room made her sleepier. She realized that Nathan was trying to be romantic and smiled at him using most of the energy she had left. "This has been a great getaway, Nathan. I'm glad you brought me out here. I love you."

"I love you," Nathan said as he put his hand in his pocket to make sure the engagement ring was still there. He was waiting for the right time to propose.

Time continued to go on and before Nathan knew it they had finished eating. He had focused so much to keep Melanie awake during dinner. Extremely low on energy, Melanie stretched and then stood up. "I'm going to wash up and then head to bed. I am too tired to do anything else." Melanie kissed Nathan on the cheek and headed to the bathroom.

Nathan sighed as he pushed the table out-of-the-way and into a corner. He looked at the bed and then towards the bathroom door. He realized he missed his opportunity.

* * *

><p>Azzura opened the door and let everyone in. As they walked in, she thanked them for coming over. Everyone immediately noticed how big the first room was. Stairs wrapped around the sides of the room to the next level. The room was decorated with lots of Italian culture, which impressed Stefano. Stefano turned to Azzura. "I could not help but notice that your paintings and sculptures are inspired by Italian culture."<p>

Azzura bowed her head to Stefano. "I just moved to the USA from Italy."

Kate was intrigued by the fact that Azzura moved here. "Why Salem?"

Azzura adjusted her hair by shaking her head. She smiled as she convincingly said, "A voice told me I needed to find a house in Salem and buy it. It was fate when I found this mansion." She grinned to show her excitement about finding this mansion.

"That's nice." Kate smiled, but in her thoughts wondered if this young woman was crazy.

Sami watched Azzura as she talked to Kate and Stefano. She nudged EJ. "She's very beautiful."

"Agreed, but she has nothing on you, Samantha." EJ kissed Sami.

Sami smiled, but when she saw Johnny walking towards a sculpture with his hands out to grab it, she began to freak out. "Johnny," she said as calm as she could. Stopping him before he could grab the sculpture, she knelt down to his level. "Remember how you aren't supposed to touch art at our house? It goes the same everywhere else." Sami stood back up and took Johnny's hand to lead him back to EJ and Sydney.

EJ picked up Johnny and smiled at him. "You like art, don't you?" Johnny nodded his head. EJ put Johnny down after saying, "I do, too. It's a family thing." Johnny ran off and took Stefano's hand.

"Johnny has been acting out a lot today. I don't know what's gotten into him," Sami admitted wondering if she should be worried.

Will and Chad began to laugh as Will explained to his mother, "He's just a kid. He wants to explore new places. We all did when we were younger."

Sami knew Will had a point and began to laugh as she remembered the things Will did when he was Johnny's age. "Don't get me started on your explorations of the world when you were younger."

Chad was intrigued and looked at Will. "Looks like we'll have to have story time later on."

Will half smiled as he hated talking about his childhood. He gave his mother a look wondering why she would even bring that up considering all the crap she pulled when he was younger. Sami realized she might have hit a nerve with Will reminding him of the past he really wanted to forget.

Azzura walked over to Sami and EJ after talking to Johnny and Stefano about the art. Noticing Sydney as well, she told them, "You two have very beautiful children."

"Thanks. We were lucky." EJ said keeping an eye on Johnny, who was still holding Stefano's hand.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, Jennifer, Daniel, Abigail, and Josh were having dinner. After taking a small bite, Abigail asked Daniel, "Have you heard from Melanie since she left for the weekend?"<p>

"I haven't actually," Daniel admitted. "I don't want to interrupt her time away with Nathan."

"They went to Green Mountain Lodge, right?" Jennifer asked before getting another bite of food. Daniel nodded.

"We should go up there sometime," Josh suggested to Abigail hoping she would agree.

Abigail looked at Josh wondering why he would suggest that. "I'm not sure I'm ready to take another trip out of Salem. I've been gone too long." Abigail decided to change the subject. "So when is JJ coming in for the holidays?"

Jennifer noticed that things were a bit strained between Josh and Abigail, but the subject change seemed almost too obvious. She decided to let it go for now. "He will be in town next week."

Abigail smiled. "Don't tell him I said this, but I really miss him." She began to play with her food. "Did you guys know that Chelsea's going to be in town?"

Jennifer nodded her head. "Yeah, I talked to Hope about it earlier. Are you excited about that?"

"Yeah, I'm glad that my old best friend will be back." Abigail smiled wondering what kind of trouble they would get into.

"That's got to be exciting for you," Josh shared. Deep down he wondered if Chelsea would cause any trouble for anyone.

* * *

><p>Sonny sat alone playing Xbox on the couch in his apartment. He tried to keep himself distracted so he would not think about Kai or Dario. After beating a mission, he put the controller down for a moment wishing that Chad and Will were around instead of going to that dinner party.<p>

Sonny picked up his phone and looked through it until he got to Kai's name. He wondered if he should text or call Kai to make sure he made it back home safely. He told himself there would be no harm if he just sent a text, but before he could there was a knock on the door.

Sonny put his phone down next to the controller and got up from the couch. He headed to the door wondering who it could be. He looked through the peephole and noticed it was dark. Since he couldn't see anything on the other side, he slowly opened the door and found Kinsey standing there. Taking a step back in shock, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Sonny. I actually came by to see if Chad and Will were around." She looked past him into the room to let him know she did not care to talk to him or see him.

Sonny's thoughts began to wonder on what to say to her. Eventually he realized that he did not care that she came here to talk to Chad and Will because she was acting like nothing happened the last time they saw each other. He wanted to know what happened that night he took her out to see Salem in Victor's limo. "No, you can't come here and pretend that night did not happen. How come I don't remember what happened? Tell me what happened!"

Kinsey rolled her eyes at Sonny and leaned on her right leg as she crossed her arms. "Right now is not the time to talk about that night as I have to make sure I get some things in order – a.k.a. more important things."

Sonny did not like her answer and could not believe how different she was compared to who she pretended to be when he first met her. "Well, if you can't talk about what happened then I have no reason to talk to you!" Sonny slammed the door in her face.

Kinsey stepped back a little surprised by Sonny's reaction. She began to smile as she shook her head, "There goes that Kiriakis anger." She wanted to see if he would be angry when he saw her before she told him the news – the reason she came back to Salem. She walked off and giggled about Sonny.

* * *

><p>In the Dimera guesthouse, Arianna and Isobel sat at the table enjoying dinner. "Mama, we have milk and sugar again, so if you want some coffee, I'll make you a cup."<p>

"Maybe before bed," Isobel responded. "Where did you get it? I never saw you leave."

"I went in the mansion and EJ gave me some," Arianna answered. "The mansion is pretty much empty because the Dimeras went to have dinner with the neighbor."

Isobel looked out the window towards the Dimera Mansion. "I wonder what the rest of the mansion looks like. I bet it's beautiful."

"It's amazing! I got to see the kitchen today. Mama, you would not believe what it looks like…" Arianna smiled but noticed that her mother looked uncomfortable talking about the house. "Do you feel weird about staying here?"

"It's awkward," Isobel admitted. "Not because the Dimeras are rich and have a huge home. It's more about what Rafael did. That disappointment will do no more damage, but the shame he brought is still felt. I do feel a lot more comfortable in this guesthouse for some reason though – like I am supposed to be here." Isobel looked at her food as she thought of the picture of Tony and Anna again.

* * *

><p>Back at the mansion next door, everyone took a seat at the long and elegant dinner table. Stefano, who sat at the head of the table on one end, noted, "There are two more empty seats. Are we expecting anyone else?"<p>

Azzura, who sat between Stefano and Chad and across from Kate, answered, "I was expecting two more people to join us."

"Do you have family that are joining us for dinner?" Kate asked.

"Something like that…" Azzura replied as she looked at the time. Kate felt a bit more comfortable figuring Azzura had just hinted to having a boyfriend or something similar.

While everyone else was talking, Chad and Will struggled with keeping their hands off each other under the table. Chad began to rub Will's leg as Will began to run his hand up Chad's leg. Will wanted to laugh, but refrained. He could not believe that Chad was doing this even if no one could really see them. Chad, let out a small giggle as their touching became even more frisky. Chad could not believe they were actually doing what they were doing either.

Johnny noticed they were doing something because Chad and Will could not keep their eyes off of each other. He also noted how they looked really happy because their smiles were so big. Curious as to what was making them so happy, Johnny decided to look under the table. When he saw what they were doing, he quickly looked away becoming embarrassed and weirded out. Trying to hide his shame, he buried his face in EJ's side as he covered his eyes with his hands.

EJ looked down at Johnny and tried to get him to stop. He then realized that Johnny was reacting to something. He looked up and noticed that Chad and Will's demeanor and then realized that their hands were under the table. Their faces pretty much confirmed they were doing something and Johnny most likely had witnessed it. EJ cleared his throat catching Will and Chad's attention. He gave them a stern look while shaking his head. He raised his hand to his neck and signaled for them to stop.

Before Chad and Will could respond, the doors on the other side of the dining room opened. An older woman and a younger man walked out. Stefano looked the woman over and sat in his chair completely shocked.


	14. Chapter 14 Flash from the Past, Pt 3

**Chapter 14: Flash from the Past, Pt. 3 – Saturday, December 17th, 2011**

Gabi arrived to the Dimera guesthouse after hanging out with T for a bit. As she walked in, Arianna walked out of the bathroom. Gabi looked around and noticed that her mother was nowhere in sight. "Is Mama asleep in her room?"

Arianna looked the place over and noticed that Isobel was gone. "She was sitting at the table when I went into the bathroom to wash up." Arianna knew something was up because her mother would have said goodnight if she did head to her bedroom. Arianna and Gabi headed to Isobel's bedroom to see if she was in there.

When they walked in, all the lights were out but no one was in bed. "She's not in here Where could she be?" Gabi began to worry.

Arianna began to freak out as well. "Gabi, stay here and look in the other rooms. I'm going to check outside." Arianna made her way to the door that led outside. She noticed it was cracked. She began to worry even more.

* * *

><p>At the mansion next door, Stefano stood up from his chair knowing he had to say something to the woman who walked into the dining room. He could not share his true feelings because he did not want to make a scene. He did not like it when someone got the best of him. "Maddalena." Stefano walked over to the woman and gave her a hug.<p>

Maddalena kissed Stefano on the cheek and introduced the young man who walked in with her. "This is my grandson, Ignazio." Stefano looked Ignazio over and shook his hand. He could not believe the resemblance.

Chad looked at Will for a moment as they heard the woman's name. It was the same as the island they visited first on their yacht trip over the summer. EJ, who was still annoyed from what happened earlier, stood up and looked at Chad. "Chad, stand up and greet your aunt." EJ and Chad made their way to Maddalena. EJ smiled, but Chad did not understand what was happening.

Stefano introduced both EJ and Chad. "I think you remember, Elvis."

Maddalena gave EJ a hug. "You are a spitting image of my father. It's good to see you again. It would have been nice if I could have attended your wedding. Is your wife here?" Maddalena could care less about meeting Chad.

Stefano stepped in before EJ could answer. "And this is my youngest, Chad." Stefano pushed Chad forward. "I don't think you've even seen a picture of him."

Maddalena forced a smile when she shook Chad's hands. "Very handsome – but a little on the pale side."

After Stefano and EJ introduced everyone else, everyone sat at the dinner table to eat. Stefano watched his sister across the way still trying to make sense of what her presence meant. He was angry with her for just showing up, but he did not allow it to show in his face. "Maddalena, I'm just curious. Who is Azzura to you?"

Maddalena turned and smiled at Azzura. Her face showed that she had great admiration for Azzura. "She is my right hand. She is like a daughter to me." Azzura nodded her head to show appreciation to Maddalena.

Will looked to Chad not really focusing on anyone else at the table. He tried to grab Chad's hand under the table, but Chad would not allow it. Something told Chad that something was not right. He looked at his father and tried to read him, but couldn't at the moment. He did notice that EJ seemed a bit uncomfortable.

Will looked around and noticed everyone was quietly eating. This seemed off considering the times he ate at the Dimera Mansion in the past. They were usually talkers during dinner. Will turned and saw Johnny playing with his food. He caught Johnny's eye, but Johnny immediately looked away. Will wondered what was wrong and wished someone would say something.

* * *

><p>At Salem Inn, Mia sat on one of the beds in the room talking to her mother on the phone. "I'm in town for the holidays, but I have to take care of some things before Christmas." Mia listened as her mother replied. "Yeah, I can afford this. You know that. I did a lot of gigs in New York and saved up quite a bit of cash. Everything is working out mom."<p>

Kinsey walked in and sat on the other bed. "Hey."

"Hey, mom. I'll call you later." Mia hung up the phone and looked at Kinsey because it appeared she needed to talk. "What's up?

"I made first contact with Sonny at his apartment, but Chad and Will weren't with him though." Kinsey wondered if Mia had seen them at all today.

"When are you going to tell Sonny the news?" Mia asked.

Kinsey leaned back and sighed. "I'm waiting for the right moment. Sonny needs to calm down a bit first. When are you going to make yourself known to Chad and Will?"

Mia thought about surprising Chad and Will and responded with a smile, "Soon enough." Mia still had a few things to figure out before she made any contact with Chad or Will.

"It's so weird that they are dating. I haven't seen them since I left, but I wonder what they look like together." Kinsey shook her head as she tried to picture the two kissing and holding hands. "It must be really awkward for you, huh?"

Mia rolled her eyes. "I saw them today at the airport. They stood really close to each other. I think T wasn't lying about them being together. They were too close, but I think they are still in the closet." Mia thought about the fact that two of her ex-boyfriends were now dating each other. She had to change that. "I brought them together. Now I'm going to tear them apart."

* * *

><p>Back at the Dimera Mansion, Isobel looked through the living room and picked up the picture of Anna and Tony. She brought it closer to her face to make sure she wasn't seeing a ghost. "Who is that woman you're with?" she asked herself in a whisper. "I can't believe that you're a Dimera."<p>

Arianna walked in through the back door and spotted her mom. "Mama, what are you doing over here?" Arianna noticed that Isobel was holding the picture frame. Walking over she looked at the picture. "Do you know Tony and Anna?" she asked causing Isobel to return a questioning look.

Marco walked in and recognized Arianna from before when they jumped out of a plane together. "Is everything okay?" Isobel remained silent wondering if she managed to get Arianna and herself into trouble.

"Yeah, we're fine, Marco – that's your name right, Marco?" Arianna responded hoping Marco would just let them go back to the guesthouse.

"Yeah, are you two looking for something? Is there a reason you're in here?" Marco asked wondering why they were not in the guesthouse. He was happy to see it was them though and not some burglar trying to break in.

Arianna grabbed the frame from her mother and put it back down on the stand where she found it. "We were just heading to the kitchen to find some fruit."

"I can show you where to find some," Marco suggested wanting to help them.

"That's sweet of you," Arianna tried to play sweet and innocent with him. She turned to her mother and pretended something was wrong. "Mama, you don't look good." She turned back to Marco. "Thanks for offering your help, but I think it would be better if I just took my mother back to the guesthouse for some rest." Isobel shook her head and agreed.

* * *

><p>Back at Maddalena's mansion, Stefano and Maddalena excused themselves from the table so they could talk in private. As they made their way into the next room over, Stefano thought about his phone calls with his sister over the summer. Stefano took advantage that no one else could see or hear them. "Don't you remember when we discussed this over the summer. You eventually decided you were not going to come to Salem. What happened?"<p>

"I wanted to be closer to family. Things were a bit lonely in Italy even with my children there," she explained knowing that her brother expected more of a reason.

"Then why the surprise? Why did you send Azzura to my mansion to invite us here under false pretenses?" Stefano loved his baby sister, but he did not understand why she did not call and tell him she decided to move to Salem after all.

"Stefano, I knew you wouldn't want me to come if I told you I was coming. Let's be honest with each other, mio fratello. I wanted you to know I was here in my own way. One where you couldn't use all your power to make sure I did not come." Maddalena gave Stefano a look to let him know that she knew him well.

Stefano decided to change his physical and verbal tone when he spotted EJ walk out of the dining room with Chad and Will. "I still wish you would have told me up front instead of this charade. There is no need to play games with family."

EJ looked Chad and Will over shaking his head wishing he did not have to have this conversation with them. EJ wiped around his mouth with his fingers before telling them his request. "I need you guys to be more careful with where you do intimate things."

Chad and Will gave each other a questioning look. "EJ, we don't have to have this talk - especially here of all places. What Will and I do is none of your business though." Realization came over Chad's face. "Oh, I get it. Father talked to you about Will and I becoming more public and he asked you to change our minds."

EJ shook his head and became a bit more frustrated. "No, father did not ask me to talk you out of coming out. I am actually glad that you two have decided to go that route. I want to talk to you about what you were doing under the table."

"We appreciate your support, EJ, but I don't feel comfortable talking to you about that," Will shared. "It's not like you've never touched a girl with your hands under a table. You're not my father."

"But I am Johnny's father!" EJ finally put his foot down. "Whatever it was that you were doing under the table with your hands, Johnny witnessed it because he quickly became embarrassed by what he saw you two doing." EJ made sure he put emphasis on 'you two' by pushing them a bit with his finger.

Chad and Will immediately felt guilty for touching each other under the table and for attacking EJ when he had every right to confront them about what they did. "Look, we are both sorry for that. We will be more careful and smarter about our decisions." Chad gave his brother a genuine look.

Will realized why Johnny would not look at him earlier. "Is there anything we can do? I'm sorry Johnny had to see that."

"I'm not sure. I'm hoping things will smooth over after tonight." EJ looked into the dining room where the others sat hoping Johnny didn't see much. He noticed that Johnny held his mother close.

Azzura and Ignazio stood in a corner of the dining room discussing the other side of the family. Ignazio tilted his head towards Azzura and asked, "Does my great-uncle have a daughter?"

"Stefano does have a daughter," she whispered back. "We don't have plans for her yet. Maddalena is set on making things right in this family, so whatever that is for Lexie, we will find out soon enough."

Stefano walked back into the dining room and took Kate's hand. "We will be leaving soon." Stefano didn't want to stick around to find out what other surprises his sister had in store for the night.

* * *

><p>Back in the Dimera guesthouse, Isobel rested in a chair with her eyes closed as Gabi and Ari cleaned up in the kitchen. Gabi rinsed out dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. "So what was Mama doing?"<p>

Arianna, who was putting leftovers away, leaned her head towards Gabi. "She was looking at a picture of Tony and Anna Dimera."

Gabi gave Arianna an odd look. "Why would she do that?"

"The Dimera family is next door. As for the picture, I'm not sure," Arianna confessed. "It was really weird though. Mama looked at the picture as if she recognized Tony."

Isobel opened her eyes and looked over towards her daughters. "You two should know that I found out if I close my eyes, my hearing gets so much better." She gave them both a look causing them to feel bad for talking about her behind her back. "There's something I don't understand though. Why do you keep calling the man in the photo, Tony? I knew him as Andres." Isobel stood up and headed to her bedroom. "I need to rest," she claimed as she disappeared into her bedroom. Gabi and Arianna looked at each other shocked wondering what their mother's confession meant.

* * *

><p>Back at the Dimera Mansion, Chad and Will walked down the stairs and headed for the door after saying goodnight. Stefano walked out of the living room into the foyer. "Chad. William. Can I have a moment of your time before you leave?" Chad and Will turned around to give him their attention. "Look," Stefano started dropping his hands. "… I know that both of you guys want to be more open about your relationship, but … I want to throw caution your way to look around before you act out on your feelings in public. I fear that something may happen to you."<p>

Will looked at Chad wondering if Chad would take his father's advice, but Chad spoke up, "Father, I know that you're concerned for us, but I assure you we will be careful, but Will and I will do things our way."

Stefano looked to Will, "William, could I have a moment alone with my son?"

Will looked to Chad and sighed. "I'll start the car up so we can leave when you're done here." Chad gave Will the keys and Will left.

"Chad, I am looking out for you. I think you should wait to come out. Now is not the right time. Trust me." Stefano moved in closer and took a hold of Chad's right hand. "Son, you will have to be the one to convince Will this is a good idea to put that part of your relationship on hold. I know Will won't listen to me considering he still thinks I am against your relationship with him." Stefano pulled Chad into a hug. "We can talk more about this later, but you should go. It's late."

"Goodnight father," Chad nodded his head to Stefano before walking out the door. As he walked outside, he remembered the feeling he felt when his aunt walked into the dining room earlier. He made his way into the passenger seat of his car and looked over at Will wondering if he would be able to convince Will this was a good idea. His father had gotten to him. He was worried.

Before driving off, Will looked straight ahead avoiding any eye contact with Chad. He feared that Stefano got to him. "So are we going to do as your father asked?"

Chad looked down at his lap before he answered. "I don't know." He looked to Will and noticed that Will would not look back at him. "I think we should consider it because his warning seemed serious."

"Yeah," Will replied and began to drive back to their apartment. He was disappointed, but decided to drop the subject. "I am tired. Can't wait to get in bed." Chad watched Will and realized that was the end of the conversation. Chad sat back as both remained quiet for the rest of the drive.


	15. Chapter 15 Conspirators

**Chapter 15: Conspirators – Sunday, December 18th, 2011**

EJ and Sami laid in bed the next morning for a moment. Sami moved her head onto EJ's chest as she thought of the night before. So many weird things happened at the mansion next door. She could not believe that Stefano's sister was in town without him knowing it. Then she thought about how Johnny shut down during dinner. She remembered EJ talking to Chad and Will. She lifted her head and moved over to her pillow so she could face him. "What did you talk to Will and Chad about last night?"

EJ gave Sami a look and sat up in bed. "I was upset with my brother and Will because they were careless last night. I think Johnny might have seen them doing something sexual under the table."

Sami sat up as well. "What? Are you serious?" She couldn't believe it. "Johnny really wanted to go straight to bed last night. He would not let me go until we made it to his bed. He told me he did not want a story or anything. He just wanted to be left alone." Sami gave EJ a concerned look wondering what it was that Johnny saw.

EJ wondered as well. "I hope that this does not affect Johnny too much. Hopefully he'll return to his old self soon."

* * *

><p>Chad and Will walked into the kitchen and found Sonny cooking quite a bit of food. Will walked over to Sonny and stopped him from cooking more pancakes. "Sonny, what's the occasion?"<p>

Sonny sighed and realized he had made more than enough food for them to eat the whole day. He stopped cooking and turned off the stove. "I woke up early and just started cooking to get my mind off things," he divulged. "I guess I let it get out of control."

Chad walked over to Sonny and placed his hand on Sonny's shoulder. "Are you already missing Kai?"

"Well, Kai is part of it," Sonny said with another sigh wondering if he should tell Will and Chad what else was on his mind. He figured they would understand why he felt so overwhelmed. "Dario is coming back to Salem tomorrow." Sonny took a seat and began to put pancakes, eggs, and sausage on his plate. Chad and Will sat down to enjoy breakfast as well. "I'm really nervous about it." Sonny watched as Will and Chad began to dig in and eat the food that he made. Sonny realized that Will and Chad probably weren't shocked to hear he was nervous about Dario's return. He knew his next statement was sure to catch their attention. "To top it all off, Kinsey stopped by last night."

Will and Chad froze. Will had just put food in his mouth and Chad had just picked up a good size of eggs with his fork. Both put their utensils down and turned to Sonny. "Kinsey's in town?" Chad asked to be sure he heard right.

Sonny began to mess with the food on his plate. "I'm not sure why she's back, but she claimed she came over because she was looking for the two of you."

Will swallowed what was in his mouth. "Why would she be looking for us? Did she say?"

"She didn't and I don't know if I really believe she wanted to talk to you two. I wish I did know for sure, but part of me thinks that she really just wanted to see me." Sonny finally ate a piece of sausage. As he chewed he got more frustrated about the situation. "I wish I knew what she was up to," he repeated. "I wish I could find out once and for all what happened that night when I took her out in the Kiriakis limo."

Will looked at Sonny and felt bad for him. "I'm so sorry that all of this is happening to you."

Sonny glanced at Chad and Will and digressed. He did not want to think about it anymore so he changed the subject. "How was that dinner thing last night?"

"Well, apparently my dad's new neighbor is his sister, my aunt. Her name is Maddalena," Chad answered while he poured syrup on his pancakes.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Sonny asked.

"It's the same name of that island where we got our supplies on that yacht trip in August," Will reminded Sonny.

"Do you think she owned that island?" Sonny asked.

"It's possible as it is Dimera owned, and my aunt is a Dimera." Chad thought about the night before. "I also met my second cousin as well. I can't remember his name at the moment though." Chad then thought about his father's warning. He looked at Will, who was thinking about the same thing.

* * *

><p>Up at Green Mountain Lodge, Nathan woke up before Melanie. He got out of bed and grabbed the engagement ring. Kneeling down next to Melanie, he placed the ring on Melanie's index finger while she was asleep. Nathan sat there for a moment hoping she would wake up soon.<p>

Melanie finally began to stir. She opened her eyes and spotted Nathan watching her. Unconsciously she began to play with the ring on her finger, but kept her attention on Nathan. "So what do we have planned for the day?"

Nathan eyed the ring and remained silent. He hoped that Melanie would realize that there was something different about her. He watched as she played with the ring. He wondered how she had not noticed it yet.

Melanie waited for a response from Nathan, but never got one. She also noticed he wasn't even looking at her. "You're in a weird mood today." Melanie stopped playing with the ring and that's when she realized she had been playing with something on her index finger. She looked at what she was playing with and realized she had a new ring on. "Oh my gosh. Where did this come from?" She looked to Nathan and realized he was on his knees. She was playing with an engagement ring.

Nathan took her hand and looked into her eyes. He could tell she was filled with excitement. "Melanie Jonas, will you marry me?"

"Oh my gosh, yes!" She placed the ring correctly on her hand and began to jump on the bed with excitement. She jumped into his arms and they began to kiss. Both smiled widely as they kissed and fell onto the bed. They were finally going to have their chance to be husband and wife.

* * *

><p>As Hope made sure everything was in order for Chelsea's arrival, Bo looked through the paper. "Dammit," Bo let out catching Hope's attention.<p>

"Brady, what is it?" Hope asked as she walked over.

Bo turned to Hope while holding up the paper. "It looks like someone leaked info about our current investigation into the missing dead bodies. Which means..."

"Whoever is responsible now knows we are on their trail." Hope shook her head. "Why do people think it's okay to mess up what we're working on." Hope began to look through the story.

Ciara made her way down the stairs. "Is Chelsea here yet?"

Bo and Hope turned their attention to Ciara. "Not yet, sweetie." Hope decided to distract Ciara so that Bo could finish the article. "Ciara, let's go check on those brownies that you made." Ciara and Hope headed into the kitchen, while Bo finished reading the article. In the meantime, Abigail arrived with Caroline so they could be there when Chelsea arrived.

After a while, Chelsea and Victor arrived at Bo and Hope's house from the airport. Putting the newspaper down, Bo helped Chelsea with her luggage and put it to the side when Victor and Chelsea walked in. When Bo put the luggage down, Chelsea wrapped her arms around her dad. "It's so great to be back in Salem. I've missed you."

Bo wrapped his arms around his daughter. "I've missed you as well. I'm happy to have you back here."

Caroline stood up from the couch and made her way over to them. Giving Chelsea a hug, she said, "Thank you for coming down to help me full-time. I really do appreciate you taking time from your own life to do this."

Chelsea smiled as she looked at her grandmother. "It's not a problem. I needed to get back here anyway."

Hope and Ciara walked out from the kitchen. As soon as Ciara saw Chelsea, she ran over. "Chelsea!"

Chelsea bent down and hugged Ciara. "We are going to have so much fun!" Chelsea hugged Hope next. "It's so good to see you again. I'm sure we have so much to catch up on." Hope smiled and agreed. Chelsea then turned and saw Abigail waiting to talk to her. Chelsea rushed over and gave Abigail a hug.

Abigail smiled. "You have no idea how great it is to have you back here!"

Chelsea winked at Abigail and replied, "I can't wait to get into some trouble with you."

Bo and Hope thanked Victor for bringing her from the airport. Overhearing Chelsea's conversation with Abigail, Bo walked over wondering if he should be concerned. "What sort of trouble are you two talking about?"

Chelsea began to laugh and softly hit her dad in the gut. "I was only kidding, dad."

* * *

><p>At Maddalena's mansion, Azzura and Ignazio met with Maddalena in her study. Maddalena looked at a picture of her brother, Stefano. "I know that my older brother is upset with me for coming to Salem because he tried to stop me when I told him I wanted to come this past summer." Placing the picture down, she turned to Azzura and Ignazio. "I want you to keep an eye on everyone in that house."<p>

"How would you like for us to go about that, Signora?" Azzura asked.

"I'll keep my eye on my brother and his wife." Maddalena grabbed Ignazio's hand. "Nipote, you should probably befriend Chad and Elvis." Ignazio nodded his head to let her know he understood. Maddalena then grabbed Azzura's hand. "Azzura, I want you to find out what you can on Alexandra and her husband for now."

"I will do as you ask," Azzura replied.

"I have an appointment at the hospital soon. Ignazio, I want you to go with me." Maddalena grabbed Ignazio's chin. "You are so special to me. I know you won't let me down."

Ignazio smiled. "Of course, Nonna. I will always do as you ask."

* * *

><p>Back at the Dimera Mansion, Chad arrived to talk to his father. He found Stefano working at the desk in the living room. "Father, I'd like to talk to you about last night."<p>

Stefano stood up and greeted Chad with a hug. "What's the rush?"

"There's really no rush, I just don't understand what happened last night. I want to know why you're so adamant that Will and I continue to keep our relationship private." Chad took a seat to let his father know he was not going to leave until he told him everything.

Stefano sighed and took a seat as well. "It has to do with my youngest sister being in Salem." Stefano sighed again as he thought about Maddalena. "Do you remember when I told you that our family had a past with homosexuality?"

"Yeah, I remember. I also remember our conversation about how I might not fit in the family business because of the ridicule homosexuals get in this type of business." Chad wondered how the two were connected.

"Your Aunt Maddalena was very special to my father, your grandfather, because she was his last child," Stefano began to explain. "Her full name is Maddalena Colleen Dimera. That's special because her middle name came from a woman your grandfather had an affair with. Her name was Colleen Brady." Stefano began to shake his head as he continued, "My father was so protective of Maddalena that when she married he forced her husband-to-be to take the Dimera name."

Chad wondered where this was going as he still could not find the connection between Maddalena and his relationship with Will. "So she was named after my grandfather's lover and did not have to change her last name when she married. What does this have to do with Will and me?"

"Patience. You will understand soon." Stefano got up and grabbed a glass of water. "I don't know how much you know about your cousin, André, but he was her first son. She had him at a very young age." Stefano took a seat as he continued, "When André got a bit older, around the age of 18, Maddalena caught André messing around with the gardener's son."

Stefano looked into Chad's eyes to let him know this was serious. "She had the young man killed. André decided to run off, but before he left, Maddalena told him that he was a disappointment to her and that if he continued to sleep with men she would never welcome him back."

Chad could not believe that really happened. He remembered his conversation with EJ about André when they had lunch at the Cheatin' Heart. He knew something had to happen to him to make him so crazy. "Did he come to work for you then?"

"Well, he did eventually, but he traveled first. He slept with many women over the years, even when he worked for me, to prove he was a real man." Stefano sighed. "He never slept with another man again. I believe not allowing himself to live his life and be who he really was is what drove him mad. I didn't see it then, but I should have known there was a reason he wanted to change his face. He wanted to be the best at everything. I guess he didn't think it would be possible with his real face to achieve that."

Hearing André's story made Chad more curious about a lot of things. He looked at his father and wondered if Stefano regretted helping André turn into the monster he was before he died. "Do you regret not saving him?"

Stefano looked down for a moment and decided not to answer the question. "Look, son, I fear what my sister might do if she found out about you and William. I will stand up for you two, but I cannot bring harm to my sister as I took an oath at my father's deathbed. Well, that was one of many oaths I took." Stefano looked up as he thought about the oath to destroy the Bradys for how they hurt Santo. Stefano then looked to Chad, who was clearly thinking everything over. Stefano hoped that Chad finally understood why it was best for his relationship with Will to stay private.

* * *

><p>After Will helped Sonny pack up the breakfast food in the fridge, they decided to play some video games to pass the time. As they started up their X-box, Sonny noticed that Will seemed down. "You okay Will?"<p>

Will put his controller down. "I think Stefano is getting to Chad again," he shared. He went on to explain further, "Chad told me last week after finals were over that he was ready to be more public about our relationship – he even kissed me in his car – but now Stefano wants Chad to put that on hold." Will could not believe Chad seemed to believe this was best. "I'm so disappointed."

"That sucks man." Sonny knew that this really bothered Will because they had talked about it in the past.

"I feel really bad." Will rested his head on his hands as he bent down. "I'm jealous of you because Kai was able to be out as soon as you two started dating. It wasn't a problem for him and I'm sure he lived a more secluded life than Chad."

"Everyone is different," Sonny reminded Will. "I think you should talk to Chad about this. I bet he already knows that you're upset about this, but that doesn't mean you don't talk to him about it."

As Will and Sonny continued to talk, Kinsey and Mia arrived outside of their front door. Mia slid a medium-sized envelope under the door before Kinsey knocked on the door. They rushed out of sight soon after.

Will got up and saw the envelope on the floor. "What's this?" He grabbed the envelope and opened the door to look around. He saw no one and closed the door.

"What is it?" Sonny asked as he stood up from the couch.

Will looked the envelope over. "It's an envelope and it's addressed to Chad." Will looked the envelope over again. "There's no return address."

Sonny looked the envelope over as well. "I wonder what it is. It's thin." Sonny and Will decided not to open it since it was addressed to Will, but both were curious what could be inside.


	16. Chapter 16 Pretty Little Liars

**Chapter 16: Pretty Little Liars – Sunday, December 18th, 2011**

Ignazio brought Maddalena to her appointment with Dr. Murphy. When Colin walked into the room, Maddalena smiled when she saw him. She lifted her hands and called out to him, "Son, I am so glad to see you again." She placed both of her hands on the bottom of his jaw and gave him a kiss on each cheek.

Colin gave Maddalena a hug. "It's been too long. It's great to see your face and not just hear your voice on the other side of a phone." Colin turned to Ignazio and shook his hand and began to check on Maddalena's health. After checking Maddalena's vitals, Colin claimed she seemed to be doing better.

"Well, as good as it is to hear that, you know that's not the real reason I am here," Maddalena announced. "I know Stefano is suspicious of me, but I am not worried because he will never find out why I came to Salem. Has the prototype arrived yet?"

"It should be in by the end of the week," Colin claimed. "We'll be able to continue our work in the basement in your mansion as soon as the shipment comes in."

"I don't want you to be the one to pick it up when it arrives, Colin." Maddalena wanted to keep Colin's connection to her confidential. She turned to Ignazio. "Ignazio, I want you to take a few of our men with you when it arrives. Ignazio nodded his head to her. "Good. I can't wait until everything is set."

* * *

><p>Jennifer walked into Daniel's office bearing snacks from the vending machine. Daniel looked up and smiled suspiciously. "What's all this for? ...and why are you here? Isn't this your day off?"<p>

"Well, it feels like I barely see you anymore, so I guess I needed a reason to spend a little time with you." Jennifer smiled as she placed the sweets on Daniel's desk so he could choose whatever he wanted. "Besides what kind of girlfriend would I be if I forgot your birthday?"

Daniel got up, hugged Jen, and gave her a kiss. "I almost forgot my own birthday! I guess work has been really busy. I wish I didn't have to work a double shift tonight, so we could spend more time together." Daniel looked at Jennifer and realized how much he missed Jennifer. He was really happy to have her in his life.

Jen picked up a candy bar and opened it. "It's fine." She broke off a piece of the candy bar and fed it to Daniel.

Daniel smiled as he chewed on the piece of candy bar. "Are you free tomorrow night?" he asked hoping that their schedules would coincide.

Jen pulled out her phone and began to look through it. She knew she was free, but she loved to tease Daniel just a bit. "I'll have to look through my schedule." Jennifer looked up to Daniel after a while. "I think I can make room for you," she decided with a wink.

Daniel wrapped his arms around Jennifer as Jennifer bit into the candy bar. "Well, then it's settled. We are going out somewhere fancy tomorrow night."

"I can't wait!" Jennifer kissed Daniel and then whispered, "Happy Birthday."

Daniel looked into Jennifer's eyes for a moment when Daniel's phone made a sound. He grabbed his phone and saw he had received a text from Melanie. "I got a text from my daughter."

"Looks like someone has a good daughter as well since she's probably wishing you a happy birthday," Jennifer suggested.

Daniel opened the text. "You're right. She texted, 'Happy Birthday to the best dad ever! I've got a huge surprise for you when Nathan and I get back!'" Daniel put his phone down and looked at Jen. "I wonder what that could be."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see." Jen kissed Daniel again knowing it would be a while before they could do that again.

* * *

><p>Lexie looked through some charts in her office, when Maxine walked in. "Dr. Carver, sorry to interrupt, but there is a woman here who would like to talk to you."<p>

Lexie looked up from her work and responded, "Send her in. I have time." Maxine walked out and sent Azzura in. Lexie smiled and shook Azzura's hand after closing the files. "Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

Azzura took a seat as she introduced herself. "My name is Azzura Sarto. I'm from Italy and I came to Salem with my signora. She is currently being seen by one of your doctors and I wanted to make sure this doctor was competent in the medical field. I want to make sure my signora gets the best possible."

Lexie loved hearing Azzura's accent. With a smile, Lexie replied, "I can assure you, Azzura, that the doctors on staff here are more than competent." Lexie noticed that Azzura still did not seem to be content by her response. "Let me ask you a question. Who is your signora seeing?"

To make it believable, Azzura pretended that she could not remember Colin's name. "Let me think. It is Doctor… Dr. Murphy. That's it. Her doctor is Dr. Murphy."

Lexie thought about how Dr. Murphy had his license reinstated. Even though she knew of his misdeeds she had faith in the health board to decide if he was ready to be a doctor again. "Dr. Murphy is a good doctor and has just been added to the staff after being away for a while." Lexie crossed her hands. "Who is your signora?"

"Her name is Maddalena Dimera," Azzura answered.

Caught off guard, Lexie took a moment before asking, "Is Maddalena related to Stefano Dimera?"

Azzura smiled and nodded her head. With an excited tone, Azzura almost shouted, "Yes, they are brother and sister. How do you know Stefano?"

"I am his daughter," Lexie responded feeling excited about the connection.

"Wow. I had no idea." Azzura pretended to be surprised. "But… your last name is Carver."

"Oh, I am married to the mayor of Salem. His name is Abe Carver."

Azzura figured she had enough information to start with and stood up. As she shook Lexie's hand, she said, "Well, now that I know that you are a Dimera, I know I can trust you. Thank you for your time." Azzura headed towards the door, but stopped to turn around. "We should set a time when Maddalena can meet you and your husband."

"That would be great." Lexie watched as Azzura left the room. She wondered why her father never mentioned his sister to her.

* * *

><p>Will and Sonny were watching a movie at their apartment when Chad walked in. Chad moved quickly to take a seat next to Will. "What movie are you guys watching?" Chad asked. Both Sonny and Will hushed him as they were really into the movie. Chad looked at Will and could not help keep his hands off of Will. Chad decided to take it to the next level by kissing Will's neck.<p>

Will began to smile, but really wanted to watch the movie. "Chad, not now, I'm trying to watch this movie."

Sonny decided to pause the movie after looking at the time. "You should probably give Chad that envelope," he reminded Will. Sonny stood up as he continued, "We can finish the movie later. I have to head out anyway because I'm meeting Abigail at the pub soon."

After Sonny left, Will turned off the TV and grabbed the envelope to give to Chad. "Chad, I want to talk to you about Stefano."

"Yeah, we need to talk about that." Chad thought about his conversation with his dad as he opened the envelope.

"I know that your dad told us that he was worried about us, but part of me believes he's only saying that because he's ashamed of having a gay son. I love you Chad and I know you love me so that's all that should matter, right?" Will turned to Chad realizing Chad had not responded in any way. When he looked at Chad he realized that Chad was not paying attention to him because he was looking at a photo. "What are you looking at?"

Chad turned to Will. His mind was clearly solely focused on the photo in his hand. "This photo was in the envelope." Chad showed Will the picture. It was a photo of Grace. "I don't know who sent this to me."

Will noticed there was writing on the back of the photo when Chad turned it around. "Chad, there's something written on the back."

Chad turned it around and read what was on the back. "I miss her, too." As soon as he read it, Chad stood up realizing that it had been a while since he visited Grace. "Will, we can talk later. There's something I need to do."

Will stood up as well. He could see the pain of Grace's death in Chad's eyes. He wondered if someone was playing a sick joke on him. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, I'll be back." Chad gave Will a kiss on the cheek and left in a hurry.

* * *

><p>Will took a seat on the couch again wishing he could do something for Chad. He picked up the picture of Grace and looked it over. He wondered who sent the photo to Chad.<p>

A small party was held at the Brady Pub for Chelsea's return to Salem. Chelsea looked the pub over and thought of her times before in the pub. She walked over to Caroline and gave her a hug. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay upstairs with you?"

"Yes, Chelsea. I am fine here," Caroline responded.

Sonny walked in and Abigail quickly grabbed his hand to reintroduce him to Chelsea. "Chelsea, I think you remember Sonny."

Chelsea gave Sonny a side hug. "Yes, one of the things I remember about you through Abigail is that she seemed to talk you up a lot." Chelsea, Caroline, Abigail, and Sonny laughed. "The other thing I remember is that when we finally did meet that one time years ago is that I got this vibe that I wasn't your type."

"Yeah. My life has changed quite a bit since then. I'm…" Sonny froze when he remembered that Caroline was there. He had almost slipped and admitted he was gay. "…going to grab a drink. Anyone else want one?" Sonny turned and spotted Victor talking to Bo and Hope by the bar. He turned around. "Why is my great-uncle here?" he asked rather annoyed. He wondered if Victor was spying on him.

Abigail realized that Sonny did not know about how much Chelsea's life had changed since they had met. "Chelsea found out her biological parents are Bo Brady and Billie Reed."

Chelsea looked down wanting to change the subject. "I'd rather not talk about my mother right now." She made eye contact with Abigail making Abigail decide not to push it. "So I guess we are related, Sonny." Chelsea looked at Sonny wondering why he seemed to not like Victor. "Could you bring a couple of waters for us?"

"I'll bring some drinks over." Sonny headed to grab four water bottles.

Victor took the opportunity to talk to Sonny. After excusing himself from Bo, Hope, and Ciara, he walked over. "Sonny, I was hoping we could talk."

"I'd rather not." Sonny avoided looking at his great-uncle.

Victor grabbed a water bottle. "I thought we were making progress. What's changed?"

Sonny grabbed all four water bottles. "Kinsey's back in town. Have a good one."

Victor watched Sonny head back to Chelsea, Abigail, and Caroline. He wondered why Kinsey was back in town. He had asked her to stay away from Sonny after she drugged him. Victor swore to himself that he would get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

* * *

><p>Chad took a few deep breaths and walked through the cemetery to find Grace's gravestone. Once he found it, he also found Mia standing there talking to her. "Mia?"<p>

Mia turned around. "Chad? What are you doing here?"

Chad glanced at Grace's gravestone and then back to Mia and realized that she was the one that delivered the envelope. "Did you send me that photo?"

"I didn't want to be alone when I came here. I wanted someone to be here with me that could understand my pain." Mia gave Chad an aching look.

"Did you come back to Salem just to visit Grace?" Chad asked still trying to get over the shock of seeing Mia again.

"No, Chad," she said as she shook her head. "My mom and I made up when my mother came to New York for Thanksgiving. I promised my mom that I would come to Salem for Christmas. I'm on break from school, so I'll be here for about a month."

"Oh," Chad responded not sure how else to respond. He could not believe that Mia was in Salem and did not know how to feel about it. Seeing her by Grace's tombstone made things even more confusing. She was the only one who could ever really understand the pain he felt of losing Grace.

Mia could see hurt in Chad's eyes and walked over to him. "I got a letter in the mail saying that Grace's middle name was taken out last year."

"Yeah, it was." Chad walked over to Grace's tombstone and slid his fingers across it. "I did not feel comfortable with her being named after Rafe."

Mia placed her hand on Chad's shoulder. "I understand. Maybe we can pick a new middle name for her together since we never got to name her.

"I don't know." Chad thought about how Mia never gave him the chance to know his daughter. Even though he was able to forgive her, he could not forget what it felt like when he found out Grace was his daughter after she had died.

Mia walked over so she could face Chad. "I know that you are hurting and I apologize for keeping my pregnancy a secret. I thought you had rejected me when your parents sent you away, so I was scared. My mom pretty much kicked me out and I knew I could not raise her. I didn't know what else to do. I wish I had not given her up. She might still be alive."

Chad looked into Mia's eyes and noticed water forming. "I'm sorry, too and it's good to see you again." Chad pulled Mia into a hug trying to fight back the tears. "Don't blame yourself. There's nothing you could have done."

* * *

><p>Ignazio drove Maddalena from the hospital to the Dimera Mansion so she could talk to Stefano. When they arrived, Ignazio turned to his grandmother. "Do you want me to go in with you?"<p>

Maddalena placed her hand on Ignazio's leg. "You can come in, but I want you to stay in the foyer, so I can have a moment alone with my older brother."

Ignazio helped Maddalena out of the car and took her arm to lead her to the door. After ringing the doorbell, Harold answered. "We are here to see Stefano."

Harold led them in to introduce their presence to Stefano, but Maddalena told him it was not necessary. Maddalena let go of Ignazio's arm and headed into the living room alone. Once she saw her brother she made her presence known. "Stefano."

Stefano turned around. "Maddalena, this is a surprise. You need to stop doing that." He let out a small laugh, but quickly became serious after. "So I'm still not sure I know the real reason for why you moved to Salem. Forgive me if I seem suspicious"

Maddalena threw her hands at Stefano to let him know he needed to relax. "I already told you. I came here to be with family again. Sure I have family in Italy, but I wanted to reconnect with you and yours. It's time we come together, don't you think?"

"So this has nothing to do with André?" Stefano asked straightforwardly.

"I feel horrible for what happened to André. I wish I could have saved him from himself, but a mother can only do so much." Maddalena crossed over to Stefano. "I'm trying to start over by making sure his children are safe and under my care. I did leave some with their mothers as they seemed to have everything in control, but I did take Ignazio at an early age because his mother died."

Stefano noticed how his sister lit up when she mentioned Ignazio. "You seem very fond of him."

"I am," she smiled. "Ignazio is nothing like André – except for the similar facial features before André got plastic surgery to look like your bastard son, Tony."

Stefano extended his arm to Maddalena. "It's nice to have you here as I enjoy when family is closer." Stefano watched Maddalena as she took a hold of his hand. He still did not know if he could trust her when it came to Chad.

Maddalena let go of Stefano's hand and walked towards the couch to take a seat. "EJ seems like he is the one to bring our family back to what it used to be. I don't know why you waste your time with Chad. I don't trust that boy."

Stefano walked over and took a seat in his chair. "Chad is good and dedicated to this family. He has a good head on his shoulders. I truly believe that Chad can help restore this family back to what it used to be." Stefano crossed his arms as he admitted, "It's too late for me to fully change."

"You're right. You're in too deep." Maddalena thought about how Stefano destroyed André's life. She smiled at Stefano as she thought about how she would finally get her revenge on her brother.


	17. Chapter 17 Fear of Loss

**Chapter 17: Fear of Loss – Monday, December 19th, 2011**

Chad sat on the couch in the Dimera Mansion and got the sudden urge to look at all the pictures around the room. An eerie feeling came over Chad as it felt like it was the first time he noticed that there were pictures of different family members that didn't live in Salem. Some he recognized, while there were others he did not. He wondered how much history he still did not know about his nearly newfound family.

He began to hear voices and spotted Stefano and Maddalena walk in from the back door. They walked over to the desk and it appeared that they were having a serious discussion. Chad tried to eavesdrop on what they were saying, but he could barely make out the words they were using. He then wondered if they were speaking Italian to each other as he stood up from the couch.

Knowing that he would not be able to follow their conversation if they were indeed speaking Italian, Chad looked around the room again and walked over to the baby grand. He noticed that it was open and began to play different notes on its own. The black keys were the only ones that were played though. He looked back over to see Stefano and Maddalena still enthralled in their heated conversation. He watched as the volume of their voices became louder and louder. He watched as their hands and body movements became bigger and bigger. Chad could not look away as he became enthralled with how involved they were in saying their piece. He jumped suddenly when he felt someone place their hand on his shoulder from behind. As soon as he turned around everything went silent. The piano played one more note and he jumped again. "André?"

André gave a wicked smile as he stood in front of Chad. "Yes. It's me, in the flesh."

Chad stepped back and realized he had an opportunity here. Without skipping a beat, he said to André, "Tell me about your life. I want to know everything."

André began to laugh. "I wouldn't know where to begin. So much happened in my life. I could tell you about the time that I found three very beautiful ladies to spend the night with me. That was an extremely sensual evening."

"How about closer to the beginning?" Chad looked André over as he cautiously continued, "Do you ever think about the gardener's son? Do you miss him?"

André quickly became frustrated and rushed over to the wall where Stefano's portrait hung. "What is this?" André began to break things around the room without warning.

Chad knew he had to act fast. He grabbed André's arm. " André, I did not mean to upset you. I'm sorry, but I need to know. I'm in love with another man as well. Please help me."

André looked Chad over to make sure he was telling the truth. André calmed down finally realizing that Chad needed him. "My life changed completely when my lover was killed." André showed sadness as he thought about the boy he loved. He walked over to the baby grand and took a seat on the piano bench. "I had to get away from my family so I could save myself, but it was too late for me."

"Too late?" Chad quietly asked wanting to know more.

André stood up and an image appeared next to André. The image of a young teen, who had been hung on a large olive tree appeared. The image seemed so real to Chad that he could smell the branches of the tree coming towards him through a gust of wind. André turned to look at the boy as well. "I loved him with all of my heart. He was my best friend and we did everything together. I wanted to be with him forever." André turned back to Chad.

"How was life for you when you ran away?" Chad asked trying to look away from the image of the dead boy.

André moved closer to Chad. "You already know the end of my story. That's how it was." He continued with a warning to Chad, "You need to change things before it's too late." André maneuvered his arm to make Chad look at the tree again and then disappeared.

Chad looked up at the tree and realized that Will had taken the boy's place. He turned to look at Stefano and Maddalena as he heard a noise coming from their direction. They were also looking to the tree, but they were applauding Will's demise. Chad looked back at the tree and began to cry because Will was dead. He ran to Will's body and tried to let him loose from the rope that held his neck.

Will then opened his eyes and looked at Chad. With dead eyes, Will claimed, "This is all your fault."

Chad woke up breathing heavily. His eyes were already filled with water. He looked over at Will and could hear him breathing. Chad then turned to the clock and saw that it was 2am. He moved closer to Will to hold him. He tried to not cry too much as he thought about his nightmare. It felt so real.

* * *

><p>Later on that morning, Sonny sent a text to Kai as he waited for Chad and Will to come out so they could head to the gym. Sonny smiled as he read Kai's response to him. He quickly texted back: "I miss you, too."<p>

Will and Chad finally walked out dressed for the gym. Will grabbed Chad's arm and noted, "Chad, you've been quiet since you got back yesterday. I'm starting to worry about you."

Trying to forget what happened last night with Mia and his nightmare, Chad forced a smile. "I'm okay, but I am starting to worry about you as well. We should talk later."

Will didn't understand why Chad would be worried about him, but decided not to ask. Will tried to be okay with waiting as he was tired of it. He knew they needed to head to the gym, but he preferred that they just talk now. "We're going to have to wait a while longer because we are hanging out with Chelsea and Abigail later, remember?" Chad nodded his head.

Sonny looked up at Will and Chad. "We should get out of here so you two have time to clean up before you have to meet up with them then." Chad and Will agreed as they headed out.

* * *

><p>"I have to head out because I'm meeting Chad, Will, and Sonny at the gym," EJ said as he gave Sami a kiss.<p>

Johnny ran over to EJ and pleaded, "Daddy, don't go."

EJ picked Johnny up for a moment. "Why do you not want me to go?" He noticed Johnny's tone seemed serious.

Johnny's tone was a mix of worry and sadness. "I don't want you to leave me. Please stay with mommy, me, and Sydney. Will you stay?"

EJ gave Johnny a hug and set him down. "I will be back." EJ gave Sami another kiss and began to head out.

Johnny followed him as he began to cry. "Daddy, please stay. Don't go!" he begged.

Sami grabbed Johnny wondering where all of this was coming from. She tried to assure him, "Johnny, daddy's coming back. You don't have to ever worry about that."

With tears in his eyes, Johnny looked up at his father. "Promise me, daddy. Promise me you're coming back."

EJ began to feel guilty about leaving Johnny even though he had no reason to. He walked back over to Johnny, who was still in Sami's arms. "I promise I am coming back." He gave Johnny a kiss on the forehead, causing Johnny to slap EJ hard on the face. EJ drew back as Sami put Johnny down to make sure EJ was okay. Johnny quickly ran out of the room.

After checking EJ out, Sami rested her hand on EJ's chest. "I'll handle Johnny and try to figure out what is going on. I'll talk to you when you get back from the gym."

EJ nodded his head and agreed. He gave Sami another kiss and headed out the door. Both Sami and EJ questioned Johnny's behavior in their minds.

* * *

><p>In the Dimera guesthouse, Arianna helped her mother cook for Dario's welcome home party. Arianna smiled as she looked over at her mother, who seemed to have quite a bit of energy for the day. "I know you're excited to have Dario back today."<p>

Isobel smiled back as she stirred her famous soup. "I'm so happy to have my baby boy back. I am so proud of Dario. I want to make sure he continues to do good in life and stays away from the mistakes Rafe and Manny made."

Arianna looked down as she cut some onions and tomatoes. "Yeah, I'm glad he has been able to stay away from that life."

Isobel stopped stirring and gave Arianna a soft look knowing that Arianna still had regret from her past mistakes. "I'm also proud of you for getting out of prison a stronger person." She returned to stirring and shared, "I want everything to be perfect for Dario."

Arianna continued cutting. "Are you going to tell Dario the news today?"

Isobel looked down as she thought about Arianna's question. She did not want to cry. "I will wait until tomorrow to tell Dario. I don't want to ruin his first day back with us." Isobel stopped stirring and moved onto the next dish as she remembered that Gabi knew as well. "We should make sure to talk to Gabi, so she does not tell him either."

"I'll make sure I talk to Gabi when she gets back from talking to Adrienne about the party." Arianna put the onions and tomatoes in a bowl. She wondered how Dario would take the news. She hoped it would not push him into running away again.

* * *

><p>Gabi headed back to Adrienne's office to make sure that everything was set up for Dario's welcome back party at the Cheatin' Heart. After taking a seat and greeting Adrienne, Gabi asked, "So how is today going to work?"<p>

"Well, I am closing early so that the space is open for the party." Adrienne looked at a list she had made out for the party. "I'm making a few snack foods."

"Oh, my mom and sister are also making some of Dario's favorite foods." Gabi cut in to make sure Adrienne knew that there would be more food.

"Sounds good. I bet it will all be delicious." Adrienne looked at the list again. "We'll have plenty of drinks. There will be a variety."

"Great. Mama will be happy to hear that everything is in order." Gabi smiled as she got up to leave. She didn't want to admit it, but she did not feel comfortable spending time with Adrienne alone because she was Sonny's mother and she seemed oblivious about some things. She hated that they had to have Dario's welcome back party here because it would most likely mean that Dario would see Sonny.

"How is your mother doing these days?" Adrienne asked hoping to hear good news.

"There are times she appears to be doing better, but then there are times she seems worse," Gabi admitted. "I think Mama is trying to fight as much as she can."

Adrienne gave Gabi a compassionate look. "I'm praying for your mother's health."

Gabi forced a smile. "Thanks. I appreciate that." She was grateful, but knew her mother would die. She shook off the thought. "I'll call you when we are on our way back from the airport with Dario."

* * *

><p>Chad, EJ, Sonny, and Will were working out at Salem Gym. After running a few miles on the treadmill, EJ and Chad decided to get a drink of water from the water fountain. EJ took the opportunity to talk to his brother alone about Johnny and Will. "How are things between you and Will?"<p>

Chad stopped drinking from the water fountain and looked up to his brother. "Things seem more complicated than they were before," he answered truthfully. "Don't get me wrong, I think we are okay, but there are times I sense we aren't being truthful with each other."

EJ watched as Chad stood up and moved out-of-the-way so EJ could get a drink. EJ looked at his eyes and became distracted from what he really wanted to talk about. "Chad, you look tired."

Chad rubbed his eyes. "I haven't been getting much sleep, I guess."

Sonny and Will were spotting each other while lifting weights. They decided to take a break. As Will sat on the weight bench, he asked Sonny, "So what are your Christmas plans?"

Sonny rested against the wall nearby. "Well, I know my Great-Uncle Victor wants me to come over to his place for Christmas with my parents, but I'm not sure if I want to spend Christmas with him."

Will could tell Sonny wished he could go somewhere else. "Well, if you want, you could join me at the Horton house for my family's Christmas there."

"That would be great. I don't want to be alone for Christmas. I kind of wish my parents were having a separate deal, but they already promised Victor that they would be there." Sonny bent over and placed his hands on his knees to stretch. "Your family won't mind?"

Will shook his head. "Nah. They welcome anyone." Will thought about Chad. "I don't know if Chad is coming, too, or just having Christmas with his family at the Dimera Mansion." Will turned and looked at Chad talking to EJ. He wished that Chad would open up to him about where he went after seeing Grace's photo the night before.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, Lexie arrived and found her father sitting with Kate on the couch. Lexie decided to skip the greetings and get right to the point. "Father, I am very disappointed in you."<p>

Kate rolled her eyes. "What else is new, Lexie?"

Stefano sat up when he saw Lexie. "Alexandra… what are you doing here?"

Lexie crossed her arms. She was not impressed by Kate's question. "I would like a moment alone with my father please. I don't want to hear your snarky comments, Kate."

Kate stood up and adjusted her skirt. "Sure. Just make sure you don't raise your father's blood pressure, Dr. Carver." Kate walked off leaving the two alone.

Lexie watched as Kate left to make sure she did not try to stick around. She turned her attention back to her father. "I thought you would like to know that I am having lunch with your sister – the one that you failed to mention was in town – the one that you failed to mention altogether."

Stefano stood up and asked, "How did you find out then?"

Lexie uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hip. "Maddalena was at the hospital yesterday getting a check up."

Stefano walked closer to Lexie. "Who will be attending this lunch next door?"

"It's me, Abe, and Theo," she answered.

"How about I join you, so I can introduce all of your family to my sister. I would feel more comfortable if I went with you."

Lexie put her hand on her chin as she thought about it. She gave her father a skeptical look before agreeing. "Okay. I'd feel better if you were there as well honestly."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Stefano feared what Maddalena might do when she saw what Lexie and her family looked like.


	18. Chapter 18 We Can Stay

**Chapter 18: We Can Stay – Monday, December 19th, 2011**

In the sauna at the Salem gym, EJ, Chad, Will, and Sonny sat around in nothing but towels. Chad could not help but stare at Will and struggled with the desire of wanting to touch Will. Will looked so good in just that towel and Chad realized that his desire for Will increased after they had sex for the first time. Chad looked down and noticed his desire had gotten the best of him and placed his hands awkwardly on his lap so he could hide the fact that he had an erection.

Sonny noticed Chad move his hands awkwardly in his lap. He quickly realized what Chad was trying to hide. Sonny turned to Will and could not help laughing inside about the whole situation. He knew Chad wanted to have sex with Will right then and there.

EJ tried to relax, but he could not stop thinking about Johnny's behavior earlier. He turned to the other guys deciding he wanted to talk about it. "Johnny was really upset about me leaving this morning. You should have seen his face. He looked scared and betrayed."

Chad looked at EJ and remembered what happened when he let his desires get the best of him in a public place. Chad let go of his thoughts on Will and gave EJ his whole focus. His desires were now gone.

EJ placed his hand on his face unsure of what to make of what happened next. "When I thought I had calmed Johnny, I tried to give him a hug. He suddenly slapped me and ran out of the room."

Will thought about the incident that happened over the weekend at Maddalena's mansion. "Is it because of what Johnny saw Chad and me do under the table?"

EJ dropped his hand from his face. "Honestly, I don't know what it is and I am not sure what I need to do to help Johnny through this. His behavior started to change before Saturday night and it's possible it has nothing to do with you and Chad."

Chad felt bad as he thought of the possibility that he and Will were the reason for Johnny's behavior. "Maybe it's time we tell Johnny that Will and I are together."

"I'm not completely sure he's ready for that," EJ shared. He realized he didn't want to talk about it anymore because Chad and Will couldn't understand where he was coming from as a parent. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get out of here and get ready." EJ stood up, adjusted his towel, and left.

Chad took a deep breath and realized how tired he was. He turned to Will deciding he did not have energy to do anything else at the moment. "I'm not sure about hanging out with Chelsea and Abigail today. I'm really tired and I'm craving a nap."

Will looked into Chad's eyes and noticed he did look tired. Will placed his arm next to Chad's arm. "Okay. I'll let them know that you needed to rest."

Chad appreciated that Will didn't seem upset with him bailing. "We will talk when you get back to the apartment." Chad smiled as he looked around before kissing Will. "See you then." Chad got up and walked out.

Will smiled thinking about how Chad had just kissed him in a public place. He turned to Sonny. "You want to go with me to Java Café?"

"I would, but I have to meet with my parents after I shower and clean up," Sonny shared. He did not want to talk about Dario's return because he didn't want to make it a big deal about it. "Sorry."

"It's cool. I think I can handle myself with Chelsea and Abigail." Will wondered what they would talk about.

* * *

><p>Isobel, Arianna, and Gabi waited outside of the airport for Dario to walk out with his luggage. Isobel wrapped her hands together as she watched the doors slide open. "I wish he would walk out soon."<p>

Gabi put her arm around her mother. "He will be here soon enough, Mama." Gabi remembered the last time she saw her brother. "I wonder if he changed any while he has been gone."

Isobel turned to Gabi and smiled. "He may appear to be different, but he will always be my little Dario." Isobel lit up when she saw Dario walk out of the door with his luggage. "Dario!"

Dario smiled when he saw his mother and sisters. He quickly gave them hugs. "I missed you all." He looked at his mother for a moment and made eye contact. Without a word, both were able to communicate and feel the love they had for each other. Both began to tear up, which led to another strong hug. Dario smiled believing this meant his mother would be okay because she still had quite a grip on her and she appeared to be a lot better.

Arianna noticed Dario was carrying a guitar case on his back. "Where did you get the guitar?"

Dario stopped hugging his mother, but kept his arm around her. "Yeah, I picked it back up on the ship. One of the guys that I worked with gave me his because he thought I was good."

Isobel leaned her head on Dario's shoulder. "I am so happy you are here. You have no idea." Isobel then lifted her head and gave Dario a kiss on his cheek. "We have a surprise for you."

Arianna and Gabi glanced at each other and smiled. "Gabi and I knew you would not be able to keep this to yourself." Arianna pulled out keys. "We should get going."

* * *

><p>Azzura walked to the door and let Stefano, Lexie, Abe, and Theo into Maddalena's mansion. "Welcome," she said with a smile.<p>

Maddalena and Ignazio stood in the room waiting for their arrival. When Maddalena saw Lexie and her family in the flesh, she leaned her head to Ignazio and whispered, "Colin did warn me that they were of a darker complexion." Maddalena put on a smile and walked over to greet her niece and her family. After giving everyone including her brother a hug, she placed her hand on Lexie's face. "For a mulatto, you are extremely beautiful." Maddalena quickly noticed the look on Lexie, Abe, and Stefano's faces. "I sincerely apologize. That was meant as a compliment, but I should not have said that word. I hope you will forgive me."

Lexie smiled and nodded her head deciding to let it go. "Of course." Abe and Stefano followed Lexie's cue.

After everyone migrated to the dining room table, Stefano could not help but watch his sister. He wondered if she would be able to get through dinner without anymore racial slurs. He also watched his daughter to make sure Maddalena did not upset her in anyway even if it appeared she had dismissed Maddalena's slip.

Maddalena smiled at Lexie after talking to Theo for a moment. "So what about your mother?"

"Well, my mother's name is Celeste and she's…"

Maddalena interrupted Lexie, "Oh, I remember Celeste. She did go by another name, but I can't remember it at the moment. I was always impressed with her because she was strong and seemed like a survivor." Maddalena noted that Lexie liked to hear that about her mother. She then turned to Stefano, but still addressed Lexie. "I know my brother has a type and she definitely fits into that type."

Lexie smiled as she noticed her father was shaking his head at what Maddalena said about him. "Father has a thing for strong beautiful women alright."

Maddalena turned to Lexie and Abe. "So what sort of occupations do the two of you hold?"

"Well, I am the hospital's Chief-of-Staff." Lexie turned to Abe to answer.

"And I am the mayor of Salem," Abe replied.

Maddalena got excited. "Wow, I must say that I am impressed with your status in Salem." Maddalena smiled at both of them wondering if she could use their status to her advantage.

* * *

><p>At Java Café, Will arrived and sat down at the table where Chelsea and Abigail were waiting. Chelsea made Will stand up again to give her a hug. "You have grown so much, Will. It's so weird that you're in college now."<p>

Will agreed. "Yeah, it's weird for me, too." Both took a seat again to catch up. "So how is everyone overseas?"

Chelsea felt a bit uncomfortable answering Will's question, but tried her best not to let it show. "I guess they are as good as they can be." Chelsea wanted to change the subject. "So is there anyone special in your life?"

Before Will could answer, Abigail decided to answer for him. "Yeah, he's dating Chad Dimera."

Chelsea quickly looked at Abigail with a surprising look. "Chad Dimera? As in the Chad that you used to date?" Abigail nodded as Will looked on feeling awkward. He then realized that Chelsea didn't make a big deal about him being gay. Chelsea glanced back and forth to Will and Abigail. "Is this not awkward for the two of you?"

"No, not anymore," Abigail started as she smiled at Will. "Will is a respectful guy and although it was awkward at first, all of us have been able to get over it."

"Well, I am glad you were able to do that." Chelsea thought about how she, Stephanie, and Abigail had a thing for Max and the complications that came with that. She shook her head so she would not have to think about Max.

"Great-grandma told me you had a great job back in London. It must have been hard for you to come back to Salem and leave it behind," Will said to direct the conversation elsewhere. He didn't want to talk about his relationship with Chad too much since Chad still wanted to keep it private.

Chelsea nodded her head. "I'm going to miss the children I worked with everyday. I really found my passion through child psychology." Chelsea smiled and almost wanted to cry as she thought about her work, but stopped herself. "But… I know I needed to step up to help Grandma Caroline." Chelsea began to think about what she left behind again. She assured herself that she made the right decision to leave London when she did. "So, did the doctors ever say what caused grandma Caroline's stroke?"

Will gave Chelsea a nervous look. Will still partly blamed himself for what happened because he caused a lot of stress in Caroline's life. He awkwardly began to answer. "She had a lot on her mind I guess…"

Meanwhile, Sami walked into Java Café with Johnny and Sydney while talking to EJ on the phone. "I decided to take the little ones out for a while. We're getting hot chocolate at Java Café. I'll make sure to bring you one. I love you, bye." Sami hung up her phone and spotted Will sitting at a table with Abigail and Chelsea.

Sami walked over with the kids in tow. "Hey, guys. I thought I'd bring the kids over to say hello." Sydney walked over and stretched her arms out to Will. Will picked her up and gave her a hug. After Will put Sydney down, Sami turned to Johnny. "Johnny, it's your turn to give your big brother a hug."

Everyone turned their attention to Johnny. Abigail and Chelsea smiled at how cute he was, but Johnny did not care. "I don't want to give Will a hug. I want to go back home now!"

Sami gave Johnny a confused look. "But we came here for hot chocolate. Don't you want a hot chocolate?"

"I don't want one anymore." Johnny shot back.

Will stood up and knelt so he could talk to Johnny. "You don't want hot chocolate? Isn't that one of your favorite drinks?" Will thought that if he talked to Johnny, he could convince him to change his mind like he did with the suit.

Johnny quickly covered his ears and began to shout "lalalalala" so he did not have to hear Will's voice. Chelsea and Abigail looked at each wondering if Johnny was having a bad day or if he was tired.

Sami quickly realized that the situation had gotten out of hand. She took Johnny's hand. "I am sorry he's not in a good mood at the moment. I'll see you guys later." Sami picked up Sydney and said to her, "We'll make hot cocoa at home." Sami waved at them and grabbed Johnny's hand again. "Let's go."

Will took a seat at the table and watched his mother and siblings leave. He didn't know what to make or think of Johnny's rejecting him like that, but then remembered what EJ had said in the sauna earlier. He looked over at Chelsea and Abigail. Neither would really look at him.

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Dario's welcome back party was well on its way. Dario took the opportunity to thank everyone. "This party really means a lot to me as I definitely missed Salem."<p>

"Does that mean you're not going to leave us again?" Adrienne asked giving Dario a hard time.

"Don't know yet. I made good money." Dario answered frankly slightly joking.

Isobel turned to Justin and Adrienne. "I really want to thank the both of you for taking care of Dario and helping him and Gabi when my daughter and me weren't here. I can tell Dario really loves and cares for the both of you."

"It was not a problem. Dario is a good kid," Justin said.

"Do you two have any kids?" Isobel asked.

Adrienne nodded her head as she responded, "Yes. We have four boys."

Isobel was impressed. "That's great. I always think big families are the best."

Sonny walked in and spotted Dario talking to his sisters. He stood there for a moment watching them unsure of how to approach Dario considering what happened the last time they saw each other. Sonny snapped out of his thoughts when he realized Dario must have spotted him.

Dario walked over to Sonny alone. "Sonny, you're here!" Dario went for a hug, but Sonny put his hand out for a handshake, which caught Dario off guard. Dario took Sonny's hand and pulled him into an awkward hug. "We don't just shake hands now, do we? I missed you, Sonny."

Sonny smiled and replied, "I missed you, too." Sonny thought back to when Dario kissed him outside of the airport causing Sonny to pull away from the hug. He did not want to make things more awkward.

Arianna and Gabi walked over to their mother. Isobel grabbed Arianna's hand while watching Dario with Sonny. "They must be close."

Gabi and Arianna gave each other a look. Gabi forced a smile and claimed, "They are like brothers. That is Adrienne and Justin's youngest son."

"That's great that Dario can look to another friend as a brother when his real brothers were useless to him," Isobel said with a smile.

* * *

><p>Chad woke up from his nap in bed and noticed Will was next to him when he turned his head. Chad noticed that the room seemed really bright from the lights that were on and the window that was open. Will sat up and started to shake Chad, which caused Chad to wake up even more. Chad looked over at Will wondering why he was shaking him. Chad sat up and grabbed Will's hands so he would stop.<p>

Will smiled and said, "I love you. Do you love me back?"

Chad was a bit confused by Will's question. What kind of question was that? Of course he loved Will. Chad tried to tell Will that he did indeed love him, but when he tried to speak, no sound came out. Chad tried again, but he remained mute. His throat felt so empty. He looked up at Will and noticed that Will had a strange glow around his whole body. Chad closed his eyes and opened them again to make sure he saw correctly.

Will could not understand why Chad was not answering his question. "Chad, do you love me back?" Will asked again.

Chad continued to try, but nothing came out. Chad tried to tell Will through his facial expressions, but then noticed that Will began to fade. Will told Chad that he needed to hear those words from Chad so they could stay together. Chad tried harder to talk to Will, but failed. He tried to grab Will, but Will disappeared completely. Once Will was gone without a trace, Chad was able to finally scream.

Chad woke up on the couch and immediately let out a "no". He looked around the apartment realizing he was completely alone. He got off the couch frustrated. He hated having these nightmares. He wanted to know why he was having them. He needed to know what they meant.


	19. Chapter 19 The Fool

**Chapter 19: The Fool – Monday, December 19th, 2011**

Will walked into his apartment looking through the mail. "Chad, I'm home!" he yelled out as he placed the mail on the table next to the couch. "Chad, are you here?" Will stopped for a moment waiting for a response, but never got one.

Will headed to the bedroom figuring Chad might still be napping. Once he entered the room though, he found it empty. He looked around the room calling for Chad once again just to make sure. As he approached the desk, he saw a handwritten note from Chad. Will read the note aloud, "I had to go out to get some air. I may be back later. Chad." Will moved over to take a seat on his bed. He wondered what was going on with Chad. He wondered what Chad was keeping from him.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, EJ and Sami attempted to talk to Johnny about his recent behavior. They grabbed Johnny and placed him on the couch between them. Sydney sat on the floor coloring, which Johnny was doing earlier. "Son, we need to talk to you about what's been going on." EJ said gently.<p>

"I don't want to talk. I want to color with Sydney." Johnny crossed his arms wishing his parents would leave him alone. He did not understand why they made him stop.

Sami moved in closer to Johnny. "Johnny, sweetie, you did not want to talk to Will at all earlier and then you started yelling in the middle of Java Café."

"Johnny, are you upset with Will?" EJ asked moving closer to Johnny.

Johnny immediately started to get off the couch while saying, "I want to color. Let me color!" Sami quickly stopped him from getting off the couch and pulled him back. Johnny continued to struggle with her. "Sydney wants me to color with her! Let me go!" Johnny started to hit Sami's hands causing EJ to grab Johnny's hands so he could no longer hit Sami. Losing his ability to hit anything with his hands, Johnny decided to bite his mother.

"Johnny!" Sami let out in pain causing EJ to let go of Johnny's arms. Johnny quickly got off the couch and headed towards the foyer.

EJ immediately stood up feeling upset for what Johnny did to Sami. Sami rubbed her arm while worrying about why Johnny was acting out this way. Before Johnny could leave the room, Stefano walked in blocking the way out. Stefano had just arrived to the mansion after eating lunch with Maddalena, Lexie, and Lexie's family. Stefano slowly picked up Johnny. "Giovanni, what's wrong?"

Johnny immediately pointed to his parents. "Mommy and daddy won't let me have fun! They hate me!"

EJ and Sami walked over to Johnny to explain that they did not hate him. "We love you, Johnny. We will never stop loving you."

"We just want to know what you're feeling." Sami added.

Stefano slowly put Johnny back down. "Go color with your sister." After Johnny joined his sister, Stefano turned to EJ and Sami. "Let him have his fun. He's just any normal little kid." Stefano walked off.

Sami was somewhat annoyed with how Stefano stepped in, but she was too preoccupied with what to do with Johnny. "So what are we going to do, EJ? How are we going to get through to Johnny that we want to help?"

EJ put his hands on his hips. "I don't know, Samantha."

* * *

><p>Celeste sat in her apartment playing with her tarot cards. She shuffled them and pulled out a card. Turning it over, the card was revealed to be 'The Fool' card. She examined the card wondering what it could mean. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Celeste put the tarot cards down so she could answer the door. When she saw Chad on the other side, she covered herself with her robe in surprise. "Chad, come in."<p>

Chad walked in as Celeste closed her door. "I'm sorry for just showing up, but I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure, take a seat. I told you I would help you if you ever needed me." Celeste moved her hand to signal Chad to the couch.

Chad took a seat and noticed that her tarot cards were out. He had never really seen a real deck before. He looked up to her wondering if she was really into this type of stuff. He looked back down and noticed a card was facing up. "What does that card mean?"

Celeste nervously looked at 'The Fool' card and answered, "That card is called 'The Fool'. It usually means someone is about to start on their life journey or a new beginning for whoever the Fool represents, but I was just playing around with them so it doesn't really mean anything." Celeste did not want Chad to worry about her tarot cards. She quickly picked them up and put them away. "I'm going to make some tea. I'll be right back." Celeste disappeared into her kitchen.

Chad looked around the room and spotted strange symbols and pictures around the room. He began to wonder if he made the right decision coming to Celeste. She seemed to be into things that he didn't really understand.

* * *

><p>Daniel and Jennifer were finally ready to head out on their date at Daniel's apartment. It had been so long since they had a nice quiet night to themselves and both wanted to take full advantage of it. Daniel, who stood at the counter in the kitchen, watched Jennifer as she looked into the mirror to make sure everything was in order one last time. He could not help smiling as he watched her. He had quite the evening planned.<p>

Suddenly, Melanie and Nathan walked in fresh from their weekend trip. They were all smiles and once Melanie saw her father, she could not contain her excitement. She ran over to Daniel leaving Nathan with her luggage. "Dad… guess what? I'm engaged! Nathan proposed to me!" Melanie lifted her hand to show Daniel her engagement ring.

Daniel stood there in shock for a moment and glanced at Nathan. He knew he had to say something to them. "Congrats!" Daniel quickly hugged Melanie to let her know he was happy for her. He thought back to his conversation with Nathan before they left for their trip. Nathan had done what he asked, but he still felt a bit frustrated about it.

Melanie rushed over to Jennifer so she could see the ring. Jennifer took Melanie's hand and looked closely at the ring. "Melanie, that ring is beautiful." Letting go, she turned to Nathan and patted him on the back. "Good job, Nathan." Jennifer watched as Melanie rushed over to Nathan's side and got an idea. "You two should join us for dinner, so we can celebrate your engagement."

While the other three were talking, Daniel pulled out a small ring box out of his pocket and placed it in one of the drawers in the kitchen. He sighed and tried to make himself smile as he realized his plans of proposing to Jen on their date were now ruined.

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Dario's welcome back party continued. Almost everyone gathered around as Isobel shared stories about Arianna, when she was little. Dario looked over and spotted Sonny playing pinball by himself. Dario decided to head over to talk to him. "I see that you're keeping busy all to yourself. Why aren't you over there with everyone else?"<p>

"Well, it looked like you were enjoying your time with your family. I didn't want to interrupt that," Sonny admitted. He decided not to admit that Gabi pretty much hated him, so he tried to keep his distance from her.

"Well, I want to enjoy your company as well," Dario admitted. "How was your first semester at Salem U?"

Sonny smiled and answered, "It went well. I enjoyed most of my classes. How about you? Was deep fishing exciting?"

Dario thought about his time in Alaska and smiled. "It had it's moments, but it was not homey at all. Even though I was in a small space with a lot of guys, the only time I felt comfortable was when I played the guitar."

Hearing Dario talk about playing the guitar made Sonny smile. "You'll have to play for me some time soon."

Dario agreed. "It's a plan."

Adrienne noticed that Sonny and Dario were talking alone. "Hey, guys. Come over here." She lifted her hand as she continued, "Dario, your family is now telling stories about you when you were younger."

Sonny looked at Dario, who seemed unsure about going over to hear stories about his younger years, and placed his hand on Dario's back. "This I've got to hear."

Dario put his hand on Sonny's back to head over. "Most of the stories are lies. Don't believe everything you hear."

* * *

><p>Daniel, Jen, Nathan, and Melanie arrived at Chez Rouge. Maggie welcomed them, but was surprised to see Nathan and Melanie with Daniel and Jen. She quickly had someone add two more chairs to Daniel's reservation. Maggie led them to their table and told them to enjoy their meal after giving Daniel a look.<p>

After taking their seats, Daniel stood up. "Sorry, I will be right back. I have to head to the men's room." Daniel lied so he could talk to Maggie. After finding her, he explained, "The plan is off because Melanie and Nathan got engaged this weekend."

Maggie placed her hand on Daniel's shoulder feeling bad for him. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I know you had this all planned out so you could propose to Jennifer, but as wonderful as it is that Nathan and Melanie are engaged, it couldn't have come at a worse time for you and Jen."

Daniel tried not to think pessimistically about the situation. He made himself smile again. "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future." Daniel looked back at his table and then sighed. "I think Jen would have been so surprised by my proposing. I know I am skipping past the perfect moment to ask her."

"You were right earlier, Daniel. Another perfect moment will come for you and Jennifer." Maggie gave Daniel a hug.

Daniel felt a bit better. "Could you bring out your best wine so we can toast Melanie and Nathan's engagement. I'm sure Nathan would want you to be a part of that toast as well so bring an extra glass."

Daniel returned to his table after Maggie agreed. Melanie had just finished telling Jen how Nathan proposed. Jen grabbed Daniel's hand. "That's so romantic."

Maggie came over with the wine and handed it to Daniel. She made sure to pour water in her glass already. Daniel poured everyone except for Maggie a glass so they could toast Melanie and Nathan's good news. Everyone raised their glass as Daniel spoke, "To my beautiful daughter and her future husband. May they find peace and happiness for all of their days together."

Everyone took a drink of their wine and water. Maggie walked over and wrapped her arms around both Nathan and Melanie pulling them closer to her. "I'm so happy for the both of you. Welcome to the family, Melanie."

Jennifer continued to hold Daniel's hand as she watched Maggie with Melanie and Nathan. She then turned to Daniel and smiled. She wondered if she and Daniel would ever take that next step.

* * *

><p>Back at Celeste's apartment, Celeste walked out with two cups of tea and handed one to Chad. After taking a seat, Celeste turned to Chad. "Tell me what's on your mind, Chad. Why did you come here to talk to me?"<p>

Chad was tempted to tell Celeste she should already know since she appeared to be some kind of psychic, but he refrained. "I've been having these dreams and I don't know what to make of them." Chad felt a bit silly coming to Lexie's mother about some dreams that probably meant nothing. "These dreams are so different. They are really vivid and feel real at times."

"Tell me more about these dreams. Details will help." Celeste sensed something that felt like fear coming from Chad's body.

Chad thought back to his dreams. "They usually deal with Will and my family. Something bad usually happens to Will. He's either turned into the perfect soldier my father apparently has always wanted or he ends up in danger because of me."

Celeste continued to look Chad over. "When did the dreams start?"

"I guess it was in September, but they seem more constant now," Chad shared.

"What happened to you during that time – when they first started in September?"

Chad thought back and remembered what happened around the time he started having his dreams. "I remember that students at Salem U started asking questions about Will and me. They wondered if Will and I were a couple – if we were together. We were, but we decided to keep it a secret." Celeste was surprised to hear that Stefano had a gay son. She wondered what Stefano's thoughts were on that, but she knew Chad was not done talking. Chad continued to reflect through his dreams and remembered that André had made a few appearances in his dreams. "They also started after EJ told me about André and his life. André has actually made a few appearances in my dreams."

Celeste shook her head as she thought about André. "That man was truly a monster." Celeste returned her attention to Chad. "It seems that the combination of your secret possibly coming out and learning about your cousin's life may have caused a strong reaction from your psyche. Do you think it's possible that those dreams could mean more than that?" Celeste wanted to check to see how open Chad was to outside forces.

Chad thought about what Celeste had to say. He wondered if she was implying that these dreams could be seen as some sort of warning for the future. "I honestly don't know if they could mean anything more. They might just be shedding light to my fears, right?" Chad began to think of the possibility that they could indeed be premonitions. "Should I be worried?"

Celeste did not want Chad to worry. "They could just be dreams showing your fears for the future, like you said. I think right now we should go with that theory. Talk to Will instead of keeping those fears to yourself. Maybe that's what you need to do." Celeste grabbed Chad's hand as she continued, "Make sure you think about how to approach Will though. It might be good to not tell him that you came to me. He might discredit how you feel if he knew that."

Chad agreed. "Yeah, he would definitely think that I'm a freak for having these dreams, so I most likely won't tell him that I came here. No offense."

Celeste sighed as she let go of Chad's hand. She did not want to tell him that when she grabbed his hand a sense of danger came over her. She hoped that his dreams were in no way a warning that his life and Will's life were in danger.

* * *

><p>Back at the guys' apartment, Will sat on the couch in silence as he waited for Chad to return. The door opened causing Will to get excited, but Sonny walked in. Noting that Will looked disappointed, Sonny asked, "Not happy to see me?"<p>

"Sorry. I thought you were Chad," he explained. "I'm worried that Chad is keeping secrets from me. I think it has to do with that picture of Grace. It triggered something in him and he's ashamed to tell me what that is."

Sonny closed the door and took a seat next to Will. "I've noticed he has become even more distant lately. I thought things were better between you two."

"I know," Will frowned. "Even though Chad and I finally slept together, I can't shake this feeling that maybe Chad would rather be with a girl. That picture reminded him that women can produce babies more naturally - at least that's what I think." Will began to tear up as he thought about what Chad wanted in life. He couldn't believe he actually thought things would get better once he and Chad finally had sex. He turned to Sonny trying not to let his feelings get the best of him. "I don't want to stand in the way of Chad's happiness. I don't want to keep him from the life he's supposed to live," Will admitted. Sonny put his arm around Will and pulled him close to comfort him.


	20. Chapter 20 Got a Secret

**Chapter 20: Got a Secret – Tuesday, December 20th, 2011**

The next morning, Chelsea was helping Caroline out at the Brady Pub. Chelsea helped her grandmother with the cooking while trying to make sure that Caroline did not over do it. Sami walked into the kitchen to see how things were going for them before she had to head into the office for work. "Hey grandma. Hey Chelsea. Everything working out okay?"

Caroline nodded as Chelsea responded, "Yeah. I'm helping out grandma while learning a lot in the kitchen." Growing up, Chelsea never imagined she'd ever spend so much time in a kitchen. "How is Johnny? Is he okay?" Chelsea remembered Johnny's outburst at Java Café.

Uncertainty filled Sami as she answered the question. "I don't know. He's been acting out more than usual."

"Well, maybe it's just him getting older and more aware of his world. He's most likely trying to push his boundaries more to see what he can get away with," Chelsea tried to reassure Sami.

Caroline smiled and shook her head. "Pushing boundaries makes perfect sense for his age. It only gets harder from here," she joked.

Sami tried to laugh at her grandmother's comment, but she couldn't. "It makes sense, but I'm still not sure if that's all of it. The way he responds to EJ, Will, and me at times has me worried." Sami thought about Johnny, but then remembered that Chelsea had experience working with children. "Maybe you could spend some time with Johnny since you used to work with kids in London. I remember when you worked with Theo before you moved away to take care of your mom."

"Well, I can't be Johnny's counselor as it would be unethical, but I could hang out with him or babysit." Chelsea wanted to make sure that Sami understood the situation. "We could set up a play date with Johnny and Ciara. I know Ciara is older, but she could also help."

Sami felt a bit better getting some advice from someone who went to school to be a child therapist. "That sounds great. I'll call you later so we can set up that play date." Chelsea nodded and smiled. "Thanks for the reassurance. Sometimes as a parent you need it."

* * *

><p>At the hospital Melanie decided to show Maxine her engagement ring. Nathan smiled as he realized this was going to happen all day. Maxine gave Melanie a hug. "Congrats on the engagement Dr. Horton and Nurse Jonas."<p>

Melanie made an excited face and laughed. "I love the way you said that."

Colin overheard the news and walked over. "Congrats, you two."

"Thanks, Dr. Murphy." Nathan said as he nodded his head to Colin.

"So have you two set a date for the wedding?" Maxine asked.

"Well, Nathan and I are still trying to figure it out, but I think we're going for a six month engagement. So that puts us in June." Melanie pulled Nathan closer to her. "But we're not sure if we can hold off that long."

Nathan wrapped his arms around Melanie. "I can't wait until Melanie is my wife."

"I can tell the two of you are happy," Colin noted. "Congrats again and I hope to get an invite in the mail." Colin walked off and headed to his office passing Daniel, who had watched Melanie and Nathan talking about their engagement. Daniel had planned to talk to Maxine, but decided he would wait until she didn't have anyone to distract her.

Once in his office, Colin securely closed his door and sat at his desk. Pulling out his cell phone he decided to call Maddalena. "It's Colin. I got a message earlier saying that there will be a delay in the shipment."

"A delay?" Maddalena asked on the other side.

"I will give you an update as soon as I hear anything else," Colin replied.

Maddalena was clearly annoyed with the tone in her voice. She hated that the process was taking longer than expected. "Andre had everything set up before and now we have to reproduce the work he already had accomplished. We don't have time!"

Colin nodded his head as he held onto his phone. "I understand that there is much work to be done. Don't worry. We will make stronger progress once it's in Salem."

* * *

><p>In Chad and Will's bedroom, Will watched as Chad got ready to take a shower. Will put his arm around Chad's waist in an attempt to flirt with him. "You want company?"<p>

Chad turned around and kissed Will. When he looked into Will's eyes he thought about what Celeste told him. He didn't know how to tell Will about his fears and decided to wait until he figured out how to tell him. "I don't have time to be distracted by you in the shower. I'm meeting someone soon."

Will let go of Chad and sat on the bed. He watched Chad leave the room feeling rejected once again. He wondered who Chad was going to meet with. After he heard the bathroom door close, Will decided to see what Sonny was up to. He found Sonny in the living room on his phone.

"Voicemail again…" Sonny sighed as he put his phone down unaware that Will was in the room.

"Who are you trying to call?" Will asked.

Sonny turned to see Will standing there. "I'm trying to get a hold of Kai." Sonny made a guilty look. "I think I may be overdoing it with the calls. I promised I wouldn't call him everyday, but I am." Sonny moved his phone so it was out of his grasp. Turning back to Will, Sonny continued, "Kai's parents don't know that he's gay and I don't want to give his parents the wrong idea – I suppose it would be the wrong idea for them. I guess I just need to hear his voice."

Will watched Sonny and realized that something else – someone else rather – was making him call Kai a lot. "How is Dario? How are you handling that?"

"Dario? There's nothing to talk about there," Sonny responded looking away from Will and back to his phone.

Will quickly became annoyed and frustrated with everyone. "I wish someone would just be open with me about their feelings!"

Sonny walked over to Will realizing that Chad was still mum on opening up. "Chad still not saying much to you?"

Will shook his head. "When he finally came home last night, he would not tell me where he went. He…" Will stopped talking because he heard the bathroom door open. Chad walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom to get dressed.

After Chad closed the bedroom door, Sonny started on Will again. "I've told you this before Will, but you really need to be upfront about this."

Will shrugged his shoulders thinking about Sonny's constant reminder to be upfront with Chad. "I'm not ready to do that."

Sonny tried not to show his frustration with Will. "Not ready? What's stopping you?"

"I'm not ready to hear the bad news," Will admitted.

Chad walked out of the room and into the living room and gave Will a kiss. "I'm supposed to hang out with Ignazio today and show him around Salem. Maybe you two can join us later or something."

Sonny looked at Will, who had turned mute since Chad walked out. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Chad gave Will another kiss. "I'll see you guys later then." Chad left.

Will sighed not wanting to mope around. Though he did feel somewhat better knowing that Chad was hanging out with his cousin. "We should go somewhere since Chad has plans."

"Sure," Sonny agreed. "Go shower and get ready so we can head out." Will headed back to his room, while Sonny glanced at his cell phone thinking about Kai.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Dario woke up on the couch and noticed that his mother had been watching him sleep. She watched him with sadness in her eyes. "Mama, something wrong?"<p>

Isobel wiped a tear off of her face. "I just missed you so much."

Arianna walked over to talk to Dario. "Have you decided what you're going to do with your apartment?"

Dario looked away from Isobel wondering if there was something she did not want to tell him. He looked at Arianna a little lost at first, but caught up to what Arianna asked. "Yeah… I decided I'm not going to renew my lease. This month… will be the last payment I make there."

Arianna headed back towards the kitchen, but stopped close to where her mother was sitting. "I'm making breakfast, so you should wash up." She watched as Dario got up and headed into the bathroom. Arianna waited for a moment to finally ask her mother, "When are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know, Arianna. I'm afraid to tell him," Isobel shared. She thought about how happy Dario looked the day before and she hated the idea of taking that away from him.

"Well, I think you should tell him when Gabi returns after work," Arianna suggested. Isobel looked at the bathroom door. She knew that her news would break Dario's heart just as it did for Arianna and Gabi. She then turned to Arianna and nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

><p>Celeste arrived at the Carver house to check in on her family. She planned to spend the day there since Lexie had a day off. Celeste took a seat with Lexie on the couch as they both watched Abe and Theo get ready. Theo walked over to his grandmother when he had nothing else to do. Celeste played and talked with Theo for a bit, so Abe could get all of his things together.<p>

When Abe was ready he walked over and gave Celeste a hug. Taking Theo by the hand, he and Theo said their goodbyes. He then left with Theo to take him to school before he headed to his office. After Abe and Theo were gone, Lexie decided to tell her mother what was new in her life. "So the family and I met Maddalena yesterday."

Celeste sat back as this was a blast from the past. "I remember Maddalena. She was a strong woman who seemed to have your Grandfather Santo's spirit."

Intrigued by the fact that her mother knew Maddalena and seemed to know Santo, Lexie realized she had never really asked her mother about her whole past with Stefano. "Did you know Santo very well?"

"I met him once. Even though he was ill at the time, he had strength," Celeste claimed. She continued with a warning about Maddalena because it worried her that her daughter actually spend time with the woman, "Even though I respect Maddalena, you shouldn't get too close to her."

"Why mother?" Lexie asked.

Celeste really did not want to get into the many reasons. "Maddalena just has a certain idea about family."

* * *

><p>Stefano enjoyed having conversation with his great-nephew, Ignazio, at the Dimera Mansion as they waited for Chad to arrive. Ignazio walked over and picked up a picture of Tony. He turned to face Stefano as he looked at the photo. "It's so weird that my father took Tony's face. My nonna told me that he looked like me before he had the surgery."<p>

Stefano took the picture of Tony and put it down. "Your father dealt with a lot in his life, and I believe he wanted a new one. He wanted to be someone else. André wanted to please other people to prove he was worth something."

Ignazio thought about what Maddalena had told him about Stefano's part in his father's demise. His grandmother had told him that Stefano was the reason André lost his mind and eventually killed himself. Stefano had apparently made André feel he was replaceable. "I don't want to be anything like him, so I am glad he changed his face."

Chad finally arrived which put a smile on Stefano's face. After greeting his father, Chad asked Ignazio, "You ready to go?"

Ignazio pushed back all his thoughts about his father and smiled. "I'm excited and ready! Thanks for doing this for me. I hope that we can be friends."

Chad put his arm around Ignazio. "We're family. We stick together." Ignazio liked hearing that and smiled again.

Stefano smiled and watched as Chad and Ignazio headed out. "You boys have fun, but stay out of trouble... or not."

* * *

><p>Sonny and Will sat outside in the Horton Town Square enjoying a few snacks from the bakery. Sonny thought about the fact that his birthday was coming up soon. After finishing his bite, he decided to inform Will on his preliminary plans. "So I'm thinking about taking a ski trip during a weekend soon. Interested in going?"<p>

Will loved skiing. He and his Uncle Austin used to go a lot when he lived in Switzerland. "I'll definitely think about it. Sounds like fun." Will took another bite hoping he could make his day better.

Sonny knew there was a big elephant that was keeping them from enjoying their time and decided to break the recent rule set by Will on not discussing Chad. "I think you should text Chad and tell him that we're here. He could bring Ignazio here when they are done hanging out." Will decided there was no harm in that and pulled out his phone.

Inside Mandalay Café, Mia sat at a table near the window watching Will talk to Sonny. She found Sonny really attractive and shook her head. She did not understand why all the cute guys were turning gay. "It's the cool thing to do," she whispered to herself in a mocking tone. "It's just a fad and one day they will realize their mistake." She smiled widely to herself as she continued to watch them. She knew how to set them straight.

"Mia?" a female voice said behind her jolting her out of her joy.

Mia continued to look forward realizing that someone had spotted her. She slowly turned around to see that Maggie had recognized her. "Maggie?"


	21. Chapter 21 Contigo En La Distancia, Pt 1

**Chapter 21: Contigo En La Distancia, Pt. 1 – Tuesday, December 20th, 2011**

Maggie smiled when Mia turned around and confirmed she was in Salem. "Mia, what are you doing here in Salem?"

Even though Mia loved Maggie, she was annoyed that Maggie spotted her there. "I'm visiting my mother for Christmas. We made up and things are good between us now."

Maggie was glad to hear that. "Are you staying with her then?"

Mia wanted to run away to avoid all of these questions, but she managed to hold it together. "Actually, I am staying at the Salem Inn."

"That's nonsense. If you needed a place to stay you should have called me and told me you were coming." Maggie did not understand why Mia would rather pay money for a place than stay with her. "The offer is still open of course if you want to save some money." Maggie noticed that Mia seemed unsure. "Well, I have an idea. Let's finish this conversation at my house so we can catch up."

Mia knew Maggie wouldn't take no for an answer. It was one of the first things she learned about Maggie. "Sure. It has been awhile." Maggie and Mia left the coffee shop undetected by Will and Sonny, who still sat outside.

* * *

><p>Azzura reported to Maddalena, who sat in her office in her mansion. As soon as Azzura walked in, Maddalena did not waste any time to question her. "How are things going with Alexandra and her husband Abraham?"<p>

"Well, it appears that Abraham runs a clean book as the Mayor of Salem. I have not been able to find anything on him that we could use against him." Azzura felt frustrated that Abe seemed to be a good guy.

"What about his health?" Maddalena asked hoping to hear some good news there.

"He had some health issues in the past, but unfortunately it seems he's healthier than ever." Azzura watched Maddalena to read her response.

Maddalena shifted in her chair. "We need to get Abraham away from Alexandra before the Dimera name is muddled any more than it already is." Maddalena made fists with both of her hands. "This is all my brother's fault. Stefano loves his women and they are all his type."

"Have you ever approved of any of his women?" Azzura asked curiously.

Maddalena thought about it for a moment. She shook her head as she answered, "No. I even hate the new one even more. She seems so strong-willed."

* * *

><p>Brady and Victor were discussing a business meeting they were having later at Titan, when Nico arrived with Kinsey in tow. When Victor saw Kinsey, he stopped his discussion with Brady and asked for a moment alone with Kinsey. After Brady and Nico walked out of the room, Victor forced a smile so that she would feel safe and comfortable with him. "Can I take your coat?"<p>

Kinsey quickly wrapped her arms around her chest. "I'm still cold, so no thank you."

Victor looked the coat over. "You must have spent most of your money on that coat. I hope you saved some of the money I gave you and your family."

Kinsey gave Victor a disgusted look. "I didn't spend all the money you gave me. I invested some of it." Kinsey gave Victor an impatient look next. "Why did you bring me here?"

Victor took a seat and watched Kinsey for a moment to let her know he had the power. Playing nice with her seemed moot at this point. "I'm just curious as to why you're back in Salem?

"Well, not that it's any of your business, but I came to Salem to see some of my friends for the holidays. My parents decided to get a divorce, so no family Christmas this year." Kinsey decided not to tell him any more than she had to. "Yay! The great things that happen when your family goes bankrupt!" she added sarcastically.

Victor knew that was not the whole story. "So you're not here to torment Sonny?"

"You're the one who set all of that up," Kinsey reminded Victor. "Why would I want to torment Sonny? He's a sweet guy. I am curious though. How did the fallout play out when Sonny realized what you did?"

Victor was not amused. "You can leave, but I am warning you to stay away from my great-nephew."

"Don't worry. I'm not going to seek him out. I can't promise anything if he approaches me." Kinsey walked out of the mansion.

Victor hated that his plan to turn Sonny straight using Kinsey still affected his relationship with Sonny. He wished he never brought Kinsey into the picture. Victor began to contemplate his next move as he looked at the time.

Brady walked back in. "What was that about?"

"Let's just talk about that meeting. We should probably head out now anyway." Victor stood up and grabbed his coat and briefcase as he led Brady out the door.

* * *

><p>EJ met up with Sami at Dimera Enterprises. "My Samantha. You wanted to talk to me about something important?"<p>

Sami gave EJ a kiss. "Yeah, I think I may have found a way for us to understand Johnny's behavior. I talked to Chelsea this morning and she agreed to spend time with Johnny."

EJ quickly became confused. "Chelsea? As in Chelsea Brady? What makes her so special that she can spend time with our son and know if something is wrong?"

"She's a child specialist or therapist – something like that," Sami answered. "Anyway, she may be able to figure out what's going on and help Johnny get over his behavior. If his behavior is more than just normal growth issues, then it might have to do with what Johnny saw happen between Will and Chad."

EJ figured it was worth a shot. "Okay, you have my support. I really wish Chad and Will were not so careless if they are the reason for Johnny's behavior. Well, I wish they weren't so careless around the kids." EJ sighed as he shook his head. He then pulled Sami into a hug and kissed her on her forehead. "I'm sure that everything will work out."

Sami looked on hoping that EJ was right. "It's just a phase. He'll get over it," she tried to say convincingly even though she still had her doubts. Sami held EJ tighter as she wondered if she should talk to Will.

* * *

><p>Dario sat in the main room at the Dimera guesthouse thinking about meeting up with Sonny later. They had decided that Dario would play his guitar for Sonny when they met up. Dario thought about what songs he would play for Sonny and one immediately came to mind. Grabbing his guitar, he began to play. While he played the intro, Isobel and Arianna were about to walk in from Isobel's bedroom, but Isobel stopped both of them so they could hear the song.<p>

_No existe un momento del día (There's not a moment in the day)  
><em>_En que pueda apartarte de mi (That could separate you from me)  
><em>_El mundo parece distinto (The world seems different)  
><em>_Cuando no estás junto a mi (When you're not by my side)_

_No hay bella melodía (There's no beautiful melody)  
><em>_En que no surjas tú (In which you don't appear)  
><em>_Ni yo quiero escucharla (I don't want to listen to it)  
><em>_Si no la escuchas tú (If it doesn't have you)_

_Es que te has convertido (It is that you have become)  
><em>_En parte de mi alma (a part of my heart)  
><em>_Ya nada me consuela (Nothing comforts me anymore)  
><em>_Si no estás tú también (If you're not by my side)_

_Más allá de tus labios (Far beyond your lips)  
><em>_Del sol y las estrellas (Of the sun and of the stars)  
><em>_Contigo en la distancia (With you in the distance)  
><em>_Amado mio, estoy (My beloved one, I am)_

_Es que te has convertido (It is that you have become)  
><em>_En parte de mi alma (a part of my heart)  
><em>_Ya nada me consuela (Nothing comforts me anymore)  
><em>_Si no estás tú también (If you're not by my side)_

_Más allá de tus labios (Far beyond your lips)  
><em>_Del sol y las estrellas (Of the sun and of the stars)  
><em>_Contigo en la distancia (With you in the distance)  
><em>_Amado mio, estoy (My beloved one, I am)_

_Contigo en la distancia (With you in the distance)  
><em>_Amado mio estoy, oh (My beloved one, I am, oh)  
><em>_Contigo (With you)_

As soon as Dario finished, Isobel walked out giving Dario an applause. Taking a seat next to him, she gave him a hug. Surprised to see his mother sitting next to him and Arianna standing at the end of the couch, Dario nervously said, "I had no idea anyone was listening."

Isobel placed both hands on each side of Dario's face. "That is such a beautiful song and has always been one of my favorites." Isobel dropped her hands and began to cry as she thought about her situation. She wiped her tears and looked into her son's eyes with a pleading look. "Will you please play that song at my funeral?"

Arianna quickly gave her mother a look because she had promised earlier that she would wait until Gabi got home from work to tell Dario the bad news. Dario was thrown off by his mother's request. "Why are you talking about your funeral, Mama?" he asked a bit worried and confused.

Isobel took Dario's hands in hers. "Mi hijo hermoso, I don't have much time left," Isobel admitted as tears began to form in her eyes once again.

"What do you mean you don't have time?" Dario asked fearfully.

"The doctors have given me a couple of months to half a year," Isobel shared wishing she did not have to tell her son.

Dario quickly put his guitar away and grabbed a hold of his mother. Tears fell down his face as he thought about the possibility of a life without his mother. He could not believe it. Arianna stood and watched Dario with Isobel as she began to cry as well.

* * *

><p>At Salem University Hospital, Jennifer spotted Daniel sitting in the cafeteria. "Daniel, I was hoping I would bump into you eventually." Jennifer took a seat across from him. "I talked to JJ and told him that he's coming back to Salem on Thursday."<p>

Daniel smiled because he could tell how excited Jennifer was to have JJ back in Salem. "So I finally get to meet the little guy." Daniel realized he did not know much about JJ except for what he looked like from pictures. "Is there anything I should know about JJ so I can make a good first impression?"

"You have nothing to worry about. I'm sure he will love you almost as much as I do." Jennifer smiled as she took Daniel's hand.

Colin walked over right on cue with a smile. "I couldn't help but overhear that JJ was coming to Salem. I'm happy for you, Jen." Colin turned to Daniel as he continued, "And congratulations to your daughter, Dr. Jonas. I heard about your daughters engagement."

Daniel nodded his head at Colin. "Yeah. Thanks so much." It bothered Daniel that the thought of his daughter's engagement still bothered him. He knew he would have to talk to Nathan, but decided he could wait until the right moment came along.

Jennifer was not impressed with Colin. "Is there anything else you need to say? Daniel and I were in the middle of something."

Colin stepped back. "Sorry, I did not mean to interrupt. It must be hard for JJ to not have his father around." Colin nodded at Daniel and walked away.

Daniel began to think about Jack because of Colin's comment, which was also oddly stated. "I hope that JJ doesn't think I'm trying to take Jack's place."

"No one could ever take Jack's place," Jen admitted as she continued to hold Daniel's hand. "I'll make sure JJ knows that."

* * *

><p>Sonny and Will continued to sit outside in the Horton Town Square as they waited for Chad and Ignazio. Sonny suddenly got a text from Dario. Dario asked if they could hang out another day because he needed to be with family. Sonny replied that he was okay with that. After he sent the text, Sonny looked up to Will. "Dario just sent me a text. Looks like I'm not hanging out with him today."<p>

"Is everything okay?" Will asked.

"I don't know. He said he needed to be with family." Sonny shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he just misses his family."

Will spotted Chad walking over with someone else far off. He assumed it was Ignazio, but Sonny looked back and thought Chad was walking with Dario. "Is Dario with Chad?" Sonny wondered if Dario was trying to surprise him.

"No, I think that's Ignazio," Will replied.

Chad and Ignazio finally made their way to the table where Sonny and Will sat. "Ignazio, this is one of my roommates, Sonny. Sonny, this is my cousin, Ignazio."

Sonny stood up and shook Ignazio's hand. "It's good to meet you."

Ignazio smiled. "It's good to meet you as well." Ignazio made his way to Will. "It's good to see you again, Will."

Will was impressed that Ignazio remembered his name. "It's good to see you again as well." As he shook Ignazio's hand, Will asked, "Are you hungry?"

Ignazio shook his head. "I am hungry," he admitted.

"We should get takeout from the Brady Pub and eat it at our place," Sonny suggested.

Chad turned to Ignazio. "Are you cool with that?"

"Yeah, I'm cool." Ignazio replied. He still needed to get a better understanding of their lingo.

As they headed out, Will moved closer to Chad wishing they could hold hands. Chad did not feel comfortable though, so he kept his distance. Both Sonny and Ignazio noticed the awkwardness. Sonny figured Chad felt uncomfortable holding Will's hand in front of his cousin. Ignazio wasn't sure what to think. He decided he would have to watch Will and Chad more closely so he could report to his grandmother.


	22. Chapter 22 Hidden

**Chapter 22: Hidden – Tuesday, December 20th, 2011**

After the guys finished their food from the pub, Sonny passed out cookies he baked while they ate. Ignazio looked the apartment over again. "You guys have a nice apartment." Ignazio took a bite out of one of Sonny's cookies. "Sonny, these cookies taste really good. You are a very good chef."

Sonny put the cookies down and took a seat. "Thanks, Ignazio. I taught myself through experimentation."

Chad quickly felt uncomfortable because of the word Sonny used to describe his cooking. He began to choke on the cookie he just ate. Will noticed that Chad had a strange look on his face after he finished coughing. He put his hand on Chad's back to make sure he was okay. Chad quickly got more uncomfortable and moved away from Will.

"I noticed there were only two bedrooms and there are three of you. How does that work?" Ignazio asked trying to get as much information about the three as he could.

"Oh yeah," Chad started. "Sonny and Will share a bedroom."

As soon as Chad answered, Will stood up frustrated that Chad had regressed to that excuse again. Deciding he needed to get some air, he decided to excuse himself. "I forgot something in my car. I'll be right back."

Chad realized that he needed to talk to Will tonight. He could no longer be silent about his decisions anymore. Will deserved to know.

Sonny watched as Will left and shook his head at Chad. He could not believe Chad said that. He knew he had to do damage control because the tension filled the room. "Ignazio, you want to play some video games?"

"I've never played, but I'll give it a try," Ignazio answered. Inside he wondered if there was another reason Will decided to leave.

"I'll clean off the table," Chad told them. Ignazio and Sonny headed to the living room, while Chad cleared the table. Chad knew that Will was upset with him and he'd have to fix things.

* * *

><p>Harold walked into the living room. "Mr. Dimera, you have a visitor."<p>

Sitting at his desk, Stefano looked at Harold wondering who it could be. "Show them in," Stefano stated as he maneuvered his hand so that Harold would hurry. When Celeste walked in, Stefano stood up in shock because she swore she would never step foot into the mansion years ago. "Celeste, what are you doing here?"

"Believe me Stefano, I would not have come back here if it was not important," Celeste replied as she sashayed over to him. "I need to know why Maddalena is in Salem?"

Stefano shook his head at Celeste. "You came here to find out about my sister, eh? Well, you just broke your promise for nothing. Maddalena is only in Salem because she wants to be close to the family."

Celeste leaned back and tried to figure out if Stefano really believed that. "Are you sure that is all?"

Kate walked in surprised to see Celeste talking to Stefano. "Well, if it isn't Celeste, the town psychic. Are you here to warn all of us of impending doom?"

Celeste rolled her eyes at Kate and decided to ignore her comment. "Stefano, keep an eye on your sister because it feels like she's up to something."

Kate rolled her eyes at Celeste. "Did you have a vision again?" Kate began to laugh as she moved to stand in front of Celeste. Putting her hand out to Celeste, she continued, "Come on. Give me a reading. What dreadful thing is waiting for me in my future?"

Celeste quickly felt offended and did not bother touching Kate's hand. "Kate, I don't have to give you a reading or touch your hand to know that you're in for some trouble. Maddalena can play nice, but she has never cared for any of the women Stefano took around with him. Maddalena will find a way to get rid of you." Celeste gave Kate a look of alarm and walked out.

Kate tried to laugh off Celeste's warning, but part of her feared what Maddalena was capable of. "So do you really think Maddalena is up to something sinister?"

Stefano did not know how to answer Kate's question. "I am not sure."

* * *

><p>At Maggie's house, Maggie made Mia a sandwich so they could talk. "So have you decided on whether you want to stay here or not while you're in town?"<p>

"It would be nice, but I am staying at the Salem Inn with a friend," she admitted. "We put our money together to stay there and since we've already paid for our stay, I'm not sure if there's a point in coming here."

"Well, you know I have plenty of room here. Home cooked meals are a plus, too. I have room for you and your friend if you would rather save money from other expenses." Maggie rested her arms on the table. "It's whatever you want to do. I won't be offended if you say no."

"I'll talk to my friend and see what she thinks." Mia took a bite of her sandwich hoping Maggie would be satisfied with that answer. "I'll let you know what we decide once we've talked about it."

* * *

><p>At the Kiriakis Mansion, Brady opened the front door to find Melanie standing there with her hand out. Brady looked her hand over and noticed she had a new ring on. "Melanie, is that what I think it is?"<p>

Melanie put her hand down and nodded with excitement. "Yes! It is! I'm engaged! Nathan proposed to me this weekend!"

Brady quickly pulled Melanie into a hug. "I'm so happy for you two. I'll have to be sure to give Nathan a call."

Melanie couldn't stop grinning. "It's so great! I am going to be married by the end of next summer." Melanie wanted everyone to feel as happy as she felt. "Brady, you do know that Arianna is back in town? I know you were gone for a while there in Paris."

"I know. I ran into her and she did not seem too happy to see me." Brady knew Melanie wanted Arianna and him to get back together, but he doubted that would happen.

"Of course she's upset. Don't you remember what happened before she left Salem?" Melanie shook her head at Brady. "Nicole happened. You and Ari were set to be married, but that fell through because of Nicole. Then Nicole pretty much framed Arianna for all those muggings. Of course she's upset!"

"You don't have to remind me," Brady let out.

"Well, the good news is that Nicole has left Salem, so no more distractions for you." Melanie smiled and winked at Brady. "You need to apologize to Ari and make things work!"

Brady rolled his eyes at the thought. "I'm not sure that Ari and I would fit together anymore. Things are different."

"At the least, you should try," Melanie responded giving Brady a convincing look. Brady returned an uncertain look.

* * *

><p>Dario sat with his sisters as they talked about their mother in the Dimera guesthouse. It was safe for them to talk because Isobel had gone to bed. "We need to do something," Dario said. "What are we going to do?"<p>

"What we can do," Arianna responded softly. She knew her brother's wounds were still fresh so she had to be the voice of reason. "We are going to make sure Mama is as comfortable as possible while she is still with us."

Dario did not want to hear that. "I'm not giving up. We should take her to see other doctors."

"Dario, we got a lot of opinions already." Arianna looked to Gabi hoping she would say something, but Gabi did not want to talk about their mother dying. "EJ paid for the best doctor out there for her illness."

Dario stood up frustrated that it appeared his sisters had already accepted defeat. "I don't want to sit here and watch Mama die." Dario grabbed his jacket and guitar and headed towards the door.

Gabi finally stood up when she saw that Dario was leaving. "Dario, where are you going?" She feared he would try to run away again.

"I'm staying at the apartment tonight. I need some time alone." Dario opened the door and left.

* * *

><p>Chad pulled up to Maddalena's mansion to drop Ignazio off. Before Ignazio opened the passenger side door, he turned to Chad. "You should come in and say hi to your aunt."<p>

"Okay. I'll step in for a moment." Chad didn't want to be rude and not accept the invite, but he didn't want to blow Will off either.

Chad and Ignazio went inside the mansion as Maddalena made her way down the stairs to greet them. "Hello, boys. Did you two have a good time today?"

"Yeah, I got to see most of Salem today thanks to Chad." Ignazio patted Chad on the back.

Maddalena smiled. "It's so good seeing the two of you getting along so well. Family should always stick together."

Ignazio placed his hand on Chad's shoulder. "Chad wanted to come in and say hi to you."

Chad glanced at Ignazio and felt somewhat uncomfortable that Ignazio sort of fibbed by implying it was his idea to come in. Maddalena smiled and took Chad's hand. "You are really sweet, Chad." After patting his hand, she asked, "So are you working for your father?"

Chad scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "Well, I decided to take a break so that I could focus on school." Chad noticed that Maddalena did not seem to approve with his decision.

"Chad, you should come join us one evening so we can all get to know each other better. What do you think?" Maddalena hoped he would agree to it.

Chad loved how welcoming Maddalena and Ignazio were. He loved that his family was bigger. "Yeah, I would really like that." Chad looked at the time. "I'll call you later, Ignazio." Ignazio smiled. "I will see you two soon, I'm sure."

After Chad left, Maddalena put her arm around Ignazio. "Tell me. Did you pick up on anything when you were with Chad?"

"Well, it appears that Chad has a secret, but I am not sure of it," Ignazio reported. "Chad's friends are weird, but nice."

"That could just be due to cultural differences, but keep in tune to everything." Maddalena smiled at Ignazio. "You always keep an eye out for everything. Do you think Stefano loves Chad?"

"I believe he does. I saw his face light up when Chad arrived to take me out to sightsee."

"Well, keep befriending him and do what you can with EJ," Maddalena commanded. "EJ is too important and Chad is just a distraction for my dear brother. Chad is not needed at all."

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Will and Sonny were playing a game while they waited for Chad to get back. Will stood up in victory when he beat Sonny. "Take that!" Sonny shook his head at Will, but noticed that Will seemed to be in better spirits. "Do you want to play another round?" Will asked as he took a seat on the couch again.<p>

Before Sonny could answer, Chad walked in. Sonny looked at Chad and then at Will. "I'm going to get ready for bed actually. I'll let the two of you talk."

After Sonny disappeared into his bedroom, Will looked up at Chad, who gave him an apologetic look. Will stood up and walked over to Chad. "I don't know what to say Chad because I don't understand what is going on."

Chad moved closer to Will. "I'm sorry for shutting you out. I was only trying to protect you." Chad paused and looked away from Will for a moment. "Will, we can't come out with our relationship just yet. I think we're moving too fast."

Will noticed that Chad couldn't even look him in the eyes when he said that. Frustrated, Will grabbed Chad's head and moved it so that Chad would look at him. "Things changed between us when you talked to your dad and your aunt came into town. We were on the right track and now you want to renege on your promise?"

Chad looked down. "I know that this is stressful for you Will, but this is not the time." Chad looked into Will's eyes. "I don't want people to know that you and I are gay."

Defeated, Will took a seat on the couch and remained silent for a moment. He thought about what he told Sonny the night before. "I have a question, Chad. Do you still consider yourself bisexual?"

Chad gave Will a look wondering where this was coming from. "Will, I'm with you, so I consider myself gay."

"Yeah, but I guess I am asking if you still find girls attractive?" Will asked looking away from Chad.

Chad took a seat next to Will and saw how disappointed and disheartened Will was. "Will, do you still love me?"

A tear fell down Will's face. "Of course I do, Chad. I am tired of having to hide the fact though. I want everyone to know why I am so happy. I have to hide my joy from everyone." Will looked down wondering if he really was happy anymore.

Chad immediately put his arms around him and held Will. "I hate that I have to ask you to wait longer, but I promise I will make it up to you."

Will looked into Chad's eyes. "You can't run off either. I don't want you to hide from me. You seem to always go out for air and then return hours later. This has happened more recently ever since you got that picture of Grace." Will watched as Chad turned his face away. "Chad, have you been going to her grave this whole time?"

Chad nodded his head and answered, "Yeah." Chad turned to face Will with water forming in his eyes. "I wish Grace was still alive. It gets harder around the holidays."

Will maneuvered his body and Chad's so he could hold him. He kissed Chad on the forehead. "I want to be there for you. If you want I can go with you next time."

Chad loved that Will could be so understanding. He kissed Will on the lips and replied, "I would really like that."

Will leaned his head on Chad's. He felt bad that Chad never got to know Grace. "I could tell you stories about her if you want."

Chad smiled through his tears. "I would really like that as well." Chad slowly removed himself from Will and stood up. He took Will's hand, helped him off the couch, and led him to their bedroom after turning off the lights.


	23. Chapter 23 The Empress

**Chapter 23: The Empress – Thursday, December 22nd, 2011**

Alone Chad decided to walk to a place his mother used to take him when he was little to get some fresh air. He was surrounded completely by snow as he was walked through a field to get to their secret spot. He remembered how his mother used to tell him that his life would be so much different from her life. She wanted him to have and live a better life.

Finally, Chad found the bench they used to sit at as they talked together. As he took a seat, he wrapped his arms around his chest and looked forward. He realized that except for around the bench, everything else around him was dark and cloudy. It was so bizarre to him.

As he tried to look into the darkness he noticed someone making their way towards him. A bright light surrounded the person and quickly engulfed the person and all the space around him or her. The light came towards Chad causing him to cover his eyes with his arms. Soon the light became so powerful that it forced him to look down even though he was curious about who was heading his way. The person sat next to him on the bench and spoke as the light engulfed the dark clouds causing the sky and the ground to look normal again. "Chad."

Chad recognized the voice as Kate's voice, but when he looked up he saw his mother, Madeline sitting there. Madeline was dressed in a long white gown decorated with pomegranates. On her head sat a crown of stars where it seemed the light came from earlier. Chad immediately began to tear up as he thought he would never see his mother again. "Mom. Is that really you?" He gave her a hug and could not believe it was possible for him to do that. "I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry for what I did to you."

Madeline hugged Chad back and then gently pushed him off so she could look into his eyes. "Chad, this is important. You need to share your desires."

"I love Will, but I don't know if we will work things out because everything seems to be against us." Chad looked to his mother for guidance.

Madeline took Chad's hand. "Your relationship with Will is very new still. Your relationship is still so fragile because you two are currently building it and working on it. It takes time for your relationship to produce something full." Madeline made sure Chad was hearing her. "You can't let other things get in the way."

Chad looked at her deeply wondering how she knew about his relationship with Will. Madeline moved Chad closer to her so she could hold him. As she continued to hold him, she pulled out a card to give him. She spoke first. "I will always be there for you, Chad, but I think you know what to do now." As she handed him the card, she continued, "Take this card so it will remind you of me."

Chad took the card, but kept his attention on his mother. As she stood up, she took the form of Kate and disappeared. Chad did not understand and decided to look at the card. He recognized the back of the card. It appeared to be a tarot card. He needed to turn around to see which one it was.

Before he could turn it around, Chad woke up in Will's arms. He lifted his head to look at Will, who was in a deep sleep. He quickly looked at the time and saw that it was 2am. He lowered his head and kissed Will's chest. He rested his head again and closed his eyes thinking about his mother – wishing she was still alive. She would know how to help him.

* * *

><p>At Daniel's apartment, Melanie decided to make breakfast, but could not find the spatula. As she looked through drawers in the kitchen, she found a small ring box. She picked it up deciding to open it. When she saw what looked like an engagement ring, she realized her dad must have put it in there.<p>

Daniel walked out of his room and spotted Melanie with the ring he was going to use to propose to Jen. "Where did you find that?" he asked playing dumb. He pretended he had never seen it before.

"Dad, were you going to propose to Jen?" Melanie completely ignored the idea that Daniel had never seen the ring before.

Daniel knew he couldn't fool his daughter, but he didn't want to talk about it either. He didn't want Melanie to know that she got in the way of him being able to propose. "Can I just have it back?"

Melanie handed it over and then realized something. "Oh my gosh. You were going to propose to Jennifer Monday night when Nathan and I got back. Both of you were dressed so nicely and you had made reservations at Chez Rouge. The look on Maggie's face when we all arrived was a look of surprise because she didn't expect to see Nathan or me." Melanie thought back to when she and Nathan first came into the apartment. "You were standing in the kitchen and when Jennifer invited us not knowing your plans, you put it in that drawer!" Melanie watched her father wanting to know if she was right. Daniel's silence confirmed it for Melanie. "I'm so sorry, Dad. Nathan and I interrupted your plans." Melanie handed the ring box to Daniel and watched as he put it in his pocket.

Daniel decided not to make a big deal about it. "It's okay. I'm not even sure if Jennifer is ready to take that step yet. I already talked to her dad though." Daniel walked around wanting to move past the engagement ring. He had other things to worry about. "Have you seen my shoes?"

Melanie found them by the couch and handed them to her dad. Something else seemed off. "Dad, you seem nervous and in a hurry. Maybe you should sit down and take a break. I'll make you some breakfast."

Daniel sat down and put on his shoes. "As much as I would love to eat your delicious cooking, I don't really have the time. I have to pick up Jen and Abigail to take them to the airport."

"Oh yeah, I forgot JJ was coming back today." Melanie finally found the spatula and before putting anything on the pan she turned back to Daniel. "Should I go, too?"

Daniel stood up and walked over to her. "It's better if you stay put. I want to make sure I have enough room in my car for JJ's luggage."

Melanie gave Daniel a hug. "It's going to be okay, dad. JJ will love you and think you're cool. Do I have to remind you that I thought you were cool before I found out you were my dad?"

Daniel smiled and hugged Melanie back. "I'll be back later if you're still here." Daniel grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

* * *

><p>Celeste sat in her apartment alone thinking about Maddalena while using her tarot cards. She shuffled the cards before spreading them out on the table in front of her. She picked one of the cards and turned it over. The card was 'The Magician' card. Celeste studied the card and wondered how Maddalena could be the magician. "Maddalena is no magician, but she can plant ideas in others' minds." Celeste looked harder at the card and remembered that the magician didn't have to necessarily be a genuine magician. "She is more of a con – a trickster. Knowing Maddalena, she might be setting someone up, but who?"<p>

Celeste pulled out another card and turned it over. It was 'The Fool' card. She remembered pulling out 'The Fool' card the other day right before Chad came over. "What does Maddalena have planned for Chad? What ideas does she hope to plant in his head?" Celeste studied both of the cards trying to figure out what Maddalena would want from Chad. "Hopefully Chad will not be fooled by Maddalena."

Celeste thought about her own role in Chad's life and realized her part in Chad's journey. She did not need the card to see it. She knew that she could not help Chad alone. Celeste pulled out one last card from the spread out deck. She turned it around and saw that it was 'The Empress' card. "Interesting." Placing it down next to 'The Fool' card she wondered if there was someone out there who could help Chad stay on his true journey – someone who was in a position to be a motherly guide to Chad.

* * *

><p>Chad took Will's hand and led him to their bedroom after taking a shower together. Chad and Will kissed each other for a moment before grabbing clothes to put on. Will smiled as he watched Chad look through the closet. He loved watching Chad when they were together. Will noticed that Chad still had a few drops of water on his back that he missed. Will took a clean towel and walked over to him. "You missed a spot." Will dried Chad's back. "Turn around so I can make sure you didn't miss anything in the front."<p>

Chad turned around and smiled. He looked into Will's beautiful blue eyes and ran his thumb down Will's cheek. "You missed a spot on your face." Chad kissed him again glad that he and Will were able to open up to each other. He had plans for them today after breakfast.

Both Chad and Will quickly got dressed after making sure they were both completely dry. They knew that if they remained naked any longer they would have never left the apartment. After getting dressed they walked out through the kitchen and realized that Sonny was gone. Both were hoping Sonny was in one of his cooking moods. Chad looked over to Will. "We can grab breakfast on the way if you want."

Will gave Chad a confused look. "On the way? Where are we going?"

Chad smiled and took Will's hand. "It's a surprise."

Will looked into Chad's eyes. "I don't think I can wait. Let's just skip breakfast." Will was so happy that he and Chad were finally on the right track again.

* * *

><p>Sonny walked into Nathan's office at Salem University Hospital to talk to him about his ski trip idea. When he shook Nathan's hand, he decided he should congratulate Nathan first. "Congrats on getting engaged this last weekend. I feel like I barely see you now."<p>

Nathan nodded his head as he sat back down. "Thanks. We definitely need to fix that."

"Well, I already have a solution to that problem," Sonny quickly countered.

"What you got?" Nathan said rather enthusiastically.

"Well, I want to go on a ski trip around my birthday, which is the 28th of this month," Sonny answered. "At this point, I figure it might be good to hold off after New Year's Eve depending on if anyone else has plans for that weekend."

"Well, I am sure I can get some time off. I love skiing, so I am down for whatever," Nathan said before adding, "Right now Melanie and I don't have plans to bring in the New Year – at least none that I know of."

"Sweet." Sonny was glad that he asked Nathan to come. "I'll have to talk to a few others about it. I'll definitely talk to Melanie about it, unless you want to."

Nathan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Either way works."

"So when are you going to get married?" Sonny asked.

"Well, Melanie and I have been thinking sometime in June. She really wants a summer wedding." Nathan's pager suddenly went off.

Figuring it was important, Sonny stood up. "I can go. That's pretty much what I wanted to talk to you about. I'll call you when I've talked to the others about the trip."

"It's okay. It was just a page that one of my patients got done with testing. But I should get back to work. It was good talking to you." Nathan waved at Sonny as he left.

Nathan went back to work, but was interrupted again when he got a text from Jennifer. She sent a reminder text that he needed to take the recipes she gave him earlier to Hope when his shift was over. He sent her a text back telling her that he would stop by Hope's house after his shift.

* * *

><p>Outside of baggage claim, Jennifer, Abigail, and Daniel waited patiently for JJ to arrive. Daniel could not shake his nerves about meeting JJ. Things were serious with him and Jen and he really wanted to make a good first impression with JJ. "So how are you going to introduce me to JJ?"<p>

Jen thought it was cute how nervous Daniel was. She rubbed his arm as she answered his question. "I'll probably just say we're good friends for now. Relax. It's going to be okay."

Abigail turned to Daniel to assure him. "JJ will like you."

"Oh my gosh. There he is!" Jennifer moved her head around so she could watch him walk up to the doors with his things. Once he walked out, Jen rushed over and gave him a hug. "Did you have any problems? I'm so sorry that I made you fly alone. I hate that I made you do that."

JJ smiled and laughed. "Mom, I'm okay. I knew what I had to do. I got help when I needed it. The stewardesses were really helpful and they helped me enjoy my flight."

"Ladies' man, I see," Daniel let out with a smile.

JJ looked up at Daniel. "Is he the driver?"

Jen attempted to laugh off what JJ said. "No. He's my good friend. His name is Daniel. Daniel Jonas."

"Well, either way, can we just get out of here? I want to go to Gram's house." JJ began to pull his luggage past Daniel. Daniel tried to help, but JJ would not let him.

As they headed to the car, JJ asked Abigail, "Have you heard from dad yet?"

"No." Abigail gave her mother a look of concern. She did not want to tell her little brother that they had given up on looking for him.

Jen noticed the uncomfortable look on Abigail's face. "You know what, JJ? We should just talk about that when we get home." Jen looked at Daniel and gave him a worried look realizing there was so much she needed to tell JJ. Now was not the time.

* * *

><p>In an undisclosed castle somewhere in Europe, Jack began to cough and woke up in a white room. He looked around worried wishing he knew where he was. He tried to remember his last memory outside of the walls that surrounded him, but he could not think straight because every other time he woke up, someone came in and gave him a sedative.<p>

Jack noticed a window that looked into the next room. He quickly got up to look through it. He saw a man on what appeared to be a hospital bed. When he looked closer he noticed that the man looked familiar from the back. He tried to wake the man up by whispering to him, but the man never came to.

Jack stepped back when he heard footsteps walking down the hall. He knew it had to be a guard and feared that his whispers were heard by someone else. He worried that the guard would sedate him again, so he laid down on his bed and pretended to be asleep. The guard walked in and looked Jack over. Luckily, he believed that Jack was still out. Once the guard left, Jack opened his eyes and whispered to himself, "I need to come up with a plan to get out of here."


	24. Chapter 24 Losing the Family

**Chapter 24: Losing the Family – Thursday, December 22nd, 2011**

Sami and Johnny arrived at Bo and Hope's house to spend time with Chelsea and Ciara. Chelsea smiled at Johnny and then told Sami, "Gabi and Hope are helping grandma Caroline today. Hope really wanted to help her get ready for Christmas Eve dinner." Chelsea noticed that Johnny seemed to question the reason he was at Bo and Hope's house. "Johnny, do you want to come play with me and Ciara?"

Johnny moved his head around and noticed that Ciara opened a big box of crayons. "Are we going to color?"

"Yeah, do you like to color?" Chelsea asked.

Sami smiled. "He definitely loves to color. He could do it all day if he wanted to."

Chelsea took Johnny's hand and led him over to the coffee table. "Ciara, what are you going to color with Johnny?"

Ciara poured all of the crayons onto the coffee table and turned to Johnny giving him a blank piece of paper. "I'm going to draw and color my family. You can do the same if you want."

"And then you two can make up a story about your picture when you're done," Chelsea suggested to Ciara and Johnny.

Johnny really liked Chelsea's idea. He quickly grabbed the black crayon to draw his family. Sami walked over and took a seat on the couch watching Johnny. She loved seeing him so happy and thought to herself, "Johnny seems to do better when he's focused on drawing." She wondered if he would act out in front of Chelsea.

Chelsea was hands on and involved with both Ciara and Johnny as they colored. She helped them pick the colors that they needed and asked questions while they drew different family members and colored them in.

When Johnny and Ciara were done, both announced the fact to Chelsea and Sami. As Chelsea and Sami looked over the pictures, they noticed that Will and Chad were not in Johnny's picture. Sami gently brought it up to Johnny. "Johnny, where are Will and Chad? Even though they don't live in the mansion, they are still your family."

"They are not part of the family anymore." Johnny answered quickly putting his drawing down on the coffee table.

Chelsea could tell Johnny had become closed off somewhat. "Johnny, why is that? We're just curious. You're not going to get in trouble." Johnny shrugged his shoulders because he had nothing else to say. He eyed his mother though because he could tell she was upset.

Chelsea turned and looked over at Sami and then turned to Ciara. "Hey, Ciara. I think we have some cookies on the table. If you bring them in here, we could have something to snack on."

Sami figured her presence was probably limiting Johnny's wanting to talk about Will and Chad, so she decided she needed to leave Chelsea alone with Johnny. "Ciara, I'll help you. We could grab a cup of milk for everyone as well."

After Sami and Ciara left the room, Chelsea moved a bit closer to Johnny as she looked at Johnny's drawing again. "Johnny, I'm curious about your drawing. May I ask you a question about your drawing?" Johnny nodded his head. "Do you want Chad and Will to be a part of your family? What's the story there?"

Johnny grabbed the black crayon again. "I do want them to be my family, but they do bad things that they shouldn't do."

Chelsea curiosity began to grow more. "Johnny, what do they do?"

As soon as she asked the question, Chelsea noticed that Johnny had taken the black crayon to draw two dark figures on the right side of the paper away from the other family members. After Johnny had finished drawing the two figures he harshly drew a big black X on the two figures. Apparently that was not enough for Johnny though. To separate the two dark figures from the rest of the family, he drew a long line between the dark figures and the others. When he finished, Johnny looked over to Chelsea to see what she thought about his addition to his picture.

Chelsea looked at the two dark figures, "Johnny, who are the two people you crossed out?"

"That's Chad and Will. My nonno is upset because they love each other too much. Since they love each other too much, they don't love the rest of the family. They don't care what happens to us."

Sami, who had opened the kitchen door earlier, overheard what Johnny had to say about Chad and Will. She began to tear up as she could not believe she had just heard Johnny say that. Before Sami could think about it more, Ciara opened the door and announced they had cookies and milk. Johnny immediately stopped what he was doing and ran over to help Ciara. "I love cookies!"

Sami watched Johnny as he seemed to move on from what he had just told Chelsea. She hated how it seemed so matter of fact to him that Chad and Will were no longer part of the family. Filled with sadness, Sami wondered why Johnny believed that Chad and Will did not care about the family. She wondered if he overheard a conversation that made him believe that.

* * *

><p>Chad brought Will to the place he saw in his dream – the place where his mother used to take him as a kid. As Chad and Will sat on the same bench, Chad grabbed Will's hand. "You are probably wondering why I brought you to the most random place in the world."<p>

"Just a bit," Will playfully admitted.

"Truthfully, this place is not so random to me," Chad shared. "When I was little, my mom used to take me here to get away from life. She and I would sit here and do some of the most peaceful things. There were times we'd sit here in silence or times when we would sing together."

As Chad continued to talk about why this spot was special to him, Will smiled inside as he loved that Chad was telling him more about his past. He could tell that this place meant a lot to Chad, especially since his mother died. Will moved his hand and Chad's hand to his heart, when Chad seemed to be finished. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Chad."

"I definitely want to share this with you, Will. I want this to be our place. A place where we can feel at peace with each other." Chad thought about his dream and how he got to talk to his mother again. He believed this was what his mother wanted him to do to help his relationship with Will.

Will gave Chad a look of admiration. "I love that idea, Chad." Will kissed Chad's hand and moved closer to Chad. Will felt guilty about letting his insecurities get the best of him once again as he thought about the night before. "Chad, there's something I need to tell you." Will realized Chad was really just going out for air and spending time here to think. "I thought you had met someone else. I actually thought you were cheating on me. That's why I asked you the bisexual question last night. I'm sorry I keep doubting you."

Chad could tell that Will felt guilty and wanted to take that feeling away from him. "Will, I love you. I would never cheat on you." Chad immediately thought about Mia and shook it off. He had done nothing wrong with Mia, so he knew he could live without a guilty conscience. "There's no one else, Will. It's just you and me." Chad kissed Will on the lips. They began to make out.

* * *

><p>In the kitchen at the Horton house, Jennifer began to make sandwiches after putting chocolate chip cookies in the oven. She paused for a moment as she watched Abigail and JJ talk to each other. She loved that they were all together again.<p>

Daniel sat on a stool between Jennifer and her kids. He tried to fight his nerves about getting to know JJ, but he knew he had to put himself out there. "Hey JJ, how was school?"

JJ eyed Daniel for a moment before quickly responding. "It was school I guess." JJ swiftly turned back to his sister to talk to her so he wouldn't have to talk to Daniel. "It was cool when we got a few days off for the royal wedding this year. They tried to force us to watch the wedding, but a few of my friends and I decided to play a little rugby instead."

"So you like rugby," Daniel cut in. "Who's your favorite team?"

"It's a secret," JJ quickly shot back without looking at Daniel. He turned to his mother and asked, "So what kind of cookies are you baking? They smell good."

Jennifer gave JJ a strange look. "JJ you saw me making them and you asked me that exact question when I first started making them. It's chocolate chip." Jennifer looked at Daniel and could tell he was a bit frustrated. Taking Daniel's hand, she gave Daniel a look to remind him to relax as it would take time for JJ to connect with Daniel.

JJ picked up on the fact that his mother was holding Daniel's hand. "So mom, have you heard from Dad yet? I'm sure wherever he is, he's thinking about you right now."

Abigail punched JJ in the gut noticing how her brother was making Daniel and their mother feel uncomfortable. "Knock it off, JJ."

Slightly embarrassed by his sister's response, JJ looked back to his mother avoiding any eye contact with Daniel. "May I be excused?"

Jennifer let go of Daniel's hand. "Excused? Where are you wanting to go?"

"I want to unpack my things in my room," JJ responded.

Jennifer didn't want to push anything. "You may go, but I will call out to you when it's time to eat."

"Don't bother. I'm not hungry anymore." JJ walked out of the kitchen. Jennifer gave Daniel an apologetic look.

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, Brady looked around the clothing store searching for a new tie. As he made his way over to the men's section, he accidentally bumped into Arianna. "Woah. Sorry." When he realized it was Arianna, he asked, "What are you doing in the men's section?"<p>

Arianna, who was holding onto a dress, became slightly annoyed. "Not that it's any of your business… but I am shopping for the family. It's tradition that we wear something new on Christmas." Arianna looked around. "I am looking for clothes that Dario can wear that aren't too expensive since I am shopping for everyone here."

Brady couldn't help but smile because that was the most Arianna had talked to him since she returned to Salem. "Well, it looks like you already found a dress."

Arianna held out the dress so she could look at is as she responded. "It's for my mother. She loves the color red very much." As Arianna looked at it, she began to think about how this would most likely be the last Christmas dress her mother would wear.

Brady noticed tears forming in Arianna's eyes. "Ari?"

Arianna realized that she had spaced out. "Sorry. Just thinking about something." She wrapped the dress around her arm and wiped the tears from her face.

"What's wrong?" Brady asked as he gave Arianna a concerned look.

"Nothing. I don't really have time to talk. I'm on a schedule. Good luck with whatever you're looking for." Before Brady could say anything, Arianna quickly walked away.

* * *

><p>Sonny walked to the door opening it to let Dario walk in. Sonny immediately noticed that Dario brought his guitar. Sonny excitedly said to Dario, "Oh, I can't wait to hear you play – and possibly sing?"<p>

Dario smiled back to Sonny. "Maybe… I'm glad we could hang out today. I needed a bit of time away from the family."

"I hope everything's alright." Sonny looked Dario over and figured Dario didn't want to talk about it since Dario seemed to want to get away. "Do you want something to drink? I'll grab it and you can just make yourself at home."

"I guess it's too early to drink anything strong at the moment." Dario paused to allow Sonny to realize he was joking, but Sonny gave him a serious look. "I was joking. I'll just take a glass of water."

Sonny quickly made his way to the kitchen and brought in two glasses of water. He passed one to Dario and then took a seat next to Dario on the couch. "So tell me about the people you fished with in Alaska."

"They were probably the best part of the job honestly. We could really lift each other's spirits and could laugh about almost everything. There were times when we got on each other's nerves, but that never got to be a problem." Dario took a sip of water and placed his glass down.

"Any romance on the ship?" Sonny asked. "Maybe you found a siren that stole your heart?"

Dario began to laugh. "Nope." Dario grabbed his glass to take another drink, but before he took a drink, he said, "I've missed you a lot, Sonny."

Sonny tried not to blush as he shot back, "I missed you, too, Dario." Sonny looked at the guitar case that contained Dario's guitar. "So do I have to beg you to pull out your guitar?" Sonny eyed Dario's eyes and realized how much he missed looking at them.

After putting his glass of water down, Dario opened the case and pulled out his guitar. He placed it on his lap and prepared his fingers trying to calm his nerves. This was the moment he had planned for a while. The moment he would let Sonny know how much he missed him. After taking a deep breath, he began to play "Contigo En La Distancia".

As he played the guitar intro, Sonny's cell suddenly began to ring. Sonny looked down at his phone and saw that Kai was calling him. Sonny put his hand up causing Dario to stop playing. "I'm really sorry, but I have been waiting for this call, and I need to take it." Sonny stood up and headed to the kitchen to take the call.

Dario took a deep breath feeling disappointed that Sonny got a call while he was about to sing to Sonny. He could hear bits and pieces of Sonny's conversation on the phone. He heard something about Canada and family. He then heard Sonny tell the other person that he loved them. Dario wondered if Sonny was talking to one of his brothers.

Sonny walked back into the living room and took a seat on the couch again. "Sorry about that. I'm turning off my phone now so I can put all of my attention on you." Sonny began to mess with his phone to turn it off.

Dario decided to wait on playing anything. "Who were you talking to?"

Sonny looked up at Dario from his phone knowing he had to tell Dario about Kai. "It was my boyfriend, Kai. He's in Canada with his family during the school break." Sonny looked down at his phone and saw that it was now turned off.

Dario swallowed hard and forced a smile. "That's great. I'm glad you were able to find someone." Dario knew he couldn't play what he had planned to play for Sonny. He quickly thought of another song that he could play hoping Sonny would not notice the song change. "I'll play now."

Sonny smiled, but felt something strange in the air. Dario began to play "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M. Sonny immediately noticed that Dario was playing a different song, but didn't make anything of it. He watched as Dario began to sing as he played noticing how into it Dario was. It was like Sonny wasn't even there.

Dario spat out the words and thought about how life continued to shit on him. He wished he had not taken that job in Alaska even if his family needed the money. He realized he made a huge mistake when he left Salem and told Sonny to move on. Tears began to fall down Dario's face as he continued to play and sing. He then felt selfish for regretting the money he made for his family. He thought about his mother wishing he had done something different, so that he could save her. As his thoughts continued to think about all the negatives in his life, Dario finally couldn't play or sing anymore. He broke down.

Sonny froze for a moment as he watched Dario. This was the most vulnerable he had ever seen Dario since what happened on Melaswen. Sonny took the guitar and gently placed it on the other end of the couch. He pulled Dario into his body and held him to try to comfort him. "What's wrong Dario? I've never seen you cry like this."

Dario's tears became heavier as he answered. "My mother's dying and I can't save her!"

Not knowing how to respond to Dario's news and dilemma, Sonny continued to hold Dario, but tighter. Feeling the need to say something to somehow comfort Dario, he finally replied, "I am so sorry that your family has to go through this. I promise you that I will always be there for you."

Dario's pain escaped him after hearing Sonny's promise. He stopped crying and noticed how wet Sonny's shirt was. He noticed that Sonny was holding him and that he was too close. Dario wiped his face and slowly removed himself from Sonny's grip. "I'm… I'm sorry about what just happened." Dario didn't dare look at Sonny head on. "I just had a moment of weakness. I've been holding that in since I found out. I'm just tired of losing my family. I don't want to lose anyone else that I love." Dario slowly looked into Sonny's eyes as he thought about how he lost Sonny.

Sonny quickly felt really uncomfortable with what he felt in that moment. He stood up and began to head to the kitchen. "Are you in the mood for cookies? I could bake some. It won't take long and they can really cheer a person up." Sonny felt stupid about the comment he just made as it sounded so insensitive.

Dario looked away and stood up. "Nah. I'm good." He grabbed his guitar from the couch to put it back in it's case. "I should probably head off soon."

Sonny stopped and felt bad for pulling away from Dario. He knew that Dario was lying as he hadn't been at the apartment long. "I'm not going to stop you from leaving, but I want you to know that I am here for you. Call me if you need to talk or anything." Sonny walked over to Dario after Dario put his guitar away.

Dario turned around and gave him a half-smile to let Sonny know that he would be okay. "Thanks, Sonny. I really appreciate that." Dario raised his hand and almost placed it on Sonny's cheek, but he refrained. Dario dropped his hand onto Sonny's shoulder instead and gave Sonny's shoulder a squeeze. "I'll see you around… friend."

Sonny walked Dario to the door as they said their goodbyes. After closing the door, Sonny walked over to the couch and threw his body onto it. He looked back at the door wondering what he would do to help with Dario's situation.

* * *

><p>While Johnny and Ciara finished their milk and cookies, Sami and Chelsea walked over to the front door to talk in private. "I think that you and EJ should talk to Johnny about Chad and Will's relationship. Figure out if something happened to set this off in his mind. It might be helpful if you color, draw, or play with him while you talk to him."<p>

"Similar to the way that you played with him and Ciara today?" Sami asked wanting to make sure she did it right.

Chelsea nodded her head and then continued, "I recommend that you spend time with Chad and Will separately to let Johnny know that nothing's really changed about them being family." Chelsea could tell Sami still felt uneasy. "I think Johnny will be fine if you and EJ talk to him about this. I can babysit and play with him and Sydney if you need me to."

Sami smiled appreciatively. "Thanks Chelsea. I am so glad you were able to help." Sami took a deep breath and turned to Johnny. "Johnny, it's time to go. Sydney is probably wondering where you are."

Johnny stood up and ran over to his mother. "Why didn't Sydney come with us to play?"

"Well, Sydney is spending time with your father, so me and you got to spend time with Chelsea and Ciara." Sami smiled. "Did you have fun?" Johnny nodded his head and gave Sami his drawing to hold. Sami tried not to think of the drawing and thanked Chelsea again before heading out.

After Sami and Johnny were gone, Chelsea helped Ciara clean up the mess on the coffee table. "Are you ready to head to the pub to check on grandma and mom?"

"Yes! I can't wait to give grandma the drawing I made of the family." Ciara grabbed her drawing after they cleaned up.

Before they could leave there was a knock at the door. "Sami, must have forgotten something." Chelsea looked around as she headed for the door. When she opened the door, her mouth opened widely. "Nathan Horton, is that you?"

"Chelsea Benson? – I mean Brady – what are you doing here?" Nathan was just as surprised to see Chelsea as she was with seeing him. Both immediately went in for a hug. After separating, Nathan repeated his question, "So what are you doing back in Salem? Last I heard you were living in London or something."

"I'm here to help out my grandmother with the pub." Chelsea thought about the last time she saw Nathan and smiled. "The last time we saw each other was when Abigail and I were still in high school and I didn't know I was a Brady."

Nathan smiled as he remembered those days. "It's crazy how much life has changed for the both of us since then." Nathan looked at the time. "I'm sorry I can't stay, but we should definitely catch up soon."

"It's okay. I'm heading to the pub with Ciara anyway, but I agree we should definitely catch up." Chelsea realized that Nathan never told her why he was here. "So why did you come over?"

Nathan looked down at his hands. "Oh yeah. I came to drop off these recipes for Hope. Is she here?"

Chelsea took the recipes from Nathan's hands. "No, but she's at the pub, so I can deliver them if you want me to."

"Thanks." Nathan gave Chelsea another hug. "It's good seeing you."

Chelsea smiled and walked him out holding the recipes and Ciara's hand. "You, too."

* * *

><p>Chad and Will finished making out and sat there in silence for a moment to enjoy the view and the peace that the environment brought. Will held Chad's hand and beamed as he watched Chad. He could tell this place was special to him. He loved that Chad wanted it to be their place.<p>

Chad noticed the way that Will looked at him. He blushed a bit because he could see the love in Will's eyes. Chad broke the silence. "I wish that we could spend time together on Christmas, but I know you have to go to the Horton Christmas, while I go home to be with my family."

"What are you talking about?" Will asked rhetorically. "I can stop by since my mom will is celebrating Christmas at your father's house. I just need to be sure that I spend time with my dad and his side of the family."

"Well, I'm glad I'll get to see you then." Chad gave Will a kiss on the cheek when he got a text message. He looked at it as Will rested his head on Chad's shoulder looking away from Chad's phone. Chad saw that it was a text message from Mia. Mia told him that she needed to talk because she could not stop thinking about Grace. Chad quickly texted back saying to give him some time and he'll meet with her.

After Chad put his phone away, Will asked, "Who was that?"

"My dad," Chad lied. He really wanted to keep the peace between him and Will. He thought about how things went south with his relationship with Abigail. "We should head back to our place. I don't want us to both freeze out here."

Will smiled and kissed Chad. "It is getting colder out here. Let's go." Both stood up. Chad grabbed Will's hand as they made it through the snow and back to Chad's car.


	25. Chapter 25 Good News?

**Chapter 25: Good News? – Friday, December 23, 2011**

Nathan had just finished his shift and decided to head home to clean up and relax a bit before he met with Melanie at the Brady Pub. He spotted Daniel walking towards the coffee station and realized he hadn't talked to Daniel since the night they went out to Chez Rouge to celebrate his engagement with Melanie.

Walking over to Daniel, Nathan greeted him. "Hey, Dr. Jonas." Now that Daniel was going to be his father-in-law, Nathan felt a bit awkward calling him by his first name.

Daniel turned and thought it was weird that Nathan called him Dr. Jonas. "It's been a while since you called me that." Daniel didn't want to say anything else to Nathan because he didn't want to talk to Nathan about his disappointment in him at the hospital.

"Yeah, I guess," Nathan laughed. "I'm heading out now. I thought I would check in with you before I left."

Daniel gave Nathan a weird look. "Why? Look, you should get out of here while you can. Besides, I like to drink my coffee in peace."

Nathan sensed Daniel wasn't in the mood to talk to him. "Yeah. I guess you're right. I'm going to see Melanie later. I'll let her know I saw you." Nathan nodded his head to Daniel and headed for the elevator wondering if Daniel was just having a bad day.

Daniel turned back to make himself a coffee. He shook his head and thought about how Nathan never asked him for his permission. He wondered if he should make a big deal about it when he needed to focus on other things.

Jennifer walked out of her office and began to head over towards the doctors' offices hoping to talk to Daniel. As she walked out by the nurses' station, she noticed Daniel standing by the coffee station. "Daniel," she called out walking towards him. "I wanted to check in on you."

Daniel pretended he had no idea why she would feel the need to check in with him. "Who me? Why?"

"About yesterday – with the awkwardness with JJ." Jennifer could tell Daniel didn't want to talk about it. "I'm not going to ask about your feelings, but I wanted you to know that I am going to talk to JJ about you – about who you really are to me – so that he understands. Hopefully that will alleviate some awkwardness in the future."

Daniel took a sip of his coffee and gave Jen a concerned look. "Are you sure you want to tell him everything?"

"Yes. I'm pretty sure he already knows, but it would be good if he heard it from me directly." Jennifer put her hand on Daniel's arm. "It's going to be fine. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I can't wait to see the tree and the ornaments. I wish that Gram and Grandpa Tom could be a part of it all, but I know they will be there in spirit."

Daniel smiled at how Jennifer described it all. He felt a bit guilty because he had already made plans. Maxine walked over to him with a paper in her hands. "Sorry to interrupt, Dr. Jonas, but I have your schedule for the weekend. Could you look at it and tell me if it's right?"

As Maxine handed Daniel the form, Jennifer realized that Daniel decided to work over Christmas weekend. "Daniel, are you really doing this? Are you really working this weekend so you can avoid any awkwardness with my son?"

Daniel didn't want to lie to her. "Jen, I am doing this for your family. I want you to be able to not worry about me so you can focus on your family over the holiday. I don't want to get in the way of your relationship with your son and ruin Christmas for anyone."

Jennifer looked into Daniel's eyes. "Daniel, you don't have to runaway. Let me worry about my relationship with JJ. I want you to be there."

Maxine felt a bit uncomfortable standing there. "Dr. Jonas, I'll allow you some time to think it over, but please let me know as soon as possible, so I can plan accordingly."

As Maxine walked away and Daniel and Jen continued to talk, Colin and Ignazio walked into the elevator. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Ignazio turned to Colin. "My nonna is hoping for good news."

Colin smiled, "Don't worry. I have good news."

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, EJ and Sami began to discuss the best plan of action to approach Johnny, while the kids were upstairs with Mary. After showing and explaining Johnny's family portrait to EJ, Sami looked up to her husband and shared, "So Chelsea recommended we approach Johnny about this."<p>

"I want to wait until after Christmas. We don't want to ruin Christmas by talking to him about his behavior and what he might have seen Will and Chad do under that table." EJ wondered if he should ask Chad and Will what exactly they were doing under the table. He could not believe what Johnny drew and said about the family picture he colored.

"Christmas might already be ruined for him because of how much he has been acting out." Sami sighed. "I think we should take care of it now, so he will have a better chance of moving on from it." Sami still wasn't sure which way would be best. "Three more days might not be so bad," she thought to herself.

Arianna walked into the main room from the back door. "EJ, you wanted to talk to me?"

EJ and Sami turned to face Arianna. They tried to pretend they had just finished having a regular conversation. "Yes, Ari. My family and I would like to formally invite you and your family to spend Christmas with us this weekend." Sami smiled to let Arianna know she was okay with spending Christmas with her.

"I really appreciate the gesture," Arianna started. "…but my family and I are going to do our own festivities and traditions for Christmas." Arianna hoped that they understood that she wanted to keep to themselves since this would be her mother's last Christmas.

Before EJ could respond to Arianna, Harold walked in and introduced Brady's presence. EJ smirked at Brady, but was surprised to see him there. "Well, if it isn't my prodigal cousin. Are you here to pledge allegiance to your real family?"

Brady rolled his eyes at EJ. "I'm not here to see you. I'm here to talk to Arianna to see if she would like to join my family for Christmas."

"I hate to break it to you, but I highly doubt Arianna will agree to spend Christmas with you," EJ informed Brady with an even bigger smirk. Sami nudged EJ to knock it off as she knew he was only playing games with Brady, but it felt like they were fighting over Arianna.

"I didn't ask for your permission, EJ." Brady looked over to Arianna to wait for her answer.

"I can't Brady. I will be with my family." Arianna wondered why Brady would invite her, but decided she had more important things to worry about. "Speaking of my family, I should get back to my mother to make sure she's okay."

As Arianna walked out through the back door, EJ turned to Brady. "Well, I guess you can now go back to your other family."

Brady rolled his eyes. "Sami, it was good seeing you." Brady walked out before Sami could respond.

With Brady and Arianna gone, Sami turned to EJ deciding that their son was more important than what just happened. "So what are we going to do about Johnny?"

EJ took Sami's hand and replied, "I'll let you take the lead on this one and I'll follow whatever decision you make."

Sami thought about how close Christmas was. "I guess we should wait until after Christmas since Christmas Eve is tomorrow."

"Then we wait." EJ kissed Sami on the top of her head as he held her in his arms trying to assure her that everything would be okay.

* * *

><p>At the European Castle, Jack laid in the bed in his holding room. He faced the wall so that no one could see that he was awake. He did not want to be sedated once again because he had to be conscious to figure out a way to escape. Jack wanted to hit his head to think harder, but knew he could not take the chance of being heard. He let out a quiet sigh as he could not remember the last thing that happened before he woke up in this room the first time.<p>

Jack began to hear voices coming from the other room where he had seen the other guy. He heard a voice say, "Mr. Dimera is conscious."

Hearing the Dimera name, Jack decided he needed to take a chance to see if he could recognize who was now awake in the next room over. He slowly and quietly rolled out of bed. He peaked through the glass window into the next room and saw men and women looking over their patient. Another voice said, "It appears that Mr. Dimera has fully recovered with the prototype, but he still seems out of it."

Another person responded before leaving. "I'll inform our boss now."

Jack ducked down quickly, but slowly raised his head again so he could get a good look at their patient. The patient began to move again and finally became fully conscious. "Where am I?" the patient asked.

"You're in Europe, sir. We brought you here to recover from wounds you received in Salem and it appears you have fully recovered."

The patient sat up to look around and to check his body. When Jack saw his face, he quickly lowered his head. He accidentally made a sound causing the men and women to look towards the window he was looking through.

One of the women yelled for security to sedate Jack right away. Jack tried to get into bed to pretend he was asleep, but a few armed men had already arrived to sedate him. Jack tried to yell for help, but it was too late. His will to fight disappeared. He was no longer aware.

The other patient began to yell out causing the others to ask what the problem was. The patient looked over to his examiners to inform them, "I can't feel my legs. What did you do to my legs?"

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Chad walked over to Will because he noticed Will grab his keys. "What are you about to do?"<p>

"I'm heading to the airport to pick up my dad and sister. They're here for the holidays." Will wondered if Chad asked for a reason. "Do you want to come with me?"

Chad grabbed Will's hand and gave Will an apologetic look. "I wish I could, but I told Ignazio I would hang out with him today." Chad looked down wishing he didn't have something else to do. He knew it was important to Will that he finally get to know his dad.

Will pulled Chad closer and gave him a kiss. "Text me later so that we can meet up when you're done."

"Okay." Chad said with a smile. As he watched Will leave, his smile disappeared. He felt bad for lying to Will, but he wasn't sure how Will would react if Will knew Mia was back in town. She really pulled a number on Will before he knew he was gay. Chad told himself that was the only reason he decided not to tell Will. "It's for Will's sake," he lied to himself.

* * *

><p>Colin and Ignazio arrived at Maddalena's mansion through the back. Once they walked into the back room, Maddalena made her way in from inside the house. She yelled back to her workers. "I need you to work faster!" When she turned her head to face Colin and Ignazio, she quickly put on a smile. "Figlio mio." She pulled both into a hug. "It's good to see my son and grandson together. Tell me you are here with good news, Colin."<p>

After Maddalena let go of Colin and Ignazio, Colin gave his adoptive mother a cautious look to let her know there were complications. "I have good news, but first I must tell you that even though the shipment has arrived, it is now stuck in customs over the weekend due to the holidays which means we will have to wait a bit longer."

Ignazio looked at Colin. "How is that good news for us?"

"Well, this actually works in our favor because the shipment will be there all weekend." Colin tried to reword it in a way so that Ignazio understood. "Since it's the holiday this weekend, we have the opportunity to grab the real cargo before customs has a chance to inspect the shipment."

Maddalena was pleased that things were going well even if she had to be more patient. "Well, we will have to set up when we can get to our precious cargo."

Colin turned to Ignazio. "I'll set up a plan to make sure you and your grandmother's men go in unnoticed." Ignazio nodded his head in agreement.

"I am glad we will be able to improve the prototype that is based on my son's creation." Maddalena thought about André and how that was the only good thing he ever did in his life besides Ignazio and his other kids. "I got good news as well. I received a call earlier from overseas. Our first test subject has finally awoken." Turning to Colin, she continued, "My only issue with our success is that it took too long. I want a faster working solution as well as a slower one."

"I will get right on it when we are able to extract what we need from the shipment." Colin knew he had his work cutout for him, but he did not dare show it.

Suddenly, Ignazio got a text. When he read it, he looked up at his grandmother. "I need to check something out."

Maddalena gave Ignazio a hug. "Do what you need to do."

* * *

><p>Abigail and Josh sat with her brother in the living room at the Horton house to talk to him about their parents. Josh told Abigail that he would be there with her to help her brother understand that sometimes things don't work out for two people when they are together. Abigail took a deep breath before coming straight out with it. "JJ, you need to accept the fact that our father is not coming back! He's been gone for almost two years!"<p>

JJ was not happy to hear that his sister had given up on their father. "I know mom still loves dad. You used to believe that, too."

"Mom needs to move on, JJ. Our dad has run off before and returned in the past. I thought that would happen again, but I have a feeling that this time he won't. He's gone for good this time. He won't return any of our calls, letters, emails, but continues to write on his blog." Abigail gave JJ a loving look wishing she was wrong. She hoped she was able to get through to him.

JJ became even more upset. "So is that doctor supposed to take dad's place? Is he going to make everything all better?"

"Daniel is a good guy," Josh interjected.

Abigail stopped Josh from saying anymore. "To answer your question, no. Daniel is not supposed to or will even try to take dad's place. He loves mom and he actually treats her right."

Nathan began to walk down the stairs when the door bell rang. "I'll get it." When Nathan opened the door, he found Maggie on the other side holding a lot of bags. "Grabbing a few of them, Nathan asked her, "What is all of this?"

"Some groceries and necessities for dinner tomorrow night's Christmas Eve dinner." Maggie walked in and headed towards the kitchen.

Nathan followed her to the kitchen and put the bags of groceries on the table. "I was just on my way out to meet with Melanie at the pub. I'll be back later if you need any help."

Maggie gave Nathan a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You have fun with Melanie!" She was still excited by the fact that Nathan and Melanie were engaged. After Nathan left, Maggie walked back out into the living room to greet Abigail, JJ, and Josh. "Hey guys. What are you all doing?"

JJ looked up at Maggie. "My sister is trying to ruin my life."

Abigail gave JJ a look. "He's just playing around, Aunt Maggie."

Maggie decided to let it go. "Have your grandparents made it to Salem yet?"

"They are getting in later tonight." Abigail answered.

Maggie smiled and put her hand on JJ's shoulder. "I'm so glad that most of the family will be here for Christmas. I wish Sarah and Melissa could make it."

* * *

><p>Sonny and his parents stood by the bar discussing Christmas plans. Adrienne and Justin continued to try their best to convince Sonny to spend Christmas with them. "I don't understand why you wouldn't spend time with us during Christmas. Where else would you go?" Adrienne asked somewhat rhetorically.<p>

"Well, Will invited me to the Horton Christmas already. I think that's where I'll end up going." Sonny felt bad, but he did not want to step foot in the Kiriakis mansion for any kind of celebration. Kinsey's return brought back the betrayal that his great-uncle was responsible for.

Having overheard Sonny's conversation with his parents when he walked in, Dario decided to give Sonny advice. "I think you should spend Christmas with your family. You should cherish the time you have with family even if some of them have wronged you."

Everyone watched as Sonny began to ponder Dario's advice. Adrienne turned to Dario to see if she could help him with anything. "Did you need something, Dario?"

"Yeah, I do actually. I need my old job back. Is it still available?" Dario asked hoping he could find work.

"Of course, Dario." Adrienne was happy to have Dario back. "Does this mean you're staying in Salem for good? Notthat it will change the availability of your old job."

Dario glanced over at Sonny before answering. "I'm definitely thinking about it."

"That's good," Justin said as he patted Dario on the back.

Sonny was excited as well. "Well, I hope something convinces you to stay for good."

Justin turned to Adrienne and gave her a kiss. "I have to head out to meet a client."

After Justin walked out, Adrienne turned to Sonny. "So will you come join your family for Christmas?"

"I'll think about it," Sonny let out softly.

"I'll see you there then," Adrienne rubbed Sonny's shoulder and winked at Dario before heading back to her office leaving Sonny alone with Dario.

Sonny looked down for a moment before looking at Dario. He thought about the last time he saw Dario. "I really do hope you decide to stay. It was really hard to see you leave the first time and I'm not sure if I want to see you go again," Sonny admitted.

Dario smiled and appreciated Sonny telling him that. "This is where I belong. I know that now."

Sonny had been so wrapped up in Dario that he did not notice that Kinsey had walked in and took a seat at the table until now. When he saw her, his nervousness around Dario disappeared. Making his way over to Kinsey, he let out, "What the hell are you doing here, Kinsey? I don't want to see you unless you're ready to tell me the truth."

Dario quickly noticed how angry Sonny seemed with Kinsey and tried to step in, but Kinsey had Sonny's full attention. Kinsey gave Sonny a sad look and said, "You do need to know what happened that night. You need to know what happened between us." Dario and Sonny watched Kinsey as she stood up and took off her coat. Placing her hands on her stomach after putting her coat on the table, Kinsey smiled at Sonny and said, "Merry Christmas!"

Dario and Sonny stood there in shock as they looked at her protruding stomach.


	26. Chapter 26 News to Me

**Chapter 26: News to Me – Friday, December 23rd, 2011**

At the Brady Pub, Chelsea worked the bar while Caroline, Hope, and Ciara were in the back. Chelsea wiped the bar down and thought about her time in Salem. She wondered if she would be able to start over and remain in Salem. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door open.

Melanie and Chelsea were surprised to see each other, but decided not to make a big deal about it. Melanie walked towards the bar and commented, "I heard you were in town, but I wondered why Max didn't come, too. Is this a temporary stay?"

Chelsea looked down and continued to wipe the bar. "I'd rather not talk about your brother."

Melanie did not want to let this go. "Did something happen? Did you treat my brother horribly?"

Annoyed, Chelsea stopped wiping down the bar and made direct eye contact with Melanie. "Go screw with someone else's life."

Melanie smirked at Chelsea and decided to call her out. "You are horrible at giving good service to customers. I wonder if Max received the same type of treatment."

Chelsea really wanted to slap Melanie hard, but refrained. "Look, I did not hurt Max, so just drop it – for your own sake!"

Nathan walked in and immediately noticed tension between Chelsea and Melanie. Rushing over, he asked, "What is going on here?"

Chelsea stepped back from Melanie. "Don't worry, it's nothing that I'm not already used to. Melanie always makes things difficult for everyone."

Nathan began to smile, but quickly realized his smile was inappropriate considering the situation. Turning to Chelsea, he said, "If I remember correctly you pretty much did the same thing growing up."

Melanie quickly turned to Nathan surprised and confused. "Wait. How would you know?"

Nathan smiled as he told Melanie, "Chelsea and I knew each other back in the day."

Chelsea jumped right in. "Nathan and I used to have so much fun together." She looked over to Nathan. "Those were some crazy times."

"Definitely," Nathan agreed.

Melanie did not like hearing that Chelsea and Nathan had crazy times together so she knew she had to do something to put Chelsea in her place. She grabbed Nathan's face and pulled him into a kiss. She opened up one of her eyes and noticed that Chelsea was taken back by the kiss. After the kiss was over, Melanie hooked her arm into Nathan's and pulled him close. Raising her hand to show her engagement ring, Melanie announced, "We're engaged."

Chelsea wanted to explode and hit Nathan on the head for wanting to marry Melanie, but she held it in. She did not want to give Melanie the satisfaction. "Congratulations," she let out through her fake smile. Wanting to move on, she decided to take their order so they could go away. "So what do you want?"

After telling Chelsea what they wanted, Nathan decided to give Chelsea some space. He took Melanie's hand and led her to a booth so they could sit. Nathan remembered seeing Daniel earlier. "I saw your dad earlier at the hospital. I told him that I would tell you."

Melanie thought about the ring she found in the kitchen drawer. "Nathan, there's something I need to tell you."

Nathan became a bit worried. "What is it?"

"My dad had planned to propose to Jennifer at Chez Rouge the night we returned from Green Mountain lodge." Melanie looked Nathan over. "We ruined his plans."

"Now everything makes sense. I noticed that your dad seemed distant." Nathan thought about how Daniel sort of blew him off earlier. "Do you think he's mad at me?"

"No," Melanie answered. "I think he might be annoyed, but he told me not to worry about it." Melanie took Nathan's hand. "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. He's happy for us."

Nathan wasn't so sure. "I hope so." Nathan wondered if he should approach Daniel about it.

* * *

><p>Mia and Chad stood at Grace's headstone in the Salem Cemetery talking about Grace. Mia stepped away from Chad and closer to the headstone. "I can't believe I wanted to get rid of her when I was pregnant. Now I would do anything to have Grace back."<p>

Chad moved over to Mia to hold her. "I wish my step-dad hadn't sent me away."

Mia moved in closer to Chad's body. "I wish I knew the truth. You were my first and you told me you loved me. I thought you only wanted me for the sex because I never heard back from you." Mia shifted so she could look into Chad's eyes as he held her before she continued, "If I had known you really did love me, things might be different now." Mia placed her hand on Chad's cheek and went for a kiss.

Before they could kiss, Chad pulled back. "We can't do that."

Mia kept eye contact with Chad. "Why not?"

Chad pulled away even more as he thought of the reason. He gave Mia short glances as he tried to figure out what to tell her. "I… I'm involved with someone else," he finally let out. Chad knew she would most likely want to know who, but he didn't give her the chance. "I'm involved with Will."

Mia stepped back and almost tripped on Grace's headstone, but kept her balance. Shaking her head, Mia gave Chad a look as if to ask him if he had lost his mind. "You're in a relationship with Will? That's absurd! What are you pulling here? I know for a fact that you're not gay." She looked at Grace's headstone to imply that Grace was her proof.

Chad couldn't believe he actually told Mia, but he knew it was the right thing even if he feared what would come. "I am, Mia. I didn't know it, but I know I am gay. I love Will and I'm attracted to him."

"Have you ever found another guy attractive? I mean, besides Will." Mia wasn't going to let this go.

Chad thought about Mia's question. "Well, Will was the first guy I ever found attractive I guess." Chad continued to think before finally admitting, "Will's been the only guy I've found attractive."

Mia began to laugh at Chad. "Chad, you're not gay then." Mia shook her head at Chad as she continued, "You're just going through a phase because Will is a nice guy and you care about him. You wanted to try something new and he pulled you in."

Mia watched as Chad stood in silence. He did not know how to respond. Mia had warped his mind and reminded him of a time when he tried to fight his attraction for Will because he didn't believe it was possible at the time.

Mia walked over to Chad and felt bad for him. "I'm sorry that I had to be the one to wake you up, but I know you're not gay. I knew Will was gay, but I only dated him because I thought I could help him by being his beard. He was nowhere near ready to realize it himself." Mia made Chad look at her by moving his head in her direction. "My relationship with Will was never real. That's why I always wanted to go back to you."

Chad tried to shake Mia off. "I'm with Will and I know I love him."

"He's really gotten to you. I can see that." Mia looked down trying to make Chad feel bad. "I remember talking to you about family. You said that you wanted a big family because being an only child sucked. Do you remember that Chad?"

"Of course, I do. I still want that." Chad wanted Mia to know he was still the same guy even if he was with Will.

"You'll never have the family that you've always wanted if you decide to be with Will," Mia informed Chad.

Chad gave Mia a gentle look to let her know she was wrong. "Mia, I will get to have that because Will wants to have kids as well. We've talked about adopting and the possibility of finding a surrogate."

Mia gave Chad a sad look to see if he seriously believed that. After realizing that Chad was not lying and actually believed Will wanted kids, she knew she had to set him straight. "Chad, when was the last time you talked about adoption with Will? Have you talked to him about it a lot? Will lied to you because when Will and I were together he actually told me that he never wanted to have kids because of the drama he saw between his parents and everyone else."

Chad stepped back realizing that the last time they talked about having kids was towards the beginning of their relationship. "No, you're lying. Will wouldn't lie about something like that. I've seen him with his brother and sisters. He adores them."

"Of course he does! They're his siblings! The siblings he told me were good enough to fill the role of his children since he planned on never having any of his own." Mia softened her tone. "I'm not lying Chad. If you don't believe me you need to find out the truth for yourself. Go ask Will and this time ask for honesty."

Chad didn't want to think about this anymore, and he realized that Mia would only push the subject more if he stayed there with her. He didn't want to believe that Will lied to him and he knew he couldn't ask Will. "I should go. We can talk about Grace later."

Mia watched Chad walk away. She turned back and stood next to Grace's headstone. She wished she could see Chad asking Will for the truth. She knew it would be good entertainment.

Chad continued to walk through the cemetery towards his car. He was unaware that he had passed Ignazio, who had watched him with Mia for almost the entire time. Ignazio watched him with a look of realization. He knew something was off about Chad when they first met, but now he knew what it was. Ignazio decided he needed to do some damage now.

* * *

><p>Sonny watched as Kinsey rubbed the stomach part of her shirt and saw a bump. "What are you trying to pull, Kinsey?" he demanded to know. He kept looking down at the bump and did not want to believe what he was thinking it meant.<p>

"You wanted to know what happened that night," Kinsey reminded Sonny. "I wanted to wait until Christmas to tell you, but then I realized now was the perfect opportunity because I want to be around my new family." Kinsey noticed that Sonny seemed to not understand what she was implying. "You're going to be a father."

"No." Sonny quickly responded. "This is some kind of joke. This is not happening." Sonny looked at Dario, who had become speechless.

Kinsey walked closer to Sonny, grabbed his hand, and lifted her shirt so she could place his hand on her pregnant belly. "You feel anything fake about this?"

Sonny suddenly felt the baby kick and looked up at Kinsey knowing that there was no way he could deny what he wanted to deny. "You're pregnant."

Kinsey felt the baby kick as well. "I guess our baby loves Country & Western music. I'll have to fix that whenever he or she comes out of my body. There's no way in hell I'm raising a redneck cowbaby."

Sonny realized his hand still rested on Kinsey's stomach. He quickly removed his hand and thought about the possibility of this kid being his. He didn't remember that night and Kinsey pretty much just told him that they had slept together.

Kinsey realized that she wasn't going to get any thing else from Sonny, so she grabbed a pen out of her purse and wrote her number on Sonny's hand. Sonny looked down and remembered the first time he met Kinsey. She had written her number on his hand then. He looked back at Kinsey when she said, "I hope that you will call me for Christmas dinner. I have no plans yet." Kinsey patted Sonny on the back, grabbed her coat, and left.

Still in shock, Sonny started shaking his head still not wanting to believe it. Dario finally got over his speechlessness and began to strike Sonny with questions. "What the hell just happened, Sonny? I don't understand this." Dario got in Sonny's face as he continued to throw questions his way. "How could this happen? Is this for real?"

Sonny couldn't take it anymore. "I've got to get out of here!" Sonny pushed Dario back and ran out of the Cheatin' Heart. Dario stepped back wondering what this meant.

Adrienne walked out from the back and noticed the contemplation in Dario's eyes. Looking around, she asked Dario, "Where's Sonny?"

* * *

><p>Will followed Lucas and Allie into the room that his father and sister would be using while they were in Salem for the holidays. He decided to check in with his father for a bit before he had to head out. "I'll be at the Horton house for the ornament hanging and dinner, but I might go over to the Dimera Mansion to spend some time with mom, Johnny, Sydney, and Chad."<p>

"Can you take Allie with you when you go there so she can see her mom, brother, and sister?" Lucas asked putting Allie on the bed as she had fallen asleep on the drive over.

"Sure."

"Well, I am going to have dinner with my mom, your mom, and the kids later tonight after I take a small nap." Lucas sat on his bed and began to take off his shoes. "Did you want to join us for that?"

Will wished he could go, but remembered he had plans. "I probably won't make it since I have plans with Chad."

"Well, he could join us, but I understand if you want to be alone with him." Lucas was trying to be more receptive of their relationship. "How are things going with Chad?"

"We have our problems at times, but we seem to work through them pretty good," Will admitted.

Lucas stood up and put his arm around Will. "I just want you to be happy, Will. If Chad seems like trouble, then you should move on." Lucas thought about his life in Hong Kong and was happy about things there. He wished the same for his son.

Will smiled and shook his head at Lucas. "Chad isn't trouble. I promise."

* * *

><p>Sonny rushed into his apartment and slammed the door. He began to unhinge as he thought about what just happened with Kinsey at the Cheatin' Heart. "This can't be real. It's not possible." Sonny thought hard about that night he spent with Kinsey in Salem. He hated that he couldn't remember anything that happened that night, but still had a hard time believing that he and Kinsey had sex that night.<p>

Without knocking, Dario walked in and started yelling at Sonny. He had followed Sonny over without talking to Adrienne. "Is this some kind of joke, Sonny?"

Looking away from Dario, Sonny placed his arms on the side of the couch and leaned in. He remembered telling Kinsey the same thing. With a glazed look on his face, Sonny answered, "I'm not sure. I felt the baby kick."

Dario didn't understand Sonny's answer and stared at the back of Sonny's head. "Well, did you sleep with Kinsey?"

"I don't know," Sonny raised his voice a bit. Confusion came over Sonny's face again as everything still didn't make sense.

"How do you not know?" Dario gave Sonny a questioning look, but then realized that Sonny wouldn't turn around to face him. Frustrated, Dario turned Sonny around and threw accusations at him. "You are the biggest man whore I know." Dario shook his head at him with anger and disappointment. "You have feelings for everyone! Will, Manny, Kinsey, your new boyfriend, and me!" Dario paused for a moment wanting Sonny to say something, but Sonny was so offended he didn't know what to say. "Did you sleep with everyone else, but me?"

Sonny pushed Dario away from him when Dario asked him that question. Dario had really hurt him. "You're an ass! I didn't sleep with Will or Manny!" Sonny looked down and hit his forehead with his right hand. "I still don't know about Kinsey though." Sonny began to tear up.

"How do you not know?" Dario asked again.

Sonny had it with Dario being there. "Why does it matter so much to you, Dario? You're not really helping me here!" Sonny wanted to be alone so he could think things through. He really needed to process things for himself, and he didn't have time to help Dario think things through as well.

"It just came as a surprise and confuses things," Dario shared still a bit aggravated. "This situation confuses the hell out me because I came back to Salem to tell you that I love you," he admitted fearfully.

Sonny became even more upset with Dario because he felt Dario was being selfish at a time Sonny needed some alone time. "I don't have time for this, Dario. I don't have time for you! You sure picked the perfect time to come back. Where were you four months ago?"

Dario became frustrated with Sonny even more as well. "I don't want to talk about this anymore as it is clear to me now that I just had a weak moment to allow myself to think that you and I were meant to be together. You're not even who you say you are!"

Sonny pushed Dario again. "I have a boyfriend whom I really care about," Sonny reminded him. "Kai loves me, too. I know I had sex with him!"

"And what are you going to do? What are you going to tell Kai when he gets back?" Dario asked without letting Sonny cut in. "Are you going to tell him he's going to be a daddy?"

Sonny began to freak about what Kai would think and stopped fighting with Dario for a moment. "I don't know," he said sounding so lost. He realized that he did not want to seem weak in front of Dario after everything Dario said to him. "This is still news to me, Dario. Not that you deserve to know, but Kinsey drugged me one night and that one night is now missing in my life, well I guess until today."

Dario immediately felt guilty for assuming so much and attacking Sonny when he really did nothing wrong. "I am so sorry," he tried to say as softly as his voice would allow. Dario tried to comfort Sonny by giving Sonny a hug, but Sonny was so distraught he could not respond properly.

Heading to the door, Sonny opened it. "I think you should leave. My life is too complicated for you to be a part of it. Now please leave me alone."

Dario realized the damage was already done. He hated himself for ruining everything with Sonny even if it bothered him that he was the father of Kinsey's baby. "I'm really sorry." Dario walked out the door and left.

Sonny shut the front door and immediately began to cry because of how weak he felt in that moment. The confusion of the day was overwhelming for him making him decide to head to his room. Falling on his bed, he decided he just needed to close his eyes and hope for sleep so that his brain would get a break.

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, Chad met with T to talk to him about Will. Chad decided he should talk to someone other than Will to find out if he lied. He didn't want to take the chance of being wrong if he asked Will. Chad shook T's hands when they met up and thanked him for coming. "We haven't hung out recently and I think that's because Gabi wants to avoid Will and me at all costs."<p>

"You're right. I'm sorry, but she always finds ways to avoid the two of you," T confirmed.

"Well, I was surprised when she showed up Abigail's welcome back party. It's too bad you were busy and couldn't come as well," Chad said wanting to start with small talk. He felt awkward about asking T about Will.

T was surprised as well considering Gabi had told him she wasn't going to go. He could have gone as he was not busy at the time of Abigail's party. He decided to let it go. "Yeah."

"Well, I called you up because I want to talk to you about Will." Chad wondered if he should just come out with it.

T sensed it was serious. "Go ahead. I hope everything is okay."

"Has Will ever mentioned anything to you about wanting kids of his own?" Chad slowly asked feeling a bit uncomfortable about going behind Will's back.

T immediately began to laugh. "Will used to talk about how he never wanted to have kids because of his childhood. I probably shouldn't laugh about it, but Will would go on and on about it all the time. He would even crack jokes about it."

Chad couldn't believe that Mia was right. He didn't want to believe it though. "When was the last time he mentioned it?"

T looked up as he thought. "It was around the beginning of this school semester. Yeah, it was then because Will and I haven't really hung out since then thanks to Gabi."

Chad sighed and tried to take in the fact that Will did lie to him. Feeling betrayed he wondered what else Will lied to him about. "Thanks T. I won't take anymore of your time incase Gabi comes looking for you."

At a distance, Kinsey spied on Chad and T. She remembered the last time she talked to T, he told her that he wanted to stop being friends with benefits because he wanted to start dating Gabi. When she looked at T, she noticed how unhappy he looked. She could not help but smile.

* * *

><p>Will finally walked out of the Salem Inn, after leaving his father and sister so they could get ready for their late dinner with his mother, brother, and sister. He had spent more time there than he had planned, but it had been a while since he and his father were able to catch up face to face about everything. He was happy that his father was able to find someone. As Will walked to his car, Ignazio spotted Will and headed over. "Hey. Funny running into you here."<p>

Will looked around and thought it was odd running into Ignazio there. "Yeah." Will then remembered that Chad had told him that he had plans to hang out with Ignazio. Will looked for Chad, but did not see him. "Where's Chad? I thought you two were hanging out."

Ignazio realized that Chad had lied to Will. "Oh. I saw him some time ago hanging out with this blonde haired girl again, so I decided to leave the two alone."

Will tilted his head to the side wondering who Ignazio was talking about. "What girl?"

"There is this girl that I keep spotting Chad with." Ignazio smiled and whispered jokingly, "I think he's meeting with his girlfriend as they seemed rather close. Of course that is just an assumption and I could be wrong." Ignazio looked Will over.

Feeling hurt, Will wondered who Chad was meeting with. Thinking of the description of the girl, he thought of a possibility. "I don't know. Chad has a thing for blondes, I guess."

Ignazio could tell he had hit a nerve with Will, but decided to change the subject so Will would not catch on that he was trying to get a reaction from Will. "Will I see you at dinner tomorrow night?"

Will thought about how he had planned to come over the Dimera Mansion later for Christmas Eve. "I might show up. Only time will tell."

Ignazio looked at the time. "I should go. I'll see you around."

"Have a good night." Will tried to smile, but could not get over the fact that Chad was keeping something from him. Chad was going behind Will's back and meeting up with some girl.

Ignazio shook Will's hand and headed towards his car. "I hope you have a good night as well."

Will looked back to the Salem Inn. He wondered if he should take his dad on that offer of joining his family for dinner. All he knew was that he didn't want to see Chad at the moment.


	27. Chapter 27 The Emperor

**Chapter 27: The Emperor – Saturday, December 24th, 2011**

At the Kiriakis Mansion, Victor, Justin, Brady, and Adrienne were discussing what should be added on the menu for tonight's Christmas Eve dinner as things seemed to be left out or taken out purposefully from the menu. As each family member said their piece and argued what they had time for, Sonny walked in causing everyone to become silent by his presence. Adrienne smiled and gave Sonny a hug. "Does this mean you're joining us tonight for dinner?"

Sonny had decided to try to remain as calm as possible on his way over to the mansion, but when he saw his great-uncle he knew he had lost the ability to hold back. "No, I just needed to say something." Sonny walked past his mother and got in Victor's face. "You…" he started before raising his voice. "You have ruined my life!"

Everyone then realized that Sonny came over because he was clearly upset and needed to get something off of his chest. Justin stepped in and walked over to his son. "Sonny, I can tell you're upset, but we can talk calmly about this."

Sonny looked over to his father and gave him a sad look. Sonny thought about how he cried the night away. He didn't understand how he was supposed to feel in this type of situation. How could a gay man have sex with a girl and get her pregnant? He had never had any sexual attraction to a girl before. "I should be happy about this as I have always wanted kids."

Adrienne and Justin quickly became concerned by Sonny's statement. Adrienne wrapped her arms around Sonny to console him as he began to cry. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

Sonny wiped his face stepping back to turn to his parents. "Kinsey's pregnant."

Brady watched as Sonny turned to face Victor and realized that Sonny was about to go on the attack again. Brady moved in the way, so Sonny wouldn't do anything he would regret later. Brady had never seen Sonny so angry and did not know why Kinsey being pregnant would upset him. "Sonny, calm down. It's Christmas Eve for Christ's sake."

Sonny paid no attention to Brady as he let out his anger on Victor. "Are you happy? You got what you wanted." Sonny pushed against Brady, but Brady would not let him by.

Victor, who had remained quiet this whole time, wondered what Kinsey's pregnancy had to do with anything. "How, Sonny? I had nothing to do with Kinsey getting pregnant."

Sonny got even more frustrated. "I had sex with Kinsey the night you set me up. You paid her to seduce me, remember?" Sonny's face got completely red. "I don't even remember that night, but somehow I was able to produce a baby!"

Everyone watched in shock by Sonny's admission. Victor could not believe that Kinsey had taken it that far with Sonny that night. Victor moved Brady out of the way so he could talk to his great-nephew. "Sonny, I am sorry about that night and I have apologized before, but I never meant for this to happen." Victor tried to put his hand on Sonny's shoulder, but Sonny would not allow it. "We should focus on the positive. A baby is always a blessing." Victor's doubts then came to the forefront in his mind. "Are you sure there is a baby?"

Sonny moved away from Victor and stood next to the doors that led to the foyer. "I felt the baby kick." Sonny shook his head at how Victor was trying to make everything okay by making it about the baby. "Victor, I will make sure that my baby has no part in your life." Sonny claiming the baby as his made things even more real. He began to have false memories of having sex with Kinsey causing him to feel sick.

Justin and Adrienne rushed to his side as he began to gag and cough. "Son, you need to calm down or you're going to make yourself sick," Justin pleaded. Adrienne took the opportunity to shoot Victor the evil eye.

Sonny pushed his parents off and caught his breath so that he could talk. He turned his back on everyone as he said, "I'm sorry, mom and dad. I need to be alone." Sonny quickly made his way out of the mansion and left.

Adrienne turned to Victor more than upset about the whole situation. "Today is supposed to be a happy day for families and while I am happy to be a grandmother again, I am disappointed in this family's tactics to make another family member stay in line. I'm not staying in line anymore! Christmas is canceled!"

Everyone watched as Adrienne grabbed her things and walked out. Justin turned to his uncle. "I can't believe how low you went. I thought you had mellowed with age, but I was wrong." Justin walked out, too, leaving Brady to shake his head at Victor.

* * *

><p>Chad looked up and realized he was sitting at the dining room table in the Dimera mansion. He sat in one of the chairs on the side of the table and noticed that all the paintings and sculptures in the room seemed to stare him down. He wondered where everyone was as it was Christmas Eve. He looked up and noticed that the giant chandelier over the table began to shake. The lights went out for a moment leaving the dining room completely dark, but when the lights came back on, Chad looked across from him to see he was no longer alone.<p>

On the other side of the table sat André and Tony. They were dressed in medieval clothing, which Chad found odd. Chad then looked at himself and noticed he was wearing rags that barely covered anything. He then looked at the table and saw food covering the whole table from end to end. Chad did not understand what was going on. Looking back at Tony and André, Chad finally said something. "Why are you two here? Why this big feast? Am I dead?"

André ignored Chad's questions as he responded. "You know Chad, you and I are very similar in that we fight against ourselves. We have all these things around us and inside us that we can work with, but then we decide not to use what we have." André quickly stood up and grabbed Chad's hand from across the table so that Chad would look directly into his eyes. "Chad, your life will end the same way as mine."

Chad quickly pulled his hand back and almost fell back with his chair. Luckily he was able to balance himself. He rubbed his arm as he responded. "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Tony stood up as André began to eat the food on the table. "Chad, if you don't run away, the family will get rid of you. No matter how much you try to stand up to the family, you will never get what you want."

"Silence!" a voice said from the door. Tony immediately fell to his knees, while André put the food down falling to his knees as well. Stefano walked in dressed as a king and took a seat at the end of the table. His seat was adorned with jewelry and the skull of a ram as if he were sitting on a throne.

Chad stood up and wondered if he should bow to his father. He looked to Tony and André and saw that they were silent and still as they bowed to him. "Father, how are you able to make people obey you?"

Before Stefano could answer, an eagle flew into the room and landed on the chair next to Stefano's head. It began to shake and turned into a phoenix. Stefano looked towards Chad and answered, "I am the one that sets the rules so that everyone will obey me. A strong will is very important, Chad. One must be alert and aggressive to provide structure and order."

Chad looked back to André and Tony whose eyes continued to face the ground. For the first time, Chad realized that the table full of food had disappeared. He looked back to his father and realized how much power he had. Chad looked at himself and felt shame because he was in rags and seemed to have no power. "Where is my structure? My life is nothing and does not even come close to the structure André had and he lived in complete chaos."

"Chaos?" Stefano questioned Chad. "I gave André structure by giving him a reason to live. I gave him structure by giving him a reason to die." Stefano looked over to André and then to Tony. "As for Tony, I gave him structure by sending him away from my presence. He was torn on whether he could live this life, and I made that decision for him – a life on an island for twenty years." Stefano turned back to Chad and pulled a card from his pocket. Standing up, he made his way to Chad and handed him a tarot card. Before Chad could turn it around, Stefano asked one last question. "Who is the commander of your life?"

Chad looked up from the card and into his father's eyes which were completely gray with the fire of the phoenix replacing his pupils. Stepping back, Chad looked away because he feared Stefano. Stefano faded back into his throne seat. A scepter with an orb appeared in Stefano's hands as he began to pound it on the floor. The pounding began to get louder and faster.

Chad suddenly woke up and could feel his heart racing. He looked down at the bed and realized that Will was not home yet. Looking at the time he realized how late it was. "It's two in the afternoon. Will never came home last night." Chad got out of bed realizing he needed to get ready so he could head out to the Dimera Mansion.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Arianna and Gabi were finishing some last minute cooking in the kitchen. Arianna turned on the stove to boil some water and turned to Gabi. "Can you watch this? I'm going to check on Mama to see if she's ready to join us out here." Gabi nodded her head.<p>

Arianna walked away from the stove and headed to Isobel's room, but stopped when she noticed that Dario was looking at airplane tickets on Gabi's laptop. "What are you doing, Dario?"

Dario didn't bother to look back to his sister. "I've decided that I'm going back to work in Alaska after the holidays are over."

"What?" Arianna didn't know what else to say.

Having heard Dario's answer to Ari, Gabi headed over to give Dario a piece of her mind. "Are you crazy or something? You're just going to go back to Alaska? What about mom? You don't want to be here with her when she…" Gabi decided to lower her voice as she continued, "passes away? She wants you here!"

Dario put the laptop down and turned around to face both Arianna and Gabi. "I'm doing this for mom! If I can make money I will be able to save her."

Arianna gave Dario a concerned look. "Dario, there's nothing we can do to save mom. You need to accept that."

Gabi didn't buy Dario's excuse and shook her head. "Dario, I think we both know that is not the real reason you want to leave Salem. Stop running away from everything."

Arianna turned to Gabi and even though she agreed that Dario had a habit of running away, she did not think Gabi's approach would help things. "Gabi, accusing him of stuff is not helping."

Gabi crossed her arms around her chest. "Does any of this have to do with Sonny?"

"Sonny? Sonny doesn't matter because he's having a baby with Kinsey," he shot back. Seeing that both his sisters, Gabi especially, were both shocked by the news, Dario stood up. "I'm going to the store." He grabbed his jacket and keys. "Do you need anything?"

Arianna snapped out of the shock first. "Does this mean you're staying put in Salem?"

"For the time being." Dario looked over at Gabi. "I need to be with my family."

Gabi finally snapped out of the shock. "We made a list earlier. I'll go get it." Gabi grabbed the list from the kitchen. She tried to read Dario, but Dario was able to focus on something else. She wondered how much Kinsey's pregnancy affected him. She now knew the reason he wanted to run away.

* * *

><p>Nathan escorted his grandmother around the Horton Town Square to do some last-minute shopping for tonight's Christmas Eve festivities. As they headed to another shop, they ran into Chelsea. Maggie smiled and greeted Chelsea. "Chelsea, it's so good to see you. Merry Christmas."<p>

"Merry Christmas," Chelsea replied. "My grandma Caroline sent me out on a last-minute errand."

"Yeah, we're doing some last minute shopping," Nathan shared.

"It's great that family is going to be together in Alice's house. She would really love it." Maggie looked back at Nathan and then back at Chelsea, but then she spotted someone in the distance. "I'll be right back. I just spotted someone I know."

Chelsea watched Maggie as she walked away and turned to Nathan. She felt somewhat awkward standing with him considering what happened the last time she saw him. "So… you and Melanie… engaged…"

"Was there a question in there somewhere?" Nathan asked with a smile.

"How is that going?" Chelsea quickly questioned.

Nathan pulled out his phone and looked at the date. "Well, it's been almost a week and so far it's going really well." Nathan looked over at Chelsea and gave her a suspicious look wondering if she was holding back. "What happened to the old Chelsea, who would tell everyone up front what she thought about them or what they were doing?"

Chelsea looked away from Nathan and thought about her past. "She had to grow up a bit."

Nathan noticed that Chelsea seemed to go somewhere else. He meant his comment to be more of a joke, but she took it as a serious one. Trying to make things light again, he asked, "How is Max? It must be hard to do the long distance relationship thing."

Chelsea immediately looked down and attempted to downplay the news she was about to give Nathan. "Max and I broke up. It was sort of a mutual decision, so yeah…" Chelsea picked up her head and looked past Nathan again while forcing a smile.

Nathan could tell that Chelsea didn't want to talk about Max any further. "What about your mom? I bet you're missing her, especially around the holidays."

Chelsea began to play with her rings on her hands and tried to say as nonchalantly as possible, "I'm not talking to my mother at the moment." Trying not to let that be where the conversation ended, Chelsea added, "I do know that she is spending Christmas with Max, Marlena, John, Carrie, Austin, Belle, Shawn, and Claire."

"Ah," Nathan let out feeling bad for striking out on conversation topics with Chelsea. Searching for his grandmother, Nathan spotted Maggie talking to Mia. He did a double take to be sure.

After some small talk, Maggie decided to ask Mia, "Have you talked to your friend?" Maggie then realized something. "Wait a minute. It's Christmas Eve. Why aren't you with your mother?"

"I was hoping to buy my mother a Christmas present since I've been putting it off." Mia looked around to make sure no one else was around that could recognize her. "For right now I am just going to stay with my friend."

"Well, the offer is still open if you decide to change your mind." Maggie adjusted her purse over her shoulder.

"Thanks, Maggie." Mia began to get paranoid. "I should go if I am going to make it in time to my mother's. I'm sure I'll run into you later." Mia left in a hurry. Maggie wondered what was going on with Mia as she turned around and spotted Nathan and Chelsea still talking.

* * *

><p>Jennifer, Laura, and Marie were slaving away in the kitchen while Maggie and Nathan were out getting some last minute things that they needed for dinner. Laura stopped what she was doing and walked over to Jennifer and wrapped her hands on her shoulders. "You know what I've noticed since I've been here?"<p>

Jennifer continued to cut tomatoes and onions as she replied, "What?"

"Your smile. I haven't seen you smile that much in a while, Jennifer Rose." Laura stepped back and leaned on the counter. "I really like Daniel and I think he's good for you."

"Your mother is right," Marie shared. "You have a good man there. He's definitely a keeper."

Jennifer stopped cutting vegetables and turned to face them. "He is great, but JJ is having a hard time accepting Daniel. I thought it would be easier. Abigail almost immediately accepted him."

"It will take time. Every kid is different." Marie gave Jennifer a reassuring look as if to tell her not to worry about it too much.

Jennifer sighed. "It would be a lot easier if Jack was around again. That way JJ would still have his father in his life. I can tell JJ really misses him."

In the living room, Bill sat down next to his grandchildren so he could enjoy their company. "So tell me. How is school going for the both of you?"

"Well, as you know, I went on study abroad this semester, so it was the best thing on earth – well for the most part." Abigail shifted on the couch to get more comfortable. Turning to JJ, Abigail put the attention on him, "Your turn squirt."

JJ looked up to his grandfather. "It was good and fun."

"JJ, do you like being in Salem?" Bill asked. "I know you didn't grow up here like your sister."

"Yeah, it's different, but I think I might want to stay in Salem for good," JJ admitted. "I like the school that I am attending now, but I want to be with family more."

Abigail got excited. "That's a good idea. You could go to school here. I think you would like it. I have a ton of good memories here." JJ nodded his head and smiled.

* * *

><p>At Salem University Hospital, Melanie found her father and immediately gave him a hug. "I am so happy that our shifts are almost over so we can join in on the festivities." Letting go of Daniel, she continued as she looked up to him, "I want to be sure to bring some kind of food to dinner tonight, so that I can say that I brought something."<p>

"Well, I am excited to see what you make," Daniel replied.

"You might want to try what I make first before you get too excited," Melanie playfully admitted. "I know Maggie has taught me a lot, but I will be in a hurry to make it."

Colin walked over with a smile. "Are you two done for the day now?"

Melanie looked at the time and nodded. "Yep. We can now officially clock out!"

"What are you doing for Christmas, Dr. Murphy?" Daniel asked.

Looking at the time, Colin told Daniel, "Well, when I get off, it will be time for dinner. I'll probably get home and warm up a microwaveable meal."

"That's no way to spend Christmas Eve." Daniel put his arm on Colin's shoulder. "You should come with Melanie and me. We're going to the Horton house to have Christmas Eve dinner with the Hortons and the Bradys."

Colin gave an uneasy look as he thought about it. "I'm not to sure about that."

"I insist. The Hortons are the most welcoming and loving family I know."

Colin caved. "I'll call you after my shift is over."

"Great. I'm glad you're coming." Daniel turned to Melanie. "Should we leave now?"

"Yes!" Melanie smiled, but wondered if inviting Colin over was a good idea.

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Chad made sure he had his keys, wallet, and phone before heading towards the door to leave. Chad looked up when the front door opened. Considering this was the first time he saw Will at all today, Chad quickly asked, "Where have you been?"<p>

Will casually answered as he set his keys on the coffee table. "I decided to stay the night with my dad and sister and then hung out with them for most of the day." Will walked past Chad heading to their bedroom.

Noticing that Will did not want to talk to him, Chad hastily grabbed Will's arm to stop him. "What's wrong?" Chad knew he had a reason to be upset with Will, but didn't want to bring it up fearing what might happen. He wanted to keep the peace.

Will looked down at Chad's hand, which was still holding Will's arm. "Nothing is wrong. We don't have time to talk anyway."

Will tried to walk away, but Chad tightened his grip on Will's arm causing Will's body to turn towards Chad. Chad couldn't hold it in. "Stop lying to me."

"I'm not lying."

Chad looked Will in the eyes remembering what he talked to Mia and T about the night before. "Then tell me. Why did you lie about wanting to have kids with me?"

Shocked by Chad's accusation, Will was startled at first before inquiring, "Who have you been talking to?"

Chad realized that Will couldn't deny it. "I've talked to a few sources and they all confirmed it."

Will stepped back and removed his arm from Chad's grasp. "I can't believe you had to ask around instead of coming to me about this."

"Are you serious?" Chad stepped back from Will as well. "You made me go behind your back because you would have never been truthful with me about it." Moving in closer now, Chad asked Will pointblank, "Do you want to have kids or not?"

Will looked down feeling guilty for lying to Chad. He knew this would catch up to him eventually. "No. Not right now."

Chad looked away from Will. "Not right now," he said in a mocking voice. "Was that so hard to tell me?" Chad turned his back to Will while shaking his head.

Will watched Chad for a moment as Chad went on about how Will lied to him about something so important. Will had it with trying to hold in what Ignazio had told him the night before. He didn't want to do this on Christmas Eve, but if Chad was going to give him crap about something, he was going to return the favor. "You're not being truthful either!" Will quickly jerked Chad around. "Who have you been spending time with?" Will had thought about it hard and figured it was Abigail, but wanted to hear it from Chad.

Chad tried to play dumb. "What are you talking about. I've been spending time at Grace's headstone and also hanging out with Ignazio."

"Which one was it last night?" Will demanded.

"It was both."

Will gave Chad a helpless look and pushed Chad away from him. "What's going on here, Chad? I know that you've been spending time with a blonde girl because I have my own sources. I thought you and her were over this summer, but if you really want to be with a girl so bad, I guess it would make sense if it was your ex. Go ahead. I give you my permission."

Before Chad could say anything, Sonny walked in the apartment a complete mess. Sonny looked at Will and announced, "I'm not celebrating Christmas this year."

Walking away from the situation with Chad, Will made his way to Sonny to figure out what was going on with him. Turning to Chad, Will realized he needed to end their conversation first. "It's probably a good idea if we just avoid each other the rest of the night."

Feeling awful for allowing himself to explode on Will, Chad asked, "Are you still coming to my father's house tonight?"

"I will," Will started. "…but not to see you."

Chad wanted to cry at that moment, but refrained because he blamed himself for not being able to hold in his frustration. He felt bad for lying to Will and keeping secrets from him. He wished he had kept his mouth shut. "Will, there's so much you don't know."

Will turned back to Sonny, but replied to Chad, "You don't want to be late, do you?"

Taking the hint, Chad stopped trying to explain and headed towards the door. He knew he had to do damage control. Pulling out his phone, he decided to text Abigail as he closed the front door.

Will looked at Sonny as Sonny began to cry. Will thought about all the times that Sonny was there for him. He knew it was time that he returned the favor. He put his arms around Sonny and held him, hoping that he would be able to make Sonny feel better.


	28. Chapter 28 Lie For Me

**Chapter 28: Lie For Me – Saturday, December 24th, 2011**

Will continued to comfort Sonny on the couch. Will tried to push back all of his worries, so that he could focus on his friend. "Sonny, what's going on? I've never seen you like this."

Sonny tried to pull himself together. He hated how he felt. "Things are just so messed up in my life that I am not sure what or how I am supposed to feel. I'm going to be a dad, Will. Kinsey is pregnant and now I know what happened that night with her over the summer. Kinsey must have drugged me or something – and we had sex." Every time Sonny stated the fact that he and Kinsey had sex Sonny felt sick to his stomach.

Will felt a bit overwhelmed with what Sonny had to share. It took him a moment to get over the shock and come up with something to say. "Are you sure?" Will felt bad that his question was the only thing he could think to say at the moment.

Even though Sonny had accepted that Kinsey had told him the truth there were a lot of things he didn't understand. "My great-uncle Victor must have hired her to have sex with me to prove that I could be straight. I honestly don't know what this means for me." Knowing that he was able to have sex with Kinsey confused the hell out of Sonny. He did not know what it meant for him as a person – what it meant for his identity. "I don't know what to think about all of this."

"Have you told your family?" Will wondered if he could really say anything to help Sonny through this. He knew he should try to help Sonny, but figured that Sonny's parents might be better equipped in helping him through this situation.

Sonny looked at Will and answered, "My parents know." Sonny thought about the fact that it was Christmas Eve. "They still want me to go over to Victor's mansion to have dinner, but I can't do that. There's no way I could face all of them right now."

Will decided to go back with the situation so that he could understand it better. If Sonny didn't want to face his family at the moment, Will would have to help him at least feel better about his life. "How did you find out about Kinsey and the baby?"

Sonny closed his eyes for a second. "She showed me her baby bump at the Cheatin' Heart – even let me feel it." Sonny could picture the whole scene. "Dario was even there and saw it happen."

"Did Dario say anything about what was going on?"

Sonny thought about Dario with his eyes closed again. "I think Dario is upset with me." Sonny thought about all of the things Dario had to say to him when he followed Sonny to the apartment. That's when something hit Sonny like a ton of bricks. Sonny quickly opened his eyes and looked to Will with a look of realization. "I think Dario might have told me that he loved me and wanted to be with me."

Will did not expect to hear that and smiled at Sonny. "Is that a good thing? What exactly did he say?"

Sonny thought about the idea of being with Dario and smiled as he remembered Dario's confession differently, but the smile quickly diminished as reality sank back in. He knew that his thoughts were only fantasy. "Life is too complicated for that because I am with Kai and I love him." Sonny wrapped his arms around his body. "I'm afraid to tell Kai about the baby. I don't know what he'll think or how he'll react."

Will realized he made a mistake in bringing Sonny back to his feelings for Dario. He took Sonny's hand to assure him he had nothing to worry about. "Kai will still want to be with you because it's not like you planned this. You don't remember the details of the night and all this information is based on what Kinsey has told you. This is not your fault." Will made Sonny look at him. "You can't let this news upset you. You need to live your life. You are stronger than this."

Sonny knew that Will was right, but a part of him still hated the situation he was in. "I don't know Will." Tears were no longer coming out of Sonny's eyes, but he wiped what was left on his face. Sonny knew that he needed to focus on something else because thinking about Kinsey was wearing him out.

"Come with me tonight. We can help each other get through tonight." Will thought about how he and Chad were not in a good place, but turned his focus back on Sonny.

"Thanks Will for being here for me and talking me through this." Sonny thought about going with Will to the Horton house. "I'll go."

"We're going to be fine, Sonny. It's Christmas and we need to focus on the positive things in our lives. We have a lot of positives in our lives because we have been blessed."

Sonny smiled and nodded as he thought about his friendship with Will. "You're right."

Will helped Sonny stand up. "We should get ready." Sonny nodded again.

* * *

><p>Chad arrived at the Dimera Mansion and walked into the main room, where almost everyone was standing. EJ and Sami made their way over to Chad to greet him. "Merry Christmas, little brother," EJ shook Chad's hand.<p>

"Merry Christmas," Sami said to Chad as she gave him a hug. "Is Will still coming over tonight?"

Chad looked down awkwardly as he thought about Will. "Yeah, I think he is."

Stefano walked in and hugged his son. "It's good to see you Chad." Kate walked over to them as Stefano continued, "Dinner is almost ready. I am going to check in with the chef to see how much longer."

"I'll go with you," Kate said as she took Stefano's arm. Kate told Chad Merry Christmas as Stefano led her away from the main room.

Maddalena stood by the baby grand with Ignazio and Azzura. She turned her attention to Ignazio and whispered to him, "So what is the plan for tonight?"

"I have my eyes on my watch and will sneak out when I need to," Ignazio whispered back. "I'll make sure I supervise everything to make sure your precious cargo makes it back to the mansion."

As Ignazio answered her, Maddalena had her eyes on Chad. After Ignazio was done, she moved in closer and whispered in Ignazio's ear. "Bring Chad over here, please."

Ignazio made his way over to Chad, who was now standing alone since EJ and Sami were now talking to Johnny and Sydney. "Hey Chad. My nonna wants to greet you."

Chad became conscious to the fact that he was rude for not walking over first. "Yeah, sure. Sorry." Chad followed Ignazio over to Maddalena and Azzura. "It's good to see you Aunt Maddalena."

"The pleasure is mine," Maddalena nodded her head to Chad.

"If it is okay with you, I would like to take you up on the offer to spend time together by coming over for dinner on Monday night." Chad watched Maddalena. "Would that work for you?"

Maddalena smiled and gave Chad a pleased look. "Yes, that will work out perfectly. I look forward to spending some one on one time with you."

Lexie, Abe, Theo, and Celeste walked into the main room after arriving for dinner. EJ, Sami, and the kids immediately greeted them. Chad walked over as well after excusing himself.

When Maddalena spotted Celeste, she was in shock to see her. She excused herself to greet the Carver family. Ignazio moved closer to Azzura and whispered, "Do you know what you're doing?" Azzura nodded her head.

As Maddalena greeted Lexie and Abe, Stefano walked back in surprised to see Celeste as well. "Dinner is ready. We should head to the dining room table."

Maddalena smiled as she shook Theo's hand. She stood straight again and shared a look with Celeste. Celeste tried not to make a big deal about seeing Maddalena again after all these years, but she knew she had to keep her eyes open and aware for anything.

* * *

><p>Mia and Kinsey sat in the Hudson Street Diner eating their Christmas Eve dinner. Kinsey took a sip of water before asking Mia, "So how did you get out of eating with your family?"<p>

"I told my mother I could not make it home until tomorrow," Mia explained. "I had to because I have work to do tonight."

"What's on your agenda tonight?" Kinsey put a big bite of her food in her mouth.

Mia took a bite of her food before answering. "I have to convince Chad he's not gay."

"Will you be able to pull that off?"

"Yeah, I know I can because I don't believe that Chad is actually gay," Mia claimed a bit over confident.

Kinsey drank the rest of her water and motioned to a waitress that she wanted a refill on everything. "Do you know if Chad and Will have slept together?"

"Honestly, I am not sure, but I don't think it matters." Mia had convinced herself that Chad was only experimenting and had no real desire to stay with Will for the rest of his life. She knew she had what Chad really wanted.

As Kinsey waited for more food and water, she looked down at her pregnant belly and rubbed it. "I thought Sonny would have invited me to Christmas Eve dinner. He seemed to be the type of guy who would care no matter what." Looking back to Mia she went on, "I wonder if he doesn't believe me about this baby being his."

"Would you blame him considering how much a whore you are," Mia joked.

"Knock it off, Mia," Kinsey demanded. Kinsey couldn't believe that Mia would say that out loud. She hoped no one overheard Mia.

Mia laughed. "I was only joking – sort of." Mia watched as the waitress walked up and refilled Kinsey's water and brought her second order of food. Watching Kinsey dig in, she began to reflect on when she was pregnant with Grace. Mia missed it and hoped that Chad would give her a new baby in the near future.

* * *

><p>Jennifer walked into the dining room to make an announcement to the family members in the room. "Daniel just texted me and told me that he and Melanie are going to be late."<p>

As the family responded to Jennifer's announcement, JJ sighed. He wasn't amused by the fact that Daniel was even invited. "Daniel is not even family. Why was he even invited?"

Abigail, who was walking by and overheard her brother, quickly got onto her brother. "Cool it, JJ." She shook her head as she continued to look for her phone. Walking into the living room, she finally found it on the mantel above the fire-place. She looked at the screen and saw that she had a few text messages from Chad. She read through them and didn't know what to make of them because Chad had asked her to lie to Will by telling him that she had been spending time with Chad as friends. She knew that she hadn't spent time with Chad and texted him back: "Do you really think that's a good idea?" She searched the room wondering if Will had already arrived.

Doug and Julie took a seat by Ciara, Bo, Hope, Chelsea, and Caroline. "So Ciara, are you happy about Chelsea coming back to Salem?" Julie asked.

Ciara smiled and nodded. "I'm happy to have my sister back here." Bo and Hope agreed with Ciara. Chelsea appreciated being appreciated by her family in Salem. She knew that if she had stayed overseas, she would most likely not feel the same appreciation.

"Do you miss your job?" Doug asked.

"I do miss it, but I want to make sure that my grandmother Caroline makes a full recovery," Chelsea shared.

"And I am thankful for your help, Chelsea," Caroline stated before continuing, "but I think you should think about finding a job here, so that when I don't need much help anymore you'll have more of a reason to stay here."

"I second that," Bo said with a smile.

Bill and Laura approached Nathan, who sat close to Chelsea, hoping to talk to him about Melanie. "So when is your fiancé showing up?" Bill asked.

Nathan smiled because he was excited for the family to meet Melanie. He only wished his mother was there as well even though she had met Melanie previously. "She'll probably come with her dad, so I guess they'll be here in a bit."

Maggie overheard Bill, Laura, and Nathan talking. "Melanie is a sweet girl who has grown a lot." Chelsea and Nathan traded glances while Maggie announced, "The food is ready so we should start heading into the dining room."

Abigail walked over to Chelsea and Nathan while Bill and Laura followed Maggie towards the dining room. Bill and Laura got caught up with Marie, who had walked out into the living room. Abigail took a seat between Nathan and Chelsea. "Do you guys remember that one time Nathan was in town and had just gotten his driver's license? He decided to take us out for a drive and he totally got lost..."

Nathan and Chelsea traded glances again and smiled. "Let's forget that ever happened," Nathan said jokingly.

Abigail's phone made a noise. Maggie came over and told them to head to the dining room. "We'll be in there." Abigail, Chelsea, and Nathan stood up to head in that direction, as Abigail read Chad's response. Chad asked her to do it for him. He said they could talk about it in person later if she wants so he can explain the whole situation to her.

Will and Sonny arrived and Abigail spotted them. Figuring she didn't have time to discuss this with Chad, she sent Chad a text to let him know that she'll cover for him, but on the stipulation that they would talk about it soon.

Bill and Laura greeted Will and Sonny. After a few more greetings from other family members, Will took Sonny aside to check on him. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Sonny assured Will. Will looked the room over and spotted Abigail. Giving her a look, he wondered if he would be able to control what he felt at the moment.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to get dressed so we can head to mass after dinner." Isobel slowly made her way to her bedroom while her children placed the food out on the table. Dario, Arianna, and Gabi could not help but notice how slow Isobel was moving. Once Isobel walked into her room and closed the door, Gabi was the first to say something about it. "Mama is moving slow today."<p>

"I wonder if she's strong enough to go to mass tonight," Arianna added. "I've noticed she looks tired and worn out."

Dario placed the ham on the table and turned towards his sisters, "You know she's going to be stubborn about it and want to go no matter how she feels." Dario sighed. "What are we going to do? She can't go if she's feeling bad."

"We're going to have to do something. We can't let her talk us out of not letting her go." Gabi turned to Arianna to see if she had any ideas.

"Well, since the three of us all agree it would be best if she didn't go to mass, maybe a strong united front will be enough to convince her we can't go tonight." Arianna thought about it and frowned. "I don't know if that would be enough considering this might be her last Christmas with us."

Dario's face lit up. "I've got an idea!"

Inside Isobel's room, Isobel tried to get dressed, but it was a struggle for her. She felt her forehead and knew she had a slight fever. She opened a drawer and saw the picture of Anna and Tony. She had taken it from the Dimera Mansion so that she could look at it when she felt bad. "I wish you were with me now, Andres. Things would be so much easier and you would know what to say to me." Isobel took a seat on her bed to take a break from getting dressed. She held the picture close as she took a few deep breaths.

* * *

><p>Adrienne and Justin sat at a table in the Cheatin' Heart enjoying a small Christmas Eve meal. Justin tried to lighten the mood because he could tell Adrienne was having a difficult time with Christmas falling apart. "The food is delicious sweetheart."<p>

Adrienne let out a small smile. She thought about Sonny and worried that Sonny would push them all away. "Maybe we should call Sonny to let him know that we aren't having Christmas Eve dinner with Victor."

"I don't know. I think Jackson needs a little time to himself." Justin hated that he believed there was nothing he and Adrienne could do to help Sonny through this. He knew Sonny. Sonny liked to figure things out for himself and then ask for help.

Just then there was a knock at the door. Before looking at the door, Adrienne sighed. "I put the closed sign on the door and even told customers we would be closed for the holidays." Adrienne got up and then saw that Brady was on the other side. She quickly made her way over and let him in. "Brady come in. Can I get you anything?"

"Well, since Christmas at the mansion was canceled, I was wondering if I could join the two of you," Brady disclosed revealing he brought a bottle of wine. "I know you have plenty of alcohol here, but I thought I would try to do my part."

Adrienne smiled while Justin stood up to greet Brady. "Of course you can join us. Have a seat."

After all three took their seats again, Justin decided to ask Brady, "What's Victor doing?"

Brady poured everyone a glass of wine. "Well, last I checked he was still pretending like it was just any other day." Taking a sip, Brady thought about how Victor decided to keep busy with work. "But, I know deep down he feels awful for what happened to Sonny."

Adrienne thought about Victor. "We all know Victor never shows his true feelings. I just can't believe the lengths he went." Adrienne looked over to Justin and took his hand. "I am really struggling on my feelings for this baby. They are so mixed because I would love another grandchild, but I know that my baby is going to suffer for this."

Justin squeezed Adrienne's hand. "Don't worry about Sonny. He always gets through bumps in the road. If he needs our help, he'll come to us and we will help him. We are a family and that's what we do."

Brady watched how Justin and Adrienne supported each other and realized how much he wanted that. He raised his glass and decided to make a toast. "To Family. May we always surround each other. Through the good and the bad." Adrienne and Justin smiled and raised their glasses as well.

* * *

><p>Back at the Horton house, everyone was taking a seat at the table in the dining room. Abigail took the opportunity to pull Will aside so she could talk to him. She had noticed Will giving her disappointed looks and realized Chad was right. Playing clueless, Abigail asked him softly, "Are you upset with me for some reason?"<p>

Will looked around to make sure no one could hear him. "I know that you and Chad have been hanging out together."

"I can assure you that it's just been as friends, Will." Abigail looked around before going on, "Chad just had some thing he needed to get off his chest about the way things ended with us." Before Abigail could continue, Lucas told them to take a seat. Abigail found a seat, while Will sat next to Sonny. She hoped she had convinced Will that things were okay.

Lucas sat next to Allie as she asked him, "When are we going to put up the ornaments?"

Julie smiled at Allie. "We get to do that after dinner, sweetie."

Sonny turned to Will. "So what are these ornaments everyone keeps talking about?"

Will smiled as he thought about the ornaments. "It's a Horton family tradition. Everyone who is a Horton, whether by blood or marriage, gets an ornament and those ornaments are hung on the tree on Christmas Eve."

Sonny thought the ornament tradition sounded cool. "You're lucky to be part of a great family."

"You have your parents and brothers," Will reminded Sonny. "Besides, you're family to me."

Sonny smiled and appreciated Will's comment. "Do you think they would make Chad an ornament eventually?"

Will had never thought about that. Considering the situation with Chad, Will shrugged his shoulders, "I am not sure." The more Will thought about how he left things with Chad, the more he hated the fact that they were upset with each other on Christmas Eve. Especially after what Abigail said to him. He knew that Chad had kept him in the dark about that, but Will sort of blamed himself because he always seemed to be insecure. His insecurities seemed to heighten everything.

Melanie walked into the dining room with a dessert in her hand. "Hey everyone! Sorry we're late."

Nathan immediately got up to give Melanie a hug and kiss. "Everyone this is my fiancé, Melanie."

Nathan took the pie from Melanie and placed it on a different table. He then began to parade her around. Chelsea looked down and was not amused with what was happening. "Where is Daniel?" Jennifer asked as she took a seat.

"Oh, he's coming in. He had to grab a bag from the back of the car because we made some dishes for dinner." Melanie looked to the doorway wondering why her father was taking so long.

Maggie gave Melanie a hug. "You didn't have to do that, Melanie. We have more than enough food here already."

Daniel walked in with the bag of food. "Good evening everyone." Almost everyone greeted him with warm smiles. JJ pretended he didn't hear or see him.

Jennifer began to get out of her chair to greet Daniel, when Colin entered the room. She immediately stood and demanded to know, "Why is he here?" Jennifer's face showed that she was completely turned off by Colin's presence as everyone froze in the room.


	29. Chapter 29 Take Care of It

**Chapter 29: Take Care of It – Saturday, December 24th, 2011**

At the Horton house, everyone continued to look at Jennifer, Daniel, and Colin wondering if something happened because of Jennifer's question. Daniel gave Jennifer a confused look as he answered, "I invited Colin."

Bill sensed that his daughter was upset. "Jennifer what's wrong?"

"If I made a mistake, I am sorry," Daniel started. "but Colin didn't have a place to spend Christmas Eve."

Caroline slowly stood up before Jennifer could say anything. "I am ashamed I didn't invite him myself since he is family," she admitted.

Maggie and Marie stood up as well. "You are more than welcome to join us tonight."

"We have more than enough food and space at our table," Marie added.

Colin slightly bowed to them. "Thanks so much. I appreciate it."

Jennifer realized she had caused a scene and knew she had to back pedal. "I am sorry if I appeared to be upset. I guess I was caught off guard by your presence and my question came out the wrong way." Jennifer hated that Colin put her and Daniel in this position. JJ watched his mother take her seat again. He wondered why she was lying.

Bill stood up as everyone took their seats so he could bless the food. After everyone had settled down, Bill said, "Everyone grab the hand next to you so we can pray." Everyone grabbed the hands of the people next to them. Bill squeezed Laura's hand as he prayed, "Dear Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for bringing all of us here to celebrate the birth of your son. It is because of him we have been rescued from the darkness of the world. We ask that you help guide us through our struggles and be with those that could not be with us tonight. Help us to reach out to those who are not here with us tonight - those that we are estranged from. Help heal those wounds so we can all be together again. Lord, we thank you for this food. Thank you for the blessings. We are gracious with how much you have provided us and we ask that you touch our hearts so we can help provide for others. Amen."

After the blessing, Will opened his eyes and thought about Chad. He decided that he would surprise Chad when he headed out with Allie and Sonny after the ornament hanging.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, everyone migrated back to the living room from dinner. As everyone migrated into the living room, Ignazio took the opportunity to sneak out. Chad looked around and spotted Celeste walking into the foyer. Following her into the foyer, he wondered if Will was still mad at him. He wanted to forget that he was even mad at Will for lying to him. All he cared about was how Will felt.<p>

Celeste had gone into the foyer to get away from everyone for a bit. Spending so much time in the mansion was a tad overwhelming for her. She turned around and spotted Chad walking towards her. "Chad, how are things?"

"Truthfully, I am feeling more lost and confused. I've continued to have these dreams and they appear to be even odder than before." Chad thought back to his recent dreams. "I've been dreaming about your tarot cards."

Celeste gave Chad a quizzical look. She wanted to check in with Chad about his dreams, but figured this was not the right place. "We'll have to get together soon. Not here though." Celeste spotted Maddalena walking up. "Thank you, Chad, but I am fine. Thanks for asking."

Chad was confused as to what Celeste was talking about at first, but then noticed Maddalena when he turned to the side. "Well, if you need anything let me know." Chad nodded at Maddalena as he walked back into the living room.

"Maddalena," Celeste said as she forced a smile.

Maddalena forced a convincing smile. "Celeste. It has been years. I had no idea that you were still in Stefano's orbit."

Celeste composed herself. "I am not in your brother's orbit as I no longer have anything to do with him except where my daughter is concerned."

Maddalena moved over to the foot of the stairs and rested her hand on the end of the rail. "Do you remember when we were younger? We had a lot of great memories together. Stefano would let me borrow you so you could style my hair."

Celeste became suspicious and wondered why Maddalena wanted to take this trip down memory lane. "Yes, of course I do. We were different people then – at least I was. Tell me, has age brought wisdom to your life?"

"Of course. If you do not grow with wisdom as you age, then you are not living properly." Maddalena knew what Celeste was trying to do and even though she half expected it, she did not like being read. "So tell me, are you keeping up with your medieval practices? Any dark spirits visit you recently?"

Celeste thought before answering. Looking at Maddalena she knew that Maddalena was only trying to figure out if Celeste would be a problem. Celeste knew Maddalena was up to something. "None that you have to worry about."

Back in the main room, Stefano and Kate talked to Abe and Lexie, while EJ and Sami talked to Johnny and Sydney about Christmas. Chad decided to join his brother and Sami by the tree. Kneeling down, he began to play with Sydney. He smiled as he looked at Sydney, but then a stroke of pain hit him as he thought about Grace. It had been a while since this had happened to him while playing with Sydney. He wondered if Mia's return to Salem was the reason for him feeling this way.

Johnny noticed Chad playing with Sydney and made his way over. Chad tried to tickle Johnny, but Johnny backed off. "Don't touch me."

EJ and Sami noticed that Johnny was now treating Chad like a stranger. Chad spoke before they could step in. "What's up Johnny? Are you excited about Christmas?"

Thinking about Christmas distracted Johnny from his want to stay away from Chad. "Where is Will?"

"He's going to stop by with your sister, Allie. You're going to have all of your siblings here tonight." Chad smiled hoping that Johnny would relax and hang out with him and Sydney.

Johnny got excited about that and moved closer to Chad. "We're going to have everybody here for Christmas."

"Yeah." Chad looked up at EJ and Sami who were smiling. They hoped that maybe things were changing. Chad's phone went off signaling that he had received a text message.

As soon as Johnny heard the text message, he looked up at Chad. "Are you and Will going away again?"

"I promise I'm not going anywhere." Chad read the text and replied quickly and smiled at Johnny. He knew that he couldn't keep his promise.

While everyone congregated in or near the living room, Azzura had managed to sneak into the basement of the Dimera Mansion. As she wandered around she wondered if there were any secrets to find. She pulled out a compass and tried to find a certain part of the mansion. "Almost there," she softly said to herself. She stopped walking when she heard someone walking behind her. Slowly putting the compass back in her pocket, she turned around to see Marco standing beside her. Placing her hand over her heart, she let out a sigh. "Oh my goodness. You gave me a scare."

Marco gave her a suspicious look. "What are you doing down here?"

Azzura walked over towards him and grabbed his upper arm. "I was looking for the bathroom." Squeezing Marco's arm while looking at it, she continued, "When I first saw you, I knew you had to be a strong man, but I never realized how strong until now. You must really take care of yourself." Azzura looked Marco up and down in an obvious manner. "Do you have a wife?"

"No, I don't really have the time to date," Marco admitted liking the attention. "I work so that I can take care of my mother."

Azzura moved in closer to Marco and moved her hand so she could touch his chest. "Well, that is admirable." Azzura let her hand wander around on Marco's body. "Since you don't have the time to date, maybe you have time to have fun here and there." When she finished her suggestion, she made sure she had her hands ended just below Marco's belt.

Marco had to restrain himself. "Maybe another night and definitely not here. We should head upstairs." Marco stepped back away from Azzura. "Ladies first." Azzura sighed and headed back towards the stairs with Marco behind her.

* * *

><p>Outside of the Hudson Street Diner, Mia and Kinsey held onto their coats. "Chad sent me a response. He has agreed to meet me at the cemetery."<p>

"I can't believe that your plan seems to be working," Kinsey said as she looked around. She wondered if her reason for returning to Salem was going to fall threw. She had hoped to hear from Sonny by now.

"What are you going to do now?" Mia asked wondering if she should walk Kinsey back to the Salem Inn.

"I think I might go for a walk with the baby. I need some fresh air before heading back to the Salem Inn." Kinsey rubbed her stomach and hated that she was gaining weight.

"Be careful. I'll see you later." Mia gave Kinsey a hug and then headed off to meet with Chad. Kinsey turned and headed towards the pier.

* * *

><p>Back at the Horton house, everyone huddled around the Christmas tree in the living room. Daniel walked behind Jennifer and put his hands on her shoulders causing her to jump. Daniel looked Jen over as she realized it was him who was touching her. "Jen, are you okay?" Daniel whispered in her ear.<p>

"Everything is fine, Daniel. I just jumped up because I was lost in thought." Jennifer looked back at the tree as Julie and Marie prepared the ornaments. She glanced over Colin's direction a few times to make sure he didn't dare invade her space.

Sonny stood next to Will, Lucas, and Allie. Sonny purposely bumped into Will's side to get his attention. Once Will turned to him, Sonny told him, "Thanks for saving Christmas for me. I'm glad I am here because there is so much love here." Will smiled and nodded his head, when Sonny's phone began to ring. "Sorry."

Sonny decided to take the call in the kitchen when he saw that it was Kai. When he made sure the coast was clear in the kitchen, Sonny picked up. "Hey Kai. I didn't expect a call from you tonight."

"My parents think I am calling all my friends to wish them a Merry Christmas, so we can talk for a bit," Kai answered in a soft tone. "I miss you so much!"

"I miss you, too. How are things over there?" Sonny hoped that Kai's parents were still clueless about their relationship.

"Things are okay. Mom gave me one of her speeches about one of her friend's daughters that she thinks I would be interested in. She's fifteen! I tell you, my mom is crazy sometimes – well, most of the time." Sonny and Kai laughed about it. "So how are things in Salem?"

Sonny didn't want to get into too much detail as he knew he didn't have much time to talk to Kai about everything. "Things are good at the moment."

"Well, I should go because my parents are calling out to me. It is definitely good to hear your voice. This break seems like forever." Kai paused a moment before adding, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Sonny hung up his cell and put it in his pocket. He walked back into the living room just in time to see Lucas, Allie, and Will hang their ornaments on the tree next to Bill's and Jennifer's ornaments.

Will walked over towards Sonny and Caroline followed him. She wanted to check in with them while others hung their ornaments. "How much longer do you have until school starts back up?"

"I guess it's about three weeks," Will answered.

Caroline smiled and looked over to Sonny. "Why didn't you have Christmas with your family?"

Sonny began to feel uncomfortable talking to Caroline about this considering her involvement with his great-uncle over the summer. "Something came up and Will invited me here."

Before Sonny had to continue his explanation, Chelsea walked up and asked Caroline, "Are you ready to head back to the pub? Dad told me you were saying you were tired earlier." Chelsea wanted to leave as soon as possible because she saw Melanie getting her very own Horton ornament since she was engaged to Nathan. It still made her sick to her stomach.

Caroline turned to Chelsea. "Yes, I think I am ready to leave." Caroline and Chelsea said their goodbyes and left.

Lucas walked over to Will and Sonny after Caroline and Chelsea left. "Son, are you and Allie still going to head out to the Dimera Mansion to see your mother, Johnny, and Sydney?"

Will turned to Sonny. "Yeah, we'll head out soon."

* * *

><p>Arianna helped her mother walk into the main room from her bedroom. When Isobel looked over to the couches she noticed that Dario had his guitar out. "What's going on here?"<p>

Gabi walked from the kitchen after putting some dishes away. "Mama, we don't want to risk your health by taking you out, so we decided to bring mass to you."

Arianna helped Isobel to the couch so she could relax. "Sit here, Mama." Arianna sat next to her mother surprised that she didn't put up a fight. She wondered if that was a good thing or not.

Gabi took a seat on the other side of Dario as he began to play Noche de Paz (Silent Night). Dario began to sing the lyrics and the others soon joined in. As they sang, Isobel looked to Dario, Arianna, and Gabi and smiled. Tears fell down her face as she could feel the love in the room. Her youngest children's idea touched her and made her realize how much they really cared for her.

After singing a few more Christmas songs, Arianna's cell began to ring. She headed to the kitchen to grab it and turn it off, but when she looked at it to see who was calling, she looked to her mother. "Mama, it's Manny."

"Bring the phone to her," Dario suggested.

Isobel patted Dario's leg. "It's okay, Dario. I can get up." As Isobel pushed herself off the couch, Arianna still headed over to hand her the phone.

As soon as Isobel stood all the way up, she passed out causing Dario to put his guitar on the couch to rush to her side. Gabi and Arianna rushed over as well. "Mama," Dario exclaimed as he held his mother.

"Someone call 911!" Gabi called out.

Arianna put the phone to her ear where Manny started to ask what was happening. "Manny, I'm going to have to call you back! It's Mama!" She quickly hung up and dialed 911.

* * *

><p>Chad walked through the cemetery and found Mia already kneeling down at Grace's headstone. He had snuck out earlier at the Dimera Mansion so he could spend some time at his mother's grave before meeting up with Mia. "Hey, you been here long?"<p>

Mia turned around and stood up wiping any snow that was on her. "Sort of. I'm sorry to interrupt your Christmas with your family. I had to get away from my mother's place because she kept bring up my past mistakes." Mia looked down hoping that Chad would fall for her lie.

Chad moved closer and pulled her in so he could hold her. "You're doing something good with your life now. Don't listen to her."

"I'm not too sure about that Chad," she said as she looked up into his eyes with convincing sadness. "I feel so guilty for being away from our little girl."

Chad looked down trying to comfort Mia. "Grace is always with us, no matter where we are."

Mia released herself from Chad's grasp and looked at Grace's headstone. "Have you ever thought about what our life would be like if Grace didn't die?"

Chad looked down as he answered, "I think about that a lot. Whenever I spend time with Sydney I think about Grace because Grace would be the same age as her if she were alive. Sydney and Grace would most likely have grown up together and be each other's favorite cousin."

Mia began to tear up when Chad talked about Grace and Sydney and remembered how Nicole had switched babies. She had believed that Sydney was hers at one time. Wiping her eyes, she looked back to Chad. "How are things with Will? Did you ever find out what he thought about having kids?"

Chad looked back up with sadness. He bit his lip as he admitted, "Will and I are having problems." He decided not to go into detail about Will admitting he didn't want to have kids.

Mia walked closer to him. "I don't mean to offend you, but homosexuality never made sense to me because it seems – at least to me – that two guys or two girls do not really fit."

"I think gay couples have the same problems straight couples have," Chad tried to explain.

Mia rested her hand on Chad's arm. "Have you thought of women since you've been with Will?"

"I guess," Chad admitted.

"Do you love Will more than you loved me?" Mia let out hoping that it was not true.

Chad looked at Mia feeling a bit uncomfortable about the question. He knew he had to answer though. "It's different. I can't really compare the two."

Mia let go of Chad's arm and gave him a disappointed look. "You just said they were the same."

Chad turned around to allow some space between him and Mia. He did not want to continue their conversation. "It's getting cold. We should head out so I can make sure you get back to your mother's okay."

Mia was not ready to let Chad leave. "I'm not ready to say goodnight to Grace." Mia knelt again in front of Grace's headstone and began to talk to her. "One of these days, you will have brothers and sisters who will want to come visit you."

Chad watched Mia as she continued to talk to Grace about having a bigger family. It still hurt him that Will didn't want to have kids. Chad walked over and knelt next to Mia. "Do you really want to have more kids now?"

Mia turned her head to Chad and nodded. "I want to experience what I unfortunately gave up." Mia turned back to Grace's headstone. "We still need to pick out a new middle name for her."

Chad looked at the headstone as well. "We could come up with some ideas now if you want." Mia smiled and agreed.

* * *

><p>Will and Sonny arrived outside of the Dimera Mansion with Allie. Before going in, Sonny confessed to feeling horrible. "I feel guilty about not inviting Kinsey to join us for Christmas. I mean she's carrying my kid." Sonny had reverted back to his worries after leaving the Horton house. "I think it's ridiculous that I barely know anything about Kinsey."<p>

Will could tell that Sonny was torn on what to do. "Maybe you can call or text her and invite her to come over here." Allie pulled Will to the front door and rang the doorbell.

Sami answered the door and immediately picked up Allie. "Merry Christmas, Allie!" Sami gave Will a hug and told everyone to come in. As they walked in, Sonny looked at his phone debating whether it would be appropriate to call Kinsey or not.

As everyone made it into the living room, Dario entered the room through the back door and announced, "An ambulance is on its way because my mother passed out."

EJ and Lexie crowded Dario asking him questions. They decided to follow Dario back to the guesthouse to see if there was anything they could do. Kate looked at everyone else in the room. "We should clear a path so that when the EMTs arrive they can have easy access to Isobel."

Maddalena moved closer to her brother when everyone else started moving things around. "Who was that handsome young man?"

Without turning to look at his sister, Stefano responded, "That was Dario. He and his family are staying in the guesthouse for the time being. The family name is Hernandez."

Maddalena had a look of realization as she remembered the last name Hernandez. She remembered Colin stating that he would never work with a Hernandez again. She turned back to Stefano and patted him on his back. "You've gone soft on me big brother."

Stefano finally turned to face his sister, "Oh, that was not me. That was Elvis's doing." He didn't care for his sister calling him soft because it was more likely a diss to him.

Maddalena smiled. "Elvis has a big heart just like our father."

Sonny wondered if Dario's mother would be okay. He looked at his phone again and realized he still hadn't made a decision on what to do about Kinsey. The urgency in the room made him want to text Kinsey to make sure his baby was okay. "Will, should I text Kinsey? I mean, it seems that now might not be appropriate."

"I know things look like they've winded down, it might still be a nice gesture for you to have her over to let her know that you will take care of your baby." Will rested his arm on Sonny to let him know that he would be there for him.

* * *

><p>On the pier, Ignazio watched as his mother's men snuck onto the boat that contained their shipment. One of the men, Ric, headed over to Ignazio to talk to him about the cargo. "We almost have it all. Soon we will be able to take the solution to the lab in the basement for Dr. Murphy."<p>

"Good. Maddalena will be happy that this will be a success for us." Ignazio smiled. "Let me know when we have it all."

Kinsey had walked up and hid when she saw Ignazio talking to Ric. She had heard everything and wondered what they were up to. Suddenly her phone made a sound causing Ric and Ignazio to look in her direction. She quickly hid her phone and noticed that Ignazio and Ric were talking about hearing a sound.

Even though Kinsey had tried to hide as best as possible, both Ignazio and the servant spotted Kinsey when her phone made a sound again. When she knew that she had been seen, she quickly ran off. Ignazio turned to Ric. "Make sure she does not talk!"

Ric looked to Ignazio. "I promise I will take care of it." Ric headed off following Kinsey. Ignazio turned back to Maddalena's servants hoping that they would be done soon.


	30. Chapter 30 Where Is She?

**Chapter 30: Where Is She? – Sunday, December 25th, 2011**

The next morning, Sonny walked around the living room worried about Kinsey. Will walked over to Sonny and tried to stop him from pacing around. "Sonny, maybe you should have a seat. You're working yourself up. You need to clear your head and calm down."

Sonny knew Will was talking to him, but he could not stop thinking about how Kinsey called him the night before. Before he could answer, she had hung up. He turned to Will and reminded him, "I've tried to get a hold of Kinsey, but she's not answering. I can't just calm down." Sonny stopped moving and looked down. "I also feel bad about not being at the hospital with Dario either. I can't think straight."

"Sonny, I am sure Kinsey is fine," Will said in a calm and soothing tone. "She's probably sleeping or something."

Chad walked in from his bedroom through the kitchen. He glanced at Will fearfully as he believed that Will was still upset with him. He thought if he gave Will some space and time then maybe things would eventually cool down.

Will noticed that Chad was trying to avoid him because of what happened. "Where are you going?" he asked in a curious tone trying not to be confrontational.

Chad stopped a bit surprised that Will talked to him. "I was heading out to run a few errands."

Sonny forgot about his problems for a bit and looked at Will and Chad. He knew that even though they had put up walls to hide from each other, deep down they wanted to hold each other. "I'm going to the hospital. Maybe you two should enjoy Christmas." Sonny hoped they got the hint that he was giving them a chance to be alone.

Will turned his attention to Sonny. "I want to go with you. I want to make sure Gabi is okay."

Chad felt a bit rejected again because he wondered if Will had just made up an excuse to stop talking to him. He hoped that his plan to use Abigail would work. He was trying his best not to start an argument or increase the awkwardness between him and Will. "Yeah, I didn't have time to talk anyway." Chad checked his pockets to make sure he had everything and walked out.

Will sighed and tried to forget his issues with Chad, so he could focus on helping Sonny, but then he realized something. "I never saw Chad at the mansion last night. He doesn't even know what happened to Isobel."

Sonny sensed the thoughts in Will's head spinning. "Will, it was so chaotic last night. It's possible that he was there – maybe he was in his room or something because you did tell him that you weren't going there to see him."

Will sighed again knowing Sonny was right. He decided to drop the topic of Chad. "I'm driving. Let's go."

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Gabi, T, Dario, and Arianna sat in the waiting room. Gabi and T sat alone in one corner while Dario and Arianna sat together on the other side. T took Gabi's hand in his hoping that being there for her would make her feel better. "I'm sure everything is fine, Gabi."<p>

Gabi leaned her head back against the wall. "I know. I just hope Mama gets to come home today." Gabi looked at T. She needed to change the subject because dwelling on what ifs about her mother was tearing her down. "I found out something recently about your ex-bff. Kinsey is pregnant with Sonny's baby."

T gave Gabi a doubtful look. "How does that happen?"

Gabi let out a small chuckle. "I'm convinced that Sonny decided to be gay even though he was also attracted to women. No one is born gay and Sonny proved that by getting Kinsey pregnant." Gabi shook her head at the thought of Sonny, Will, and Chad being gay. "That's exactly why I don't want you to hang out with those guys."

T gave her a strange look and wondered what she meant by that. He had his suspicions that would be the reason, but hearing her say it made him a tad annoyed. "They're still my friends. I just like spending time with you more." T wondered if he still believed that.

On the other side of the room, Arianna attempted to reassure Dario that their mother would be okay. "Mama's coming home. She was fine last night when they brought her here. Lexie just wanted to keep her overnight to be sure."

"It doesn't matter Ari. Mama's going to die soon eventually." Dario hated saying that so cavalierly. He wished he could find a way to cure her illness and save her life.

Arianna could tell that Dario was hurting as they all were. She decided that if she distracted his mind a bit, he might be able to feel better. "How does it feel to be back at the Cheatin' Heart? I know you loved working there before."

Dario thought about work. "I don't start until after the holidays."

"You should try to pick up a few short shifts this week so that you can focus your mind on other things," Arianna recommended to Dario.

Dario thought about Ari's recommendation and figured she was right. He needed to keep himself busy so that he could function better for everyone. Before Dario could say anything, EJ and Manny entered the room. "Manny," Dario announced as he stood up.

Arianna walked over to EJ and Manny. Giving Manny a hug, Ari turned her head to EJ. "Thank you so much for pulling strings to get Manny here."

Manny hugged his sister back, but stepped back feeling awkward about seeing his family outside again. He felt out of his element because he was so used to being in the treatment facility twenty-four-seven. He turned to EJ, who surprised him earlier that day and got him out. "Thanks EJ. This really means a lot.

Gabi made her way to Manny and gave him a hug. As she held him tight, she rested her head on him. "It's so good to see you here, Manny." Manny looked down at her wanting to cry. Gabi always had a way to make him feel better about things. He let go of her and smiled.

Lexie walked in to let them know that she had word on their mother's condition. "Hey guys. I know that you are all aware that your mother's time is limited due to her cancer spreading." Manny wanted to react as this was news to him, but he decided not to. Lexie continued, "I will say that your mother is fine now. It seems she overdid it this weekend and passed out due to exhaustion."

Dario stepped forward, "So this had nothing to do with her illness?"

"Technically it did since your mother is in a more weakened state and has to limit what she does during the day, but this can be avoided for the most part in the future." Lexie pulled out a pamphlet and handed it to Arianna. "I've set her up with a device that will alert emergency employees immediately when something goes wrong. She has it now and I've already explained it to her. The info is in that pamphlet. I'll go ahead and start the papers so that your mother can be released from the hospital as soon as possible." Arianna, Dario, Gabi, and Manny thanked Lexie. EJ followed her out of the waiting room, while T sat in his seat wondering what Gabi wanted him to do.

* * *

><p>Mia had already arrived at her family's house, but could not stop thinking about Kinsey since she never showed up at the Salem Inn last night. Excusing herself, Mia walked into the hallway deciding to call Kinsey's phone again. It automatically went to voicemail. "Kins, you need to answer your phone. I haven't heard from you since we went to that diner last night. Please let me know if you are okay."<p>

Mia hung up the phone when her mother called out to her, "Mia, we're ready to have our traditional late breakfast!"

Mia called back out to her. "I'll be there in a sec." Mia thought back to the last time she saw Kinsey and remembered Kinsey mentioning that she had planned to go or a walk. The thought freaked her out as she thought of the worst case scenario. After a moment, Mia told herself that paranoia was getting the best of her. "She's with Sonny. That's why she's not answering." Mia took a few deep breaths and calmed down. She put her phone in her pocket and headed back towards the dining room to join her family.

* * *

><p>Sonny walked out of the hospital elevator and spotted Dario standing by himself near the hall that led to the doctor's offices. Will had dropped him off while he went to park the car. "I am so sorry for not being here sooner," Sonny said as he made his way over to Dario.<p>

Dario couldn't believe that Sonny was there. "It's okay. I'm surprised to see you here at all."

Sonny gave Dario a regretful look. "I'm also sorry for what I said to you the last time we talked."

Dario remembered Sonny telling him that he did not have time for him because of what Kinsey did to Sonny. "You were right with what you said, Sonny, so you don't have to apologize. I understand the situation better now."

Sonny was glad that it seemed that he and Dario were able to work through some things. He then noticed Victor walk out of the elevator and head down a different hall. He wondered why his great-uncle would be at the hospital on Christmas. Deciding to dismiss it, Sonny turned his attention back to Dario. "So how is your mother?"

"Good, I guess," Dario answered. "She's being released. Gabi and Arianna are helping her get dressed."

Manny walked up to them causing Sonny to step back a bit. "Mama's ready to head home." Manny looked at Sonny and remembered how nice Sonny was even though he held him hostage. All of the guilt was really coming to the forefront for Manny because he was outside of Brooktree's walls and out in public. He knew he wasn't ready to be out.

Dario was thinking about going home and realized something. "We won't have enough room for everyone in the car back. Mama's going to need all the room she can. Gabi told T to leave and EJ already left as well."

"Will and I can drive you back to the Dimera property. We can take two people if you need us to." Sonny looked to Dario, but somewhat avoided looking at Manny, which he felt horrible about.

Manny noticed Sonny seemed uncomfortable. "Dario, you should go with Sonny. I'll send Gabi with you so wait for her." Dario agreed to wait for her.

* * *

><p>Outside of the hospital, Will got out of his car after finally parking it. As he walked towards the entrance, he ran into T, who was coming out. Will realized it had been a long while since he saw T. "Hey man, how are things with the Hernandez family?"<p>

"Things are good for Isobel, I guess. They are letting her go home." T thought about how Gabi sort of dismissed him after knowing that her mother was being released. "I guess Gabi wanted to be alone with the family, so I am heading out."

Will moved closer and gave T a side hug. "I'm glad to hear that Gabi's mom is going to be okay." Will released T and turned to face him head on. "I think it's weird that we haven't hung out in a while. I miss you."

T scratched his shoulder. "Yeah, I miss you, too. I've realized that Gabi has made sure that we don't hang out. She's even lied to me about a few things and I don't know what to do about it." T felt he needed to keep things light considering her mother's situation. "Was she like that when you dated her?"

"No," Will answered. He thought about how even though Gabi was annoying to him towards the end, she never seemed to lie to him about anything. A thought crossed his mind. "Maybe I damaged her somehow." He felt bad that T had to deal with what he did to her. "I'm so sorry for what I did to her."

"You don't have to apologize." T didn't want to make Will feel bad. "I'm sure things will get better eventually." T pulled Will into a hug wondering if it would be a long while before he saw Will again. "We should hang out soon."

"Of course. We'll make it happen." Will hugged T back and smiled.

* * *

><p>Chad arrived at Celeste's apartment to talk to her about his recent dreams and nightmares. As Chad walked in, Celeste offered Chad a cup of tea. Chad took the cup and took a quick sip as he and Celeste took a seat on her sofa. "Thanks for meeting with me."<p>

"Of course." Celeste poured herself a cup of tea. "I think it's important that we talk about your dreams. You mentioned that you were dreaming about my tarot cards. How do you know that the cards you are seeing in your dream are tarot cards?"

"They were in my dreams. People in my dreams have started handing them to me. So far it's been my mother and father." Chad thought back as he remembered the dreams he had that involved Stefano and Madeline.

Celeste became intrigued by everything Chad had to say. "Which cards did they give you?" Celeste had a few ideas, but she wanted Chad to tell her first.

Chad thought about the cards that were handed to him. "Actually, I don't know. I only saw the back of the cards and the back looked like the back of your deck. That's the only reason I knew they were tarot cards."

"You never turned them around in your dream?" Celeste asked.

"No, I never had the chance. Before I could, I woke up." Chad turned to Celeste confused as ever. "I guess in a way I could never turn them around because I have never seen the other side of the other cards except for that one card I saw."

"The Fool card," Celeste said.

"What does this all mean? Am I only dreaming about the cards because I saw you with them the other day?" Chad tried to think of a rational explanation for his dreams.

"It's possible." Celeste tried to make sure she did not push Chad too much on what she saw and believed. Celeste stood up to grab her cards. "Can you describe your dreams to me?"

As Celeste gathered her deck of Tarot cards, Chad looked down and decided to start with the one he had where his mother appeared to him. "Well, my mother appeared to me in one, but she wore this weird dress. Something I've never seen her in." Chad looked up to Celeste as she turned to face him after finding her cards. "The dress was long and white. Oh, and there was this type of fruit that decorated it. On her head, she wore stars as if they were a crown or something."

Celeste quickly gave Chad a look. "You said earlier that the Fool card was the only tarot card you have seen face up. Are you sure that is the truth?"

Chad noticed that Celeste had a look on her face that told him that something he just told her made her interest perk up. "Yes. Why? Did I say something to make you think otherwise?"

Celeste took a seat on the couch. "Tell me more about your dream. What did your mother say or do when she came to you?"

Chad tried to remember everything that happened in his dream. "She talked about how I needed to understand that my relationship with Will is fragile. She told me I needed to nurture it. She talked about relationship with Will and compared it to a baby that needs to be fed and taken care of."

"The Empress," Celeste said under her breath. She could not believe that Chad seemed to have some kind of connection to the Tarot cards. She looked at her cards and noticed that Chad stood up so he could look at them. "Wait," Celeste said trying to hold Chad back from them. "Tell me about the dream you had about your father. I need to be sure of something."

Chad looked Celeste over before describing his dream about his father. "Well, I sat in the dining room at my father's mansion. Suddenly things changed. The table was full of food and André and Tony sat across from me. My father entered the room wearing clothes as if he were some kind of king. He took a seat on a chair that looked like a king's throne. Some kind of skull - I think it was a big goat skull - was on the top of the chair. I asked him about his power and control over people. He asked me who commanded my life."

Celeste turned around and looked down at the cards. She could not believe that Chad had just described 'The Emperor' card. "Chad. I cannot allow you to see the rest of the cards. I need you to let me know when you have your next dream. Then, and only then, can I be sure that there's something supernatural at work."

Chad began to worry. "Supernatural? What do you mean?"

Celeste put her tarot cards away. "There's something peculiar taking place in your brain Chad. You're life seems to be living out something specific. I'd rather not say too much more. I need to be sure."

Chad felt a bit more lost about everything. "So what do you want me to do?"

Celeste could tell that Chad had lost all direction in life and that is what Madeline as the empress and Stefano as the emperor were trying to point out to him. "Chad, I need you to tell me about your next dream when you have it. It's important and if my theory is correct, I can explain it to you. I just don't want to influence you in any way." Celeste made eye contact with Chad. "It will be okay, Chad. This is most likely a good thing for you."

"I really hope so." Chad looked at the time. "I guess, I'll let you go. I'll let you know when I have my next dream." Chad nodded his head to Celeste and left trying not to theorize what Celeste might believe was going on with his dreams.

Celeste made sure her front door was securely closed after Chad left. She turned around and looked at a painting on the wall. "I have never seen this happen in my life before. Why is Chad so special? Why is Chad so important?"

* * *

><p>Colin carefully arrived at Maddalena's mansion and found her sitting in her office. "Maddalena, I'm here to report to you."<p>

Maddalena smiled when she saw Colin. "It's good to see you. I heard you have spent some time in the secret lab. Have you been working on the prototype?"

Colin kept his distance from Maddalena. "Everything is set up, but I will have to wait until tomorrow to do personal work. I have a shift at the hospital tonight."

Maddalena became frustrated, but held back. "Does this mean that the prototype will be idle for the rest of the day? We could be making progress now so we can do what needs to be done."

Colin stepped forward. "No, I have people working on it currently. I've left instructions for them. They will be trying different solutions to see if we can either prolong the comatose nature of the prototype, while also experimenting on ways to make it faster in the healing process."

Maddalena was pleased to hear that Colin had set things up so that the other scientists could work on the prototype. "That is good to hear. How are things going in your own personal agenda?"

Before Colin could answer, Ignazio walked in. "You wanted to see me, Nonna?"

Maddalena stood and made her way to Ignazio. "Yes. I wanted to check in with you about how things went the last night at the pier."

Ignazio thought about the night before. "Well, things were going well, but a girl seemed to be spying on us. Don't worry though, I sent someone to take care of her."

"Where is this girl being held at the moment?" Maddalena asked.

Ignazio thought about it and realized Ric never reported back to him. "I am not sure honestly, but I will look into it so I can give you a proper answer."

Maddalena questioned if Ignazio's lack of an answer should concern her. "I don't want any trouble, Ignazio. Find out as soon as possible."

"I will." Ignazio gave his grandmother a kiss and walked out of her office.

* * *

><p>Will drove as he headed to the Dimera Mansion with Gabi sitting next to him and Dario and Sonny sitting in the back of his car. Will glanced over to Gabi a few time wondering what she was thinking considering this was the first time in a long time they sat next to each other like this. "I'm glad your mother is going to be okay."<p>

Gabi turned to Will and forced a smile. Even though she cared for Will, she still wanted to keep her distance. It depressed her knowing that Will and Chad were in a homosexual relationship. "Me, too." She turned back to glance at Dario and Sonny. She turned her head around so she could look out the windshield. Her thoughts returned to Will, and how things were different and a bit strained between them. She had given up on trying to help him as he seemed set on being gay.

Will kept his eyes on the road and wondered if the fact that Sonny and Dario were sitting in the back together bothered Gabi. "I saw T walking out of the hospital. How are you two doing?"

Gabi turned her head so she could look through her window and not look at Will. "We're good." She really was not in the mood to keep up a conversation with Will.

Dario noticed Gabi's disappointment in the fact that he was talking to Sonny. He knew what she thought about him having any involvement with Sonny and part of him wondered if she was right about it being nothing but trouble. He tried to keep his heart guarded so he did not get sucked back in by Sonny. "So what's going on with you and your boyfriend?" Dario believed he could guard his heart by talking about Kai.

Sonny thought about what happened with Kinsey and knew that Dario wanted to know if he had told Kai yet. "I'm thinking about telling Kai the news tomorrow."

Dario almost placed his hand on Sonny's leg, but stopped himself. "Well, if Kai loves you, he will stay with you."

Will, who had listened in on their conversation, added his two cents by joking, "Kai will have to stay with you since your birthday's coming up, Sonny."

Dario immediately looked to Sonny as he realized that it was almost Sonny's birthday. He remembered because their birthdays were a month apart. "Your birthday is this week. Do you have any plans?"

Sonny thought about his birthday plans and frowned a bit. "I was thinking about going on a ski trip for the weekend," he admitted before continuing, "but with everything that has happened the last few days, I'm not sure if it's appropriate."

"Well, you know I would go if I could," Dario shared. "I think you should do it though because you might need a weekend away from Salem to get everything in order." Dario hinted to the fact that maybe Sonny get some air to think about the Kinsey baby situation.

"I agree with Dario," Will said from up front looking at Sonny through the rearview mirror.

Gabi turned around to look directly at Sonny. "I am with my brother and Will." She only agreed and participated in the conversation because she believed it would be nice if Sonny was not around.

Sonny thought about going through with his birthday plans. "Nathan and Melanie are down for this weekend and it seemed that Abigail and Chelsea are interested as well." For a moment, Sonny forgot about all the problems that faced him. "It would be a great way to end 2011 and bring in the new year."

Will was happy to hear hope in Sonny's voice again even though Will knew he and Chad still needed to fix things. "Once again, I agree."

Sonny turned to Dario and gave him a serious look. "I wish you could come Dario – oh, and you, too Gabi," he added trying to make sure he was not singling Dario out for any specific reason.

"That's not possible. Dario and I have to think about our mother," she reminded Sonny causing everyone to remain silent for the rest of the trip. Will wondered if something more serious was going on with Dario and Gabi's mother.

* * *

><p>Ignazio found Ric, the servant he sent after Kinsey, working in one of the rooms in the basement where construction could be heard in the background. "Ric, I need to know what happened to the girl that I sent you after last night. Where is she now?"<p>

Ric stopped what he was doing and turned to Ignazio. "Signore, you have nothing to worry about. I took care of the body."

As soon as the servant mentioned the word "body", Ignazio began to worry. "I need you to tell me the full story of what happened after I sent you after her."

Ric wondered why Ignazio felt the need to hear the whole story, but figured he wasn't in the position to object even if he knew he had Ignazio's trust before. "Well, you told me to take care of her, so I followed the girl and chased her. I noticed that as she ran she pulled out her cellular to make a call I think. Before she could though, I grabbed it from her and hung it up. I threw it on the ground and crushed it with my foot."

"And then what happened?" Ignazio began to grow impatient.

"I then followed her as she tried to run off. I caught up with her and threw her down knocking her out. I picked her up and put her into my car to take her to an undisclosed place."

Ignazio interrupted Ric before he could continue. "What place? Where did you take her?" Ignazio wanted to check in with the girl so he could do some damage control.

"Nazio," Ric started. "I think it would be wise if I kept the address from you. I drove her to that place and shot her in the head."

Shocked, Ignazio gave Ric a look filled with anger and sadness. "What did you do?"


	31. Chapter 31 One Small Problem

**Chapter 31: One "Small" Problem – Sunday, December 25th, 2011**

At the Horton house, Daniel arrived bearing Christmas gifts as Jennifer opened the door to let him in. "I've got a few more gifts that I wanted to deliver outside of dinner last night. I felt bad because I didn't get everyone a gift. I got some for you and your kids."

Jennifer smiled. "You didn't have to do that Daniel." Jennifer closed the front door and led him into the living room. "Where are Melanie and Nathan? Weren't they at the apartment earlier?"

"They were, but they decided to go to the movies." Daniel looked around the house and noticed it seemed rather empty and was quiet. "Where is everyone?"

Taking a seat on the couch, Jennifer answered, "Some are taking a nap upstairs while others are out to check in on old friends."

JJ made his way down the stairs. Walking into the room he spotted Daniel sitting next to his mother. He quickly became annoyed and loudly commented, "I wish I went with grandma and grandpa to go visit whoever that old lady they were talking about earlier."

Jennifer ignored JJ's comment and smiled. "Daniel brought you a Christmas gift." Jennifer stood up and walked over to JJ to hand him the gift. "Here. Open it."

JJ looked at it and decided to unwrap the present. He found a framed rugby uniform signed by one of his favorite players, Kevin Sinfield. JJ was surprised that Daniel was able to get this for him. He loved it, but he did not want Daniel to know it. "Really? Kevin Sinfield? He's my least favorite player of all time!"

Daniel began to feel bad and Jennifer sensed it. She hated that JJ seemed to put Daniel down any chance he got. Abigail walked down the stairs and saw the others as she walked down. "I'm heading out because I have to meet up with someone at the town square."

JJ gave the framed autographed uniform to his mother immediately and turned to his sister as she entered the room. "Can I go with you?"

"No," Abigail quickly answered. The more she thought about it, she realized why her brother wanted to head out with her. She began to question her response as she knew if she left her brother with her mother and Daniel he might ruin things for them. Knowing that she needed to talk to Chad in private, she decided to stand by her decision not to take JJ.

Jennifer grabbed the gift that Daniel brought for Abigail. "Before you go, open your gift from Daniel."

Abigail opened the gift and smiled. "Thanks Daniel, this is my favorite perfume."

"I'll have to be honest with you. Melanie picked it out," Daniel admitted.

"Well, it works either way. Thanks so much." Abigail smiled and put the gift in her purse. "Well, I'm going to head out. Merry Christmas Daniel and I hope you enjoy the day with my mother."

JJ rolled his eyes as Abigail left. "Yeah, I'm not staying down here. This is boring." JJ headed back upstairs wishing he could take his gift with him. He did not want to give Daniel the satisfaction though.

Jennifer gave Daniel her full attention after placing JJ's gift by the desk and sitting on the couch again. "I'm sorry he didn't seem to like it."

"Yeah, I thought I had his favorite player pegged, but I guess I was wrong." Not wanting to dwell on his mistake, Daniel picked up a small gift. "Well, you still have your gift to open up." Daniel wanted to focus on what was inside the wrapping of her gift, but decided he needed to say something to her before she finished unwrapping it. "Jen, there's something I want to talk to you about when no one is around."

Jen looked at Daniel as she finished unwrapping the present. "Of course." She wondered if she should be concerned. She looked at the now unwrapped gift and realized she had a small box in her hand now. She opened up the ring box and saw a gorgeous engagement ring inside. She looked up at Daniel and noticed he moved to floor leaning on one knee.

Daniel smiled at her. "Jennifer Rose Horton, will you marry me?"

Jennifer's face lit up and she immediately began to nod. "Yes! I will marry you Daniel!"

Daniel immediately pulled Jennifer on top of him and gave her a kiss. "You just made me the happiest man alive!" Daniel pulled Jen into another kiss.

* * *

><p>Back in one of the rooms in the basement of Maddalena's mansion, Ignazio pushed Ric into the wall. Holding him tightly, Ignazio spoke to him, "Do I have to remind you that we're in the USA and not in Italy anymore? Things are done differently here!" Ric immediately began to apologize, but Ignazio interrupted him by punching him in the face and gut a few times. "I am warning you, Ric, if that girl's murder comes back to us, you will take full responsibility. Me and Maddalena will pretend that we've never seen you before." Ignazio looked into Ric's hurt and confused eyes and struggled with keeping his eyes locked with Ric's.<p>

Azzura walked into the room and noticed how Ignazio had his best friend against the wall. "What is going on here, Ignazio?"

Clearly frustrated by the situation, Ignazio let go of Ric and turned to Azzura. "Last night there was a girl at the pier who saw me and the other men getting our cargo out. This idiot chased her down and killed her. He's ruined everything."

Azzura watched Ignazio for a moment and could tell that Ignazio wasn't referring to Maddalena's mission here, but Ric and Ignazio's friendship. She knew she had to think about Maddalena's welfare first though. Ric turned to Azzura and tried to explain himself, but Azzura shut him up by giving him a hard slap nearly knocking him over. "Testa di merda! Vaffanculo!" Azzura slapped him once again. "What did you have to prove here? You killed a girl? What do you want for that victory? Un pompino? You have brought trouble our way!"

Ric, who for the first time like just a servant to Ignazio and Azzura, held his hands up to cover his face as he responded, "Will you tell Signora Maddalena?" Deep down Ric knew there was no turning back now and he was in too deep.

"Of course," Azzura answered immediately.

Ignazio turned to Azzura as he thought of the dangers of informing his grandmother about what happened. "I'm not too sure we should," he told Azzura. He turned to Ric avoiding direct eye contact this time. "Go clean yourself up and get back to work."

After the servant left, Azzura turned to Ignazio. "What are you thinking? Of course we'll tell your grandmother. She has to know everything that is happening." Azzura wondered if Ignazio was trying to protect Ric now. "You said it yourself, he ruined everything!"

"What if this comes back to haunt us? Wouldn't it be better if she stays clean from all of this?" Ignazio shook his head at the thought of something happening to Maddalena. "We need to clean up this mess. Once we have done that we can tell her the truth."

Azzura still was not sure about Ignazio's plan. "How are we going to keep her from finding out the truth? You know your grandmother. She always manages to find out the truth."

"I'll keep her busy with other things. I'll hide the truth somehow and keep her from asking questions. We need to agree on this or it will never work." Ignazio gave Azzura a look asking her to decide their fate. "You know she'd expect us to clean this up before we go to her about this."

Azzura sighed and agreed. "Fine. But we clean this up quickly. Ask Ric where he left the body. We will get rid of it for good." Azzura began to walk away, but stopped and turned around. "Don't let Ric persuade you in any way!" After giving one last look to Ignazio, Azzura walked off.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Isobel walked over to her now oldest son, Manny. She had been quiet with him since his arrival to the hospital and decided that it was time she spoke to him. Placing her hands on both sides of Manny's face to make him look directly into her eyes, Isobel spoke, "Are you doing well with the treatment you are receiving?" Manny shook his head. "I hope that you are telling me the truth so that you can erase the shame you brought onto the family."<p>

Manny knew he had disappointed his family over the summer. Even in her fragile state, his mother still had the ability to show him she still had power over him. "I'm really trying, Mama."

Isobel studied Manny's eyes and knew he was being honest with her. She began to rub Manny's face tenderly to let him know she believed him and still loved him. "My biggest regret is when I let Rafe back into the family. He was a ticking time bomb."

Arianna could tell that Manny felt a bit uncomfortable talking to their mother about what happened. She decided to interrupt their moment. "Mama," she started as she put her hand gently on her mother's shoulder. "You need to rest because it was the doctor's orders." Isobel agreed by nodding her head and letting go of Manny's face. Arianna gave Manny a look of sadness as she walked away with Isobel.

Outside of the guesthouse, Gabi, Dario, Sonny, and Will finally arrived from the hospital. Before they could walk in, Gabi turned to Sonny and Will. "I probably should make sure my mother is resting before you two come in."

Sonny and Will looked at each other figuring she needed her rest and that guests might disturb that. They looked to Dario when he agreed with Gabi. "Yeah, she is very conservative."

Sonny and Will looked at each other again, while Gabi and Dario walked in to check. Both guys wondered if Dario meant to imply that the fact that they are gay was a big issue. Dario opened the door and let them inside. "Mama's in her room resting. You can come in."

When they walked in and looked around the place, Gabi began to shake her head. She wished they had just dropped her and her brother off and then left. Sonny and Will then noticed Manny, causing Manny to feel really uncomfortable as he thought about what happened over the summer.

Surprised to see Manny there, Will asked, "Manny, what are you doing here? I thought you were going through a program or something." Will could not help but wonder if Manny was up to something.

Manny tried to make eye contact with Will and Sonny but could not. He looked past them instead. "Since my mother is not doing well and doesn't have much time to live, I was able to get released for a few days, so that I could spend time with her just in case… you know."

Will suddenly felt like a jerk as he looked around. He quickly realized that he was the last to know that Isobel was dying. "I am so sorry about that." He looked at Dario, Gabi, and Manny. "I know this must be hard for all of you."

Sonny patted Will on the back knowing that Will must have felt bad for calling out Manny like that. Sonny knew that Will was only trying to protect him. He turned to Manny and thought about how they had made their peace when his father was his lawyer. "Manny, I'm happy that you were released to come home for a bit."

Gabi rolled her eyes at Sonny. "I think the family needs to be alone now," she said in a suggestive tone even though it was demand.

Dario looked Gabi over and shook his head. He hated how forward Gabi was about trying to kick Will and Sonny out. Unfortunately, he agreed with her. "I think it would be good if we could just have this time to be together. No offense of course."

"No offense taken." Sonny made his way to Dario and gave him a hug. While he had his arms around Dario, he said, "If you change your mind, you are definitely still invited to come this weekend."

Dario released from Sonny and told him he would think about it. "If you need me, I'll be there when you talk to Kai." Dario really wanted to support Sonny any way he could. He realized his mistake, and wanted to be a part of Sonny's life, even if it was just as friends.

Sonny smiled at Dario. He was happy that they could be friends again. "Thanks Dario. I really appreciate the offer."

* * *

><p>Over at the Dimera Mansion, EJ and Sami watched as Johnny made his way into the living room. He seemed to be in good spirits about Christmas. They hadn't experienced any real bad behavior or outbursts recently. Sami decided to rush over to Johnny, when she saw him heading for the presents under the Christmas tree. Sami quickly grabbed his hands to turn him around to face her. "We are waiting until tonight to open them. Everyone has to be here," she reminded him. EJ walked over to join them.<p>

Johnny eyed the presents once more and then looked out at the guesthouse. "Is our neighbor going to be okay?" he asked referring to Isobel.

"She's going to be fine. She's back in the guesthouse and is resting." EJ answered as he picked up Johnny.

Johnny looked at his dad and began to mess with EJ's hair. "Sometimes people don't come home from the hospital. Will you or mommy ever have to be taken to the hospital?"

EJ held Johnny tighter and glanced at Sami. "Your mother and I aren't going anywhere for a long time."

Johnny looked out the door again and spotted Will and Sonny walking over. He pushed himself off his father so that EJ would put him down. Will and Sonny walked in once Johnny's feet hit the floor. "Merry Christmas everyone," Will stated.

Sami gave Will a hug. "Where did you two just come from?"

"We were visiting with the Hernandez family. Gabi and Dario needed a ride." Will shook EJ's hand and looked around wondering if Chad might be around.

"You do remember that we are meeting here later tonight to open gifts, right?" Sami asked. Will nodded and looked over at Sonny wondering if Sonny wanted to come. Sami continued, "Where's Chad?"

"He's running errands." Will thought about how bad things had become between him and Chad and realized that he needed to talk to Chad so they could make peace. Will knew that it would be difficult since they lied to each other, but he hoped that they could still come together and fix things. Trying not to make it obvious to his mother and EJ that something was up, he put Chad in the back of his mind for a moment. "Where are Allie and Sydney?" Will tried to wave at Johnny.

"Sydney is spending time with Allie and Lucas," EJ answered.

Johnny watched his older brother and noticed that Will was going to reach out for him. Johnny made sure that he kept his distance. He thought it was weird that Will was hanging out with a different guy who wasn't Chad. He wondered if Chad came alone the day before because Will had found someone else.

Sonny, who hadn't really said anything since walking in, nudged Will with his elbow distracting Will from Johnny. "We should head out."

Will agreed. After telling his mother and the others that he would be back later to open gifts, he and Sonny made their way out of the mansion and headed for Will's car. Turning to Sonny, Will put his arm around Sonny's back. "If you don't mind, I am going to drop you off at the apartment because I need to find Chad."

Sonny smiled at Will and patted Will on the back. "I'm glad you're finally stepping up." Sonny focused his thoughts on Will for the moment so he could escape his own problems.

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, Chad and Abigail finally met up. For the most part, the place was empty since almost every store was closed for the holiday. Chad and Abigail stood next to the fire for a few moments, before Abigail finally asked, "What is going on? Why did you ask me to lie to Will?"<p>

Chad looked down for a moment feeling ashamed about what he had decided to do with Will, but then thought about how Will lied to him about wanting to have kids with him. Knowing that Will lied to him, only confused Chad even more because he questioned if Will lied to him about anything else. "I've been going out to get some air and Will thinks I have been spending time with you," Chad admitted. He did not dare say he was meeting with Mia.

Abigail looked Chad over for a moment. She wondered why Will would assume that, but then figured that Chad must be cutting Will out of his life. She gave Chad a quizzical look. "Why are you hiding from Will?"

Chad ignored Abigail's question at first. "I'm not sure what to do." He then started to think about Abigail's question and how he felt so lost on how to react and respond to Will as his boyfriend. "I've tried so hard to make sure things are perfect for Will, but I make mistake after mistake. I've decided to make things better, I avoid any confrontations so that Will and I don't fight."

Abigail looked into Chad's eyes so that she could read his thoughts on his course of action on how to make things perfect with Will. "You do realize that you're only making things worse, right?" Abigail watched as Chad looked away from her. "All couples fight. Fighting, disagreeing, and arguing are inevitable for every couple. If two people who are in a relationship don't fight they will never get through the things they need to. Where is your logic in this plan to avoid any kind of confrontation or disagreement?"

Chad thought about how things went south for Abigail and him when they were together. "There are times I think about what went wrong in our relationship, Abigail. I don't want to see a repeat of that. You and I fought a lot and it ultimately destroyed our relationship."

Abigail shook her head and gave Chad a confused look. She didn't understand what Chad was saying because it sounded like he believed that if they had not fought they would still be together. She knew better than that because both had realized that they were never meant to be together. "Have you and Will ever fought or argued? I'm talking about an argument or heated discussion where you two were at it for a longer amount of time."

"Yeah, we have." Chad thought about how he viewed Will when they fought. "He was annoyed with me because I seemed to do nothing right. It reminded me of you."

"Thanks for sharing that," Abigail said sarcastically. She shook her head again deciding she needed to set Chad straight. "I don't think you realize what you are doing here, Chad. You're treating Will like you're still dating me. Will is not me. You need to realize that your relationship with Will is a new relationship completely separate from our old relationship."

Chad has a passing thought about what his mother said in his dream, but quickly went into denial mode. He did not want to believe that he was still behaving as if he were still in a relationship with Abigail. "I don't know about that."

Abigail sighed with a bit of frustration. "If you don't believe that then why are you trying so hard to sabotage your relationship with Will?" Abigail's eyes met with Chad as she continued to try to read him.

* * *

><p>Bill, Laura, Lucas, Allie, and Sydney arrived back to the Horton house. Once they walked in, they found Jennifer and Daniel dancing together in the living room. Laura questionably smiled at the two as they spotted her and the others. "What are you two up to?"<p>

Jennifer looked into Daniel's eyes with a smile. She turned back to the others and raised her hand to show her engagement ring. "You notice anything different?" she asked playfully.

Laura and Bill rushed over to Jennifer and Daniel excited about the news. Laura and Bill each took turns hugging Daniel and Jennifer. "We are so happy for you two!" Bill exclaimed.

Lucas stood with the kids away from the others feeling a bit awkward. He had moved past what Daniel had done to him with Chloe, but a part of him still didn't care for the guy. He decided to continue to keep his distance while nodding and smiling at Jennifer and Daniel to sort of congratulate them in his own way.

Having heard voices from his room, JJ made his way down the stairs to ask what all the ruckus was about. "What's going on? Why does everyone look so happy?"

Bill walked over to his grandson and placed his hand on JJ's back. "Your mother is getting married. Daniel just proposed."

JJ looked over to his mother and Daniel and noticed their smiling faces. He could not believe that his mother had agreed to marry Daniel and did not understand how she could make a decision like this. Unable to control his confusion and frustration about the situation, he yelled, "What the crap is going on here, Mom? What about dad?" JJ looked at Jen for a moment before heading upstairs clearly upset.

The celebration of the engagement quickly ceased as everyone began to worry about JJ. Bill turned to his daughter. "I can go talk to him if you need me to."

"Thanks, dad, but I should be the one to go up there and talk to him," Jen countered. Jennifer realized her mistake in not talking to JJ about what happened with his father.

Daniel took Jen's hand and led her to the stairwell so he could speak to her about what just happened. "Maybe I should have given JJ a heads up like I did when I asked your father for his permission."

Jen softly smiled at Daniel. "Don't worry about it," she said before heading up the stairs.

Daniel watched Jen walk up the stairs, but turned towards the door when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," he yelled to the others as he opened the door. "Will, what's up?"

"Hey Daniel, sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if Abigail was around." Will tried to look in the house, but saw no one else from where he was standing.

Daniel thought back to when he saw Abigail earlier. "She mentioned she was meeting someone at the town square." Daniel thought it was weird that Will was looking for Abigail.

"Thanks." Will nodded his head at Daniel knowing that Daniel had confirmed his suspicions that Chad was with Abigail. "I'll see you around and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Daniel responded before closing the door. He looked back up and noticed Jennifer walking down the stairs.

Jennifer's eyes met Daniel as she made it to the bottom of the stairs. "JJ locked his bedroom door and told me to go away."

Lucas walked in having overheard Jennifer. "Well, he's going to have to come out eventually." He turned to Daniel and asked, "Did I hear Will's voice earlier?"

"Yeah, he just stopped by because he was looking for Abigail," Daniel explained. "He seemed to be in a rush."

Jennifer gave Daniel and Lucas a weird look. She turned to Lucas as Daniel already knew what she was about to say. "That's odd that Will came over to look for her because Josh stopped by earlier asking for her before you and everyone else arrived."

* * *

><p>While Theo and Abe played with one of Theo's new Christmas toys, Celeste and Lexie prepared the room for when the others arrived. Celeste looked to her daughter and thought about her encounters with Chad. "So is Chad coming over as well?"<p>

Lexie stopped fluffing the couch pillows. "Well, I don't know. I sort of assumed he would since he's family. Is there a reason you asked?"

Celeste tried to play it off. "No reason. I was just wondering if we had room for everyone." She was happy that they were doing their part of Christmas here instead of having to go back to the Dimera Mansion.

Lexie gave her mother a suspicious look. She wasn't buying her mother's reason. "You would have asked about EJ and Sami if you were curious about space. You barely know Chad." Lexie looked at her mother over and realized that Celeste had most likely spent time with Chad on her own. "What did you do? Did you scare Chad away with all your fortune-telling stuff?"

Celeste watched as Lexie placed her hands on her own hips. She knew that stance all too well. "You have nothing to worry about darling. I wish you wouldn't think the worst when I am involved. I'm sorry that what I do for a living embarrasses you."

Lexie quickly apologized for how she was responding to her mother. "Look, mom. I don't mean to make you think that I am disappointed in you. I'm just worried what will happen if you start talking to Chad about all of that. I really think Chad is a little lost right now and him getting involved with your business might make him feel more lost." Lexie gave Celeste a worried look. "Have you had any bad omens about Chad?"

Before Celeste could answer, the doorbell rang. As Lexie headed to the door to answer it, Celeste took a seat on the couch. She looked over to the door and watched as Stefano and Kate walked in with gifts that were not opened the night before due to Isobel being rushed to the hospital.

Abe stood up to greet them. "Merry Christmas." He looked out the window by the door and noticed that another car had pulled up. He opened the front door to have a better look at the luxury car. "Is that EJ, Sami, and the kids?"

"No, it shouldn't be," Stefano answered. He went on to explain, "I'm not sure if they are going to make it because they are waiting on Lucas to drop the girls off."

Maddalena and Azzura came out of the car and walked to the front door. Celeste and Stefano were not pleased to see them. Lexie made her way over to them and gave Maddalena a hug. "Merry Christmas. I am so glad you were able to make it over." Azzura handed Lexie a few gifts. "Thank you so much. You did not have to do that."

Maddalena smiled and looked the house over. "I am happy to be with family."

As Kate and Stefano moved over to the couch to take a seat, Celeste stood up to give her some space from the Dimeras. "I am going to make some more tea for everyone."

Celeste headed into the kitchen as Maddalena joined Stefano and Kate on the couch. Maddalena motioned Azzura to join Celeste in the kitchen. Abe took a seat in his chair, while Lexie sat on the side of his chair. Abe took Lexie's hand. "Thanks for coming over. I know that Lexie really appreciates this." Lexie smiled and nodded.

Kate noticed that Theo was playing with some new toys. "I see that Theo has already opened a few presents today. He really seems to like them."

"Just wait until he opens his gifts from his nonno," Stefano smiled. He turned and noticed that Maddalena was watching Kate closely. He then realized that his sister was glaring at his wife as she continued to talk about Theo.

Maddalena turned her attention to Abe. "So Abraham, have you had to take on extra duties as Mayor during the holidays?"

Abe smiled and nodded. "I've had to take on a few extra things, but I do enjoy working for the people. It's important for them to know that I am working for them." Maddalena smiled and agreed.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Azzura walked in. "I can help you if you need it."

Celeste turned around from the stove and looked Azzura over. "So what does Maddalena have over you?"

Azzura was clueless as to why Celeste would ask her that question. "What do you mean?"

"Well, there has to be a reason you are working for Maddalena. What is that reason?" Celeste asked as she glanced back at the teapot. "What does she have over you?"

"My mother worked for Maddalena, so I was raised in Maddalena's home," Azzura claimed. "Maddalena has always treated me as a daughter – even more so when my mother died. No blackmail has ever been involved."

Celeste kept silent for a moment trying to read Azzura. "What was your mother's name? Maybe I knew her."

"Antonella Sarto." Azzura knew that Celeste would recognize the name as she had memories of Celeste from when she was a little girl.

Celeste did recognize the name and a bad feeling came over her. She then remembered Azzura as a little girl, who was clueless about everything. "What has your Signora said about my daughter and her family?" Celeste wanted to change the subject.

Azzura walked over the stove to watch the teapot as well. "Maddalena loves your daughter, Abraham, and little Theo. She really finds them intriguing because they seem to have the perfect American life."

Celeste began to laugh at how naïve Azzura's statement sounded. "No one is perfect. Nor does anyone live a perfect life." Celeste watched Azzura even closer knowing that Azzura was only fishing for information to use for Maddalena's benefit. When the tea was ready, Celeste put everything on a tray. "Will you please hold the door open?"

Back in the living room, Celeste and Azzura walked back in as Maddalena talked to Kate about Hearth and Home. "I hear it's very successful. How much money has my brother given to you to keep it afloat?"

Kate managed to keep her annoyance in check as she replied, "I have been able to build my company without Stefano's money. Even so, Stefano supports me in all my endeavors through his love and encouragement."

"Kate is telling the truth," Stefano added as he eyed his sister. He knew that Maddalena did not care for Kate because of the way she talked down to her. He then made eye contact with Celeste wondering if she was right when she warned him and Kate that Maddalena would be bad news for Kate.

Kate turned her attention to Stefano, so she would not have to look at Maddalena. "Sweetheart, remember I wanted to stop by Bo and Hope's house before heading back home." Kate really wanted to rush this as she did not want to spend any more time with Maddalena. She hoped they could leave as soon as the gifts were open.

Stefano nodded his head and announced, "Shall we open the gifts?" Abraham and Lexie stood up as they agreed.

* * *

><p>Back at Horton Town Square, Chad looked Abigail straight in the eyes to answer her question. "I am not trying to sabotage my relationship with Will."<p>

Abigail's face showed Chad's denial frustrated her. "Do I need to break it down for you again?"

Before Abigail could continue, Chad immediately told her she didn't have to. "I am just scared about a lot of things." Chad thought about his dreams and the messages he believed they were trying to tell him. They were so confusing at times because of the mixed messages. Trying to push those dreams back from his mind, he admitted, "I'm afraid I'll do something wrong and lose Will forever. I was a bit clueless when it came to my relationships with girls, but I feel even more out of my element when it comes to the serious part in my relationship with Will." Chad felt somewhat bad for admitting to feeling lost with Will, but he knew it needed to be said. He then admitted, "I expected Will to take the lead because Will seemed more experienced at the time."

"You can't just go with the flow, Chad," Abigail told him. "You need to do your part because from what I understand, Will has had to make a lot of sacrifices in the relationship to keep you happy. If you want him to lead, you can't keep telling him no."

Chad took a seat at one of the tables feeling horrible for keeping Will at bay. "I feel so bad because I can't tell Will the truth about anything because if I made one wrong step, I could lose Will." Chad thought about André's dilemma and began to question if he, too, was going crazy like André did in the past.

Abigail tried to understand Chad's vagueness and believed he was only talking in circles. "Chad, if you keep hiding from Will, you're going to lose Will either way."

"You don't get it," Chad let out with a slightly raised voice.

Abigail took a seat next to Chad sensing his frustration as well. She grabbed his hand. "Help me understand what's keeping you from fully committing to Will? You made it sound like you seemed lost in your role in your relationship with Will, but now I'm starting to believe it's a lot more than that."

Josh entered the square and spotted Abigail with Chad. Abigail spotted Josh as well, but knew she could not leave Chad here. She looked away from Josh so that he would take the hint that she did not want to be bothered at the moment. Feeling hurt, Josh couldn't believe that Abigail had turned away from him. He noticed that she was holding Chad's hand and wondered if this was her way of trying to get him to leave her alone for good. He walked away.

While Abigail was working through her thoughts and feelings about Josh so she could better help Chad, Chad wondered if he should tell Abigail about the dreams and about how he believed that Will's life might be in danger because what happened to André as well as what Stefano warned him about. He swiftly decided not to when he spotted Will walking up.

Will saw Abigail and Chad together and couldn't help feel somewhat jealous even though Abigail had told him they were just hanging out as friends. He walked up, interrupting the chance for Abigail to help Chad out anymore.

Abigail let go of Chad's hand and stood up. "I'll leave you two alone. I should head home anyway." Abigail gave Will an uncomfortable smile and left.

Will and Chad looked at each other in silence for a moment. Chad still sat at the table, while Will stood up a couple of feet away. Will finally broke the silence. "It makes sense to me why you are spending so much time with Abigail." Will swallowed hard as he admitted one of his biggest fears. "Maybe a part of you still wants to have kids in a more natural way. I guess it's also possible that we got together too soon after you broke up with Abigail. Maybe we're in a rebound relationship."

Will," Chad said as he stood up. He tried to deny that Will was just a rebound for him as he walked closer to him. "I am sorry for keeping you in the dark and treating you like you were Abigail. You're not Abigail and I didn't mean for our relationship to be mixed with my relationship with her." Chad looked in Will's eyes as he continued, "I have tried so hard to make things so perfect for us by avoiding any kind of fights like when we did during finals week. I guess it sort of reminded me of the fights I had with Abigail before we broke up."

Will understood where Chad was coming from. "I've tried to do the same in the past because I wanted to believe we would just get each other without having to discuss it. I realized that it doesn't help to hold things inside because you can't know what I'm feeling or thinking without me saying anything. It's completely unfair to the both of us." Will looked at Chad's hands wanting to hold them. He knew he had to say something before he could hold Chad's hands. Looking into Chad's eyes, Will started to apologize. "I am so sorry for lying to you about wanting kids. I struggled with the idea for a long time, but I know now that I want to be a family with you, Chad."

Chad could sense how genuine Will was in his apology and admission. He grabbed both of Will's hands and pulled him a little closer. "I want that so much as well, Will." Chad looked deeply into Will's eyes and questioned if he would be able to fully commit to him in a gay relationship because of the doubts that Mia planted in his head.

Will smiled. "I'm glad that we both want to work this out." Will decided to pull Chad into a kiss to seal their makeup. Chad felt better kissing Will, but Mia's voice still haunted him.

* * *

><p>Back at the guys' apartment, Sonny sat alone thinking about Dario. He smiled as he thought about the hug they shared earlier. It felt so good to be close to Dario again after all they said to each other. Sonny looked down at the coffee table and noticed his cell phone. He suddenly remembered that he hadn't heard back from Kinsey.<p>

He jumped when he heard a knock at the door. Sonny headed to the door and opened it. Adrienne and Justin stood on the other side and quickly went in for a hug. "We have been so worried about you," Justin shared as he and Adrienne removed themselves from him.

"I'm sorry for not visiting you or contacting you. It is Christmas." Sonny began to beat himself up for being a horrible son. "I guess I've had a lot on my mind."

"Your father and I completely understand," Adrienne exclaimed. "Things are stressful for you because of the news about the baby."

"I don't know if you heard, but Isobel was rushed to the hospital last night, but don't worry because she is home resting now." Sonny took a deep breath as he thought about the baby. "I don't know what to do about Kai and I don't know what to do about Kinsey."

"Don't worry, son. We will fight Kinsey so that you get sole custody of the baby," Justin assured Sonny. Adrienne was not so sure about Justin's plan even if she had a strong dislike for Kinsey.

Sonny took another deep breath. "We have one problem standing in the way. I can't find or get a hold of Kinsey. I haven't seen her since the day she told me the news."

Justin and Adrienne suddenly felt suspicious of Kinsey's disappearance. Justin stepped forward and asked, "Has Kinsey tried to call you since then?"

Sonny thought about how Kinsey did call him the night before, but hung up before he could answer. "She called, but I never got a chance to talk to her." Sonny began to shake his head. "She has to be somewhere."

"We will find her, Sonny. We will find the baby and don't you worry about Kai. He loves you and will stay with you no matter what." Adrienne pulled Sonny into a hug hoping to assure him. She hated to see her son feeling so negative about life again.


	32. Chapter 32 Camouflage

**Chapter 32: Camouflage – Sunday, December 25th, 2011**

While Bo, Hope, and Roman discussed the missing bodies case and Chelsea played with Ciara, Caroline sat with Colin as they discussed life. "Colin, I hope you know that if you ever need anything you can come to me. I know that you had a falling out with Shawn and the family back in Ireland when you were younger. If you'd like to talk about it, I am open to hearing about it."

Colin thought about how he lied to Maddalena about having to work a shift at the hospital. The truth was that he wanted to get a little closer to the Bradys for personal reasons as well as work related reasons. "I'm not sure I am keen on the idea of talking about what happened when I was younger." Colin looked around the room. He felt awkward about being there, but he knew this was something he had to do so he could get close to Bo, Hope, and Roman.

Kate arrived. Roman, who had opened the door, did not know what to make of her random appearance. "Why are you here? You should probably go back to your own home and celebrate Christmas with your family." Roman had lost all respect for Kate when she decided to marry Stefano. He knew she probably had good reason to marry him, but didn't understand why she still stood by Stefano's side.

Kate rolled her eyes at Roman and looked inside spotting Chelsea. "I'm here to see my granddaughter – the one who has not stopped by to say hello since she arrived to Salem."

Chelsea stood up and walked past Ciara. "It's okay. It's my fault that she had to stop by like this."

Roman, Hope, and Bo decided to move over to Caroline and Colin to give Chelsea and Kate their privacy. Kate walked in and closed the door after coming in so she could talk to Chelsea. Chelsea started the conversation though. "Merry Christmas." She tried to explain her lack of manners, "I've been really busy with my grandmother since I came to Salem. I know there's no excuse for not stopping by, but that's what happened."

Kate shook her head at Chelsea. "It's more than that, Chelsea. I called Billie earlier and she informed me that you want nothing to do with her. Are you avoiding me because of something that your mother possibly did before you came back to Salem?"

Chelsea looked away from Kate. She knew her mother had not told Kate the reasons for her cutoff with Billie. "I don't want to talk about it."

Chelsea's response led Kate to believe that she was on the right track. Even knowing that, she decided not to push it too much. "Well, could you at least not push me away for something your mother did?"

Chelsea sighed and replied, "Well, you're not exactly innocent either."

Confused, Kate immediately asked, "What's that supposed to mean?" She wished Billie would have just told her why Chelsea wanted nothing to do with her when she asked Billie earlier.

"Can we just drop this," Chelsea pleaded. "It's Christmas and we're supposed to avoid all negative conversation."

Kate didn't believed what Chelsea was trying to sell, but decided to let it go. "It's not healthy to keep family in the dark, but I will let is slide."

"Thanks."

"Tomorrow Christmas is over, so I expect you to talk to me then," Kate informed her. Chelsea grimaced.

On the other side of the room, Bo asked Colin, "Have you heard about any of the bodies going missing in the hospital morgue?"

"I've heard whispers about it," Colin admitted, "but that's about it."

"Could you keep an eye out for us," Roman asked.

"Sure, I can do that." Colin looked to Caroline and smiled. She smiled back. Bo and Hope looked at each other as both wondered if they could really trust Colin.

* * *

><p>Justin and Adrienne had left Sonny alone in his apartment to see if they could do anything to help find Kinsey. Sonny sat on the couch thinking about how he was actually having a baby. He knew that his parents would support him in raising a child, but this was not a part of his plan for life. He did want to have kids, but he didn't want it to happen like this or a this point in his life. Tears began to form in Sonny's eyes, but he quickly dried his face when his phone rang. Kai was calling.<p>

After Sonny answered, Kai immediately told Sonny that his parents were out, so he was free to talk. Sonny shared that he could only talk for a few minutes. He didn't admit that he was afraid to spend too much time with Kai on the phone because he wasn't ready to tell Kai about the baby.

"I really miss you and I know that your birthday is coming up," Kai said on the other side.

Sonny thought about the times he felt really lonely since Kai left Salem. "I wish you never had to head home."

Kai sensed that something had happened or that something was wrong. "Did something bad happen?"

"No, I just miss you so much," Sonny answered as he tried to explain why his voice might have sounded like something had happened. Sonny felt bad for lying to Kai and keeping him in the dark about Kinsey and the baby. As he thought about it he almost broke down in tears again, but he managed to stop himself.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Kai asked trying to think about happy thoughts.

"I want to be with the one I love," Sonny shared with a hopeful smile.

Kai's voice seemed to get sad. "I wish I could arrange that, but I doubt that will happen."

"It's okay. I understand." Sonny leaned back on the couch.

Kai heard the door start to open in his house. "My parents are already back. I have to go. I love you." Before Sonny could say anything, Kai hung up. Sonny placed his phone on the couch next to him as he sat there in silence for a moment.

Sonny looked towards the door, when Chad and Will walked in. He noticed that they seemed a little distant, but then noticed they were also holding hands. Sonny smiled at them realizing that Will and Chad must have been able to work through things again. Unexpectedly, Sonny realized that he needed to stop thinking about how the Kinsey situation was affecting him. He needed to focus and think about his baby.

Will and Chad interrupted his thoughts by telling Sonny that they were going to change clothes and head to the Dimera mansion for Christmas festivities. "You should come," Chad told Sonny.

Sonny began to rub his chest. "I'm not feeling too well."

"We're not leaving you alone then," Will countered.

Sonny knew he had to get rid of them as the thought about what he needed to do to find his baby crossed his mind. "I won't be alone because I can call up my parents if I feel worse or need the company. My mom makes a mean chicken soup." Sonny looked at Will and then Chad hoping they would just go to their Christmas event.

* * *

><p>As Isobel continued to rest, Gabi, Dario, Arianna, and Manny sat around on the couches. Gabi turned to Manny and asked, "So how long are you allowed to stay here with us?"<p>

"It's for a few days as I really need to go back in to finish my treatment so I can fulfill my obligation to the court." Manny thought about how EJ was able to pull some strings and appreciated it. "I know I got lucky when the judge decided not to send me to jail. I got the better deal and it seems to help. I put everyone through so much this summer and I know Sonny and Justin are the reason I got so lucky."

"I'm glad you didn't go to prison either," Gabi said. She rolled her eyes at the thought of Sonny though.

Manny turned to Dario. "So what was Sonny talking about earlier when he mentioned going somewhere?"

"Sonny is going skiing for his birthday and New Year's Eve this weekend." Dario thought about how Sonny still wanted him to go. "I wish I could go, but I know that I need to be here."

"I think you should go," Manny shared. He felt bad for being the one to drive a wedge in Dario and Sonny's relationship.

"I think so, too." Arianna agreed with Manny. "Mama is fine now. The rest of us will be here."

"I disagree. Mama could die at any moment." Gabi eyed Dario hoping he wouldn't go with Sonny.

The conversation was put on hold when there was a knock on the door. Arianna stood up and answered the door. When she saw Marco on the other side, she stepped outside and closed the door. "Marco, what are you doing here?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around her chest to fight off the cold.

Marco showed that he had a tray of food in his hand. "I heard about your mother and I wanted to bring some food I made for you and your family."

Arianna took the dish from Marco's hands. She was really surprised he went through all the trouble to do this for them. "Thanks." She smiled as she changed the subject, "Have you jumped out of any planes recently?"

Marco laughed as he thought about parachuting out of Victor's jet. "I haven't. It wouldn't be the same without you." Marco watched Arianna as she began to laugh, but then shiver. "I should let you go, so you can head back inside where it's warm."

Arianna appreciated Marco even more. "Thanks again." She tried to give Marco a hug, but due to the dish and the fact that this would be the first time they hugged, it was an awkward hug. Both Marco and Arianna laughed about it, but didn't say another word as Arianna walked inside and closed the door.

As Arianna put the food in the fridge, Gabi watched Ari and asked, "Who was at the door?"

Arianna smiled and almost blushed, which she found interesting. "It was someone bringing food over to us for what happened to Mama." Arianna walked over to the couches and took a seat again.

Dario stood up as he thought about Sonny. "I need to get some fresh air."

Arianna watched as Dario made his way to the door. Manny watched him as well. "Make sure you wear a jacket and a hoodie. It's cold out there."

* * *

><p>After dropping Kate off at Bo and Hope's house, Stefano made his way to his sister's mansion. He told his driver to head back to pick up Kate and that he would just walk home from there. Walking into the mansion, he caught Maddalena by surprise. "I came over because I want to have a moment with you." Not giving his sister a chance to say anything, he carried on, "I know that you're surveying the family."<p>

Maddalena laughed at the thought. She was not going to let Stefano come into her home and accuse her of things – even if the accusations were true. "Oh brother."

"Stay away from my wife. I can tell you do not care for her," Stefano sneered.

Maddalena laughed again. "I wouldn't dream of it because you, my dear brother, are a lost cause."

Stefano gave his little sister a suspicious look. "What does that mean?"

"I have no reason to mess with Katherine because I can tell you really want to keep this one." Maddalena shook her head at Stefano. "You shouldn't be so paranoid. I do want to bring back the family to what it once was, but I am not planning anything evil to get it that way. Trust me when I say that the best way to bring the family back to what it was is to bring the family closer."

Stefano gave Maddalena an intuitive look. "Why does it appear to me that what you're really doing is trying to bring your enemies closer?"

Maddalena gave Stefano a look as if to ask if he was serious. "Are we enemies, Stefano?"

"We are family and everything that should come with that," Stefano answered. "It was good seeing you today, we should spend more time tomorrow. I'll see myself out. Merry Christmas." Stefano walked out and slightly slammed the door. Maddalena shook her head.

* * *

><p>In their bedroom, Chad and Will began to change. They had agreed that Sonny could take care of himself. Chad thought about his and Will's relationship and though they had seemed to work through some things, the fear that things would fall apart again still lurked in the back of his mind. Chad took off his shirt and pants. "Are we going to be okay, Will?"<p>

Will took off his shirt and began to unbutton his pants. "It seems hard for us to get back to where we were," he acknowledged. "But honestly we can't. We're in new territory and have to find a way to level everything."

Chad watched as Will took off his pants and smiled. "I know a way we can do that." Chad pulled Will close and began to kiss him. He then threw Will on their bed and continued to make out with him.

Will stopped them for a moment. "Are you sure you want to do this. We're going to be late if we do." Chad nodded and continued to kiss Will as he pushed his body against Will's. He ran his left hand down Will's torso towards Will's briefs.

Sonny made his way to Will and Chad's bedroom, knocked on the door, and walked inside. "Woah," Sonny let out as he saw Will and Chad in a compromising position.

Chad and Will quickly separated slightly embarrassed. "What the hell, Sonny? Why are you in here?" Chad grabbed a pillow to cover his body.

Sonny shielded his eyes. "I came in here because I was wondering if you two were leaving soon." Sonny really wanted to get rid of them.

Will picked up on the fact. "Why do you want us to leave so bad?"

"Well, I was thinking about taking a nap so I could sleep off this sick feeling and I knew I wouldn't be able to do that if I had to hear you two having sex." Sonny pointed to the wall both bedrooms shared.

Chad and Will began to laugh as they knew what Sonny was talking about. Chad turned to Will. "We should probably finish getting dressed. We don't want to be late."

Sonny thanked them and headed back to his room. Will took a deep breath to get his heart to calm down. He continued to get dressed and watched Chad get dressed as well. Even though he was glad that Chad still seemed interested in him sexually, a part of Will was happy that Sonny walked in. Maybe makeup sex would have only made things worse for them.

After getting dressed, Chad and Will made their way into their living room. They grabbed their keys and closed the front door of the apartment. Sonny walked back out holding his laptop and made sure no one was around. Placing his laptop on the coffee table, he took a seat on the couch. He hacked into Kinsey's cell service hoping to track her location through her cell's GPS.

After a while, he was able to find the last place she used her cell phone, but then began to panic as he realized that the last time she used her phone was when she called and hung up on him before he could say anything to her. He quickly grabbed his keys so he could go out and look for Kinsey. He knew he had to find her and his baby.

* * *

><p>At the Salem Inn, Mia sat on her bed in her room. She stood up and grabbed her keys and walked out of her room locking it behind her. She was still worried about Kinsey because she had tried to call her continuously. "I need to go out and look for Kinsey. Maybe something happened to the baby and she's in the hospital." Mia looked at her phone and contemplated calling Chad for help. She put her phone in her pocket deciding against including Chad because she didn't want him to know she came to Salem with Kinsey.<p>

Mia made her way to the elevator to take it to the lobby. When the door opened to the lobby, Mia's eyes wandered to the glass doors. She froze once she walked out of the elevator when she spotted Lucas Horton. "That's Will's dad," she thought to herself. She knew she could not let Lucas see her because he would tell Will that she was in town. She didn't want Will to know that fact yet because she still needed time to fix Chad.

Lucas began to head towards the elevator where Mia was, but right before he saw her, he decided to walk to the front desk to ask for more clean towels. Mia took a deep breath and walked past him and was able to leave the Salem Inn unnoticed.

* * *

><p>Back at the Dimera Mansion, Kate and Stefano had already arrived. EJ and Sami stood next to their kids. Sydney and Allie were sitting by the presents as Johnny stood up and jumped around the room to the Christmas music that was playing. Johnny stopped jumping around when Chad and Will walked into the room. He quickly made his way back to his sisters closing himself off from Chad and Will.<p>

EJ and Sami picked up on Johnny running away from them. EJ looked to Sami and whispered, "Samantha, we really do need to talk to Chad and Will, but now is not the right time." Sami agreed.

Chad looked down at Will's hand and grabbed it. Will held onto Chad's hand knowing that this was a way of making sure that things would be okay between them. Stefano, Kate, and Johnny all made note of it.

After a while, Maddalena showed up with Azzura and Ignazio. Stefano watched as she walked in. He was not pleased to see his sister as he thought he had made it obvious that he didn't want her to come over. Stefano made his way over, ignored his sister, and greeted Ignazio. "Merry Christmas, Ignazio. I am glad you could make it."

As soon as Chad saw Maddalena, Chad let go of Will's hand. Will turned to Chad wondering what just happened, but became conscious of the fact that Chad was not hiding their relationship from Stefano, but from Maddalena. He wondered why Chad would do that.

Ignazio made his way over to Chad and Will and shook their hands. "Merry Christmas guys." Chad and Will smiled at Ignazio and nodded their heads to him. Will then realized he never saw Ignazio at the Dimera mansion the night before. Ignazio took a step back, but continued talking, "It was crazy here last night. I couldn't believe it when that Hernandez woman passed out and had to be taken to the hospital." Ignazio knew he had to cover for his absence last night. He needed an alibi in case Kinsey's death somehow got back to him being on the pier.

Chad looked at both of them. "What are you talking about?"

Will looked at Chad and realized he was right about Chad not being there last night. He decided not to make anything of it. "Isobel Hernandez passed out last night. That's why Sonny and I went to the hospital earlier today. She's resting at home now though," Will responded. Will wondered if he and Ignazio just missed each other as it did sound he was there last night when Isobel fainted. Will turned to Chad and noticed he was surprised by the news of Isobel.

"That's good." Ignazio glanced back at his grandmother. "So are you two doing anything this week? I need a break from my grandmother and I really want to hang out with you two."

"Actually, Sonny, our other roommate, has planned a ski trip this week for his birthday and New Years." Chad patted Ignazio on the shoulder. "You should come."

Ignazio's eyes widened at the idea. "I've always been a little scared to try skiing."

"You should definitely come and give it a try." Will thought about how long it had been since he had gone skiing. "I could teach you and give you pointers if you want." Ignazio smiled and nodded his head.

EJ and Sami made their way to Maddalena and Azzura. Sami smiled, "I love your dress. You look gorgeous."

"Thank you, Samantha. You are too sweet," Maddalena said with a forced smile. Even though Sami was being nice, Maddalena had kept an eye on Sami and did not care for her. She looked over at Johnny and Sydney and thought that they were beautiful children – which in her book was the only good thing about Sami. The thing that bothered Maddalena the most about Sami was the fact that she was a Brady. Maddalena knew the history between her father and the Brady woman she was named after. Hearing that Sami was the splitting image of Colleen made Maddalena hate Sami even more.

Kate walked in and noticed how Maddalena was holding the attention of everyone. She stood next to Stefano and whispered, "Your sister can be annoying at times. I know she doesn't care for me."

Stefano turned and whispered back, "I have put my baby sister in her place. You have nothing to worry about." Stefano decided it was time to gather the family together to open gifts.

* * *

><p>Following the information he had gathered, Sonny made his way to the pier. He still couldn't believe that the last time Kinsey used her phone was when she tried to call him. He stopped and looked around wondering and hoping he would find her or some kind of clue. "Come on, Kinsey, what happened to you?" Sonny pulled out a flashlight to look the floor over and was close to finding a piece of Kinsey's broken phone.<p>

Sonny heard footsteps coming his way. He quickly raised his flashlight onto Mia. Mia had come out there to look for Kinsey as well as she wondered if Kinsey had decided to take a walk on the pier. As soon as the light hit her face, she quickly jumped and ran off. She recognized Sonny and didn't want him to know who she was. She also wondered if he might have done something to Kinsey.

Sonny froze for a second, but then decided to chase after her. "Wait! Don't run away!" Sonny tried to use his flashlight to make sure he didn't run into anything, but the faster he moved the harder it was to keep the flashlight steady. He thought he saw her make a sharp turn, so he made the sharp turn and ran into someone.

Falling on top of the person, Sonny dropped the flashlight causing it to roll away. Sonny tried to brace himself so that he didn't hurt the person he fell over. Looking into the person's eyes he quickly realized he had fallen on top of Dario. "Dario, what are you doing here?"

Ignoring the fact that Sonny laid on top of him, Dario answered, "I came out here for a walk." Dario looked into Sonny's eyes and smiled. "Can you get off so I can stand up now?"

Sonny blushed. "Yeah, sorry." Sonny stood up and helped Dario get back on his feet. "Are you okay?"

Dario brushed himself off as he answered. "Yeah, you caught me off guard there."

Sonny realized he had lost the girl he spotted. "You sure walked far if you came here from the Dimera guesthouse."

"I guess I had a lot to think about." Dario stopped dusting himself off and stood up straight. "So why are you out here?"

"I came out here to look for Kinsey. I'm really worried because Kinsey has gone AWOL." Sonny tried to calm his breathing. "I need to focus on this baby and I'm afraid that Kinsey might try to do something stupid."

Dario could tell how worried Sonny was. "Something stupid?"

Sonny scratched his shoulder. "I don't know. I think I should cancel my birthday and New Year's Eve ski trip because I need to stop being so selfish."

Dario got closer to Sonny and placed his hands on both Sonny's shoulders. One of his hands landed on the hand Sonny used to scratch his own shoulder. Dario looked at how their hands touched and decided not to make a big deal about it. "Sonny, you are the most unselfish person I know. It's amazing how much you think about others. We will find Kinsey and your baby." Dario then pulled Sonny into a hug. Sonny's hand that he used to scratch his shoulder went over Dario's shoulder as they hugged. "Stop beating yourself up. You deserve to think about yourself in this situation. I'm not going to let you cancel your ski trip. I'll do whatever it takes." Sonny rested his head next to Dario's as they continued to hug. He hoped Dario was right.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, after the opening of the last gifts at the Dimera Mansion, Maddalena, Azzura, and Ignazio returned home. Maddalena made her way to her office to think about her family. Azzura followed her to her office and took a seat across from her. "Signora, I can tell you have something up your sleeve as these Americans say. What is the next order of business?"<p>

Maddalena got more comfortable in her chair as she spoke, "I have two things on my agenda at the moment – well besides Colin and his helpers working on the new solutions." Maddalena paused for a moment. "The first is that I want you to get in between Samantha and Elvis. This might be biased, but I do believe you would make a better Dimera wife."

Azzura smiled at the thought. She did find EJ to be a really attractive man. "What is the second thing on your agenda?"

Maddalena looked down and began to take off her shoes. "My brother came to talk to me alone earlier. I told him that I wanted to bring the family closer because it was the best way to bring back the family to what it once was." Maddalena stopped messing with her feet and looked up with a smirk. "The best way to bring a family or a group of people together is through a tragedy. We must look for the perfect opportunity to strike." Maddalena's smirk slowly turned into a smile as Azzura looked on.


	33. Chapter 33 A New Beginning

**Chapter 33: A New Beginning – Monday, December 26th, 2011**

Chad walked into the apartment with takeout for lunch. Will's eyes lit up when he saw Chad walk in. "You're back!" Will then turned his head in the direction of Sonny's bedroom. "Sonny, Chad's here with food!"

Chad put the food on the dining room table and gave Will a hug. "No change in Sonny?"

"Sonny has been in his room all day pretty much. I guess he's still under the weather," Will shared before hypothesizing, "I have a feeling this really has to do with the baby and Kinsey."

Sonny walked from his room to where the other guys were. "Hopefully some food in my stomach will help me feel better." As everyone took a seat at the table and passed out the food, Sonny shared, "I'm going to tell Kai about the baby later today when Dario gets here."

"Dario? Why does Dario have to be here?" Chad asked.

"Just for support. I am not sure what's going to happen," Sonny let out. "Kai could want nothing to do with me."

Will looked at Sonny and sensed there was nothing he could say to make Sonny feel better about everything. He had tried before, but Sonny wasn't having it. "Well, I hope that things turn out better. Good luck."

Chad watched as Will tried his best to encourage Sonny. He thought about the situation Sonny was in and thought about his own feelings. Deep down Chad sort of wished that he was in Sonny's situation.

Will turned and noticed that Chad was deep in thought. "What are you thinking about Chad?"

"I'll tell you after lunch," Chad replied after breaking from his thoughts.

Everyone suddenly became quiet as they all started to eat. Sonny didn't want to say anything else about talking to Kai because the more he talked about it the worse he felt. Will watched Chad as he ate wondering if he knew what Chad was thinking. The timing told him it was about wanting kids, but Will knew he would have to wait. Chad went back to his thoughts.

Sonny looked up from his food when they were almost done. He couldn't stand the awkward silence anymore. "So what do you two have planned for today?"

"Will and I are going out to spend time together. Hopefully we can continue to work things out." Chad smiled at Will to let him know that he believed that they would.

Sonny smiled at the thought. "I'm so glad that you two can come together and actually talk through these things. Hopefully the same can be said for Kai and me when I tell him about the surprise baby." Sonny's thoughts then went to something related to his talking to Kai. "I also wish I could get in touch with Kinsey."

Everyone finished eating. Chad turned to Sonny. "How about you go relax before Dario gets here? Will and I can clean up and then head out."

Sonny stood up. "Thanks." As he headed to his room he wondered if he should try to find out where Kinsey was staying so he could confront her.

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Chelsea walked out from the back to put something back on the shelf behind the bar. As she was straightening the shelf up to make sure everything was back in order, Kate walked in and announced herself. "Chelsea."<p>

Chelsea turned around and tried to look like she was busy. "Grandma, what are you doing here?"

"Well, it's no longer Christmas, which means we get to talk openly about everything." Kate took her gloves off and gently tossed them onto the bar so she could take a seat.

Chelsea looked down at the bar. "Well, I'm working at the moment so I cannot talk right now." Chelsea grabbed a towel and began to wipe off the bar.

Kate got more comfortable in her seat and placed her purse on the bar. "Not a problem. We can talk while you work. I know you're a great multitasker." Chelsea didn't respond, so Kate decided to come out with it. "Did you come to Salem for another reason besides helping out your other grandmother here?"

Chelsea remained silent for a while, but stopped wiping down the bar. "There is another reason I wanted to come to Salem," she admitted. Chelsea really didn't want to say any more than that though.

Kate waited a while before asking, "Are you going to say anything else about it – like the reason?"

Chelsea returned to wiping down the bar. "I'd rather not because I want to forget about it."

Kate became frustrated with Chelsea's lack of cooperation. "If you want to move on from whatever happened, you should talk about what's on your mind." Kate waited a bit longer for Chelsea to give a response, but Chelsea didn't say anything else. "I'm just going to ask you point-blank then. Why are you not talking to your mother and what happened to your relationship with Max?"

Chelsea had tried to control herself from becoming angry, but she finally snapped, "Why don't you talk to your daughter about it if you want to know so bad?" Catching her breath and realizing she needed to walk away, Chelsea informed Kate, "I need to check on my 'other' grandmother. Oh, and a heads up, I am going to be a while. You might not want to wait around that long." Chelsea threw the towel under the bar and headed to the back.

Kate began to shake her head in Chelsea's direction. She looked down and grabbed her planner out of her purse. She was determined to get through to Chelsea and planned on waiting for her to come back out so they could finish their conversation.

* * *

><p>Arianna and Manny sat alone in the main room of the Dimera guesthouse, while their mother rested in her bedroom and Dario took a shower in the bathroom. Arianna decided to take the opportunity to talk to Manny about their mother and Rafe. "I know that you are still thinking about Rafe and how even though he did some horrible things, you still think of him as family – well because he is blood related to us."<p>

Manny froze and didn't know what to say to Ari. He feared that he would get another lecture similar to the one his mother gave him earlier. "He is still a part of us."

"I saw the look you had on your face when Mama talked to you. I really do hope you are getting the help you need." Arianna paused to collect her thoughts as she realized she was saying similar things that her mother said to Manny. "How is your treatment going? I'd like to hear your thoughts on it."

"Things are a bit different," Manny shared. "I feel that I have grown a lot already." Manny let out a small awkward smile, but then he turned serious. "I realized why Rafe had such power over me. You mentioned just now how Rafe is our brother and you know how important family became to me when I got clean from the drugs."

"Yeah, I know." Arianna let out to encourage him to continue.

Manny took a deep breath. "Growing up, I was the older brother because Rafe was given to the orphanage. In the role of the older brother, I believe that I failed a lot because I got you hooked on drugs and I set a very bad example for Dario and Gabi."

"Hermano, you know things weren't always like that…" Arianna started before Manny interrupted her.

"Ari, let me finish." When she nodded at him, he continued to explain. "Even though I cleaned up, I still felt like there was nothing I could do to make it up to the whole family. Then Rafe entered the picture. When he showed up, I believed I was never meant to be the oldest as Rafe really was the oldest. I let Rafe have the title that belonged to him in the first place – that way I wouldn't fail the family anymore. It was too much pressure for me that I blindly followed Rafe because I believed Rafe would be the one to save the family."

Arianna looked down for a moment. "It makes sense, Manuel. I can tell this facility has really helped you with a lot of things, but…" Arianna paused and looked up at her older brother. "You aren't the only one at fault in this. I wish I had been clean so that I could have helped you with all that pressure you felt. I was in a bad place, so I know that didn't help things either." Arianna grabbed Manny's hand and squeezed it. "I know you feel that pressure now in that you feel it's up to you to make things right alone. You don't have to do it alone because we are still a family and we will work together through this.

Manny began to tear up. He grabbed Arianna and pulled her into a hug. "Thanks Arianna. I needed to hear that.

Isobel had watched the whole scene unfold through her slightly cracked open bedroom door. She couldn't believe that this is what Manny was going through. She decided to close her door quietly so Manny and Arianna didn't know she had overheard. She had thinking to do.

After Arianna and Manny separated from their hug and remained quiet for a moment, Gabi walked in from outside messing with her phone. Forgetting to close the front door, she let out in frustration, "What the heck?"

Manny looked over at his sister and asked, "What's wrong Gabi?"

"I don't know if something is wrong with my cell because I can't get in touch with T." Gabi tried calling him again, but T didn't pick up. "Maybe he's avoiding me."

Arianna watched Gabi as she headed towards her and Manny. She stood up deciding she should close the door, but when she got there, she spotted Brady walking up towards the guesthouse. Arianna grabbed a coat, put it on, and went outside making sure to close the door behind her to meet Brady there. "Brady, what are you doing out here?"

Brady looked back to the Dimera Mansion. "I decided to come straight here so I didn't have to mess with EJ to see you." He lifted a covered dish in his hands. "I thought I would bring this over to you for what happened to your mother. I found out what happened."

"Yeah, she's inside resting now, so that's good, right?" Arianna asked rhetorically. She really didn't know what to say to Brady and decided to just take the dish that he brought over. "Did you make it?"

"No, I had our chef make it. It's delicious." Brady smiled before giving Ari a solemn look. "If you need help finding someone – a doctor, a specialist – to help your mother, I am willing to look for you, maybe make some calls."

"It's already too late for that. EJ looked everywhere and provided some of the best doctors, but even they couldn't stop the cancer from taking over like it did." Arianna tried to smile for Brady to let him know that she did appreciate the offer.

"Why did you go to EJ for help?" Brady asked showing a bit of jealousy.

"Really Brady?" Arianna asked with a disenchanted look. "EJ is my friend and he has helped me in the past with some things."

Brady looked at Arianna deciding he should step back a bit. "Can we be friends?" Arianna looked away unsure of how to answer his question. "Ari, I am sorry about what happened in the past. I should have believed you even if the evidence was stacked up against you thanks to Nicole. I am over Nicole and she's nowhere near Salem now to cause trouble for you or me."

Arianna looked up to read Brady. "I am not sure about both of your statements about Nicole. We can be friends, I guess since there really shouldn't be any harm in that."

Brady was pleased to hear that and gave Arianna a hug. "Well, I am glad we can be friends. I'll let you get back to your family." Brady let go of Arianna. "I'll see you later."

Arianna smiled at Brady. "Thanks again for the food your chef made." Arianna turned around and entered the guesthouse.

As Arianna put the food away, Dario walked out of the bathroom cleaned and dressed. Gabi looked over in his direction and watched as he grabbed his wallet and keys. "Where are you going, Dario?"

"I'm heading out to meet Sonny at his apartment," Dario answered as he found his phone in the couch. "I'm already running late."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Gabi asked candidly.

Dario put his phone in his pocket and gave Gabi a questioning look. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be a good idea?" Dario wondered if Gabi still had a personal problem with Sonny.

"Well, with how Mama is now – you know…" Gabi looked at Dario to hint at their mother's health. "Do I have to say it? Are you sure you want to be away just in case something happens to Mama?"

Dario shook his head at Gabi and couldn't believe she was acting this way. He believed that she was trying to guilt trip him into staying there, so he wouldn't go see Sonny. "¿Hablas en serio, Gabi? What happened to you? You seem so jaded." Dario waved goodbye to Arianna and Manny, grabbed his coat, and left.

Gabi began to shake her head as she thought about Dario and Sonny. She told herself that there was nothing wrong with her. She was perfectly fine.

* * *

><p>At Salem University Hospital, Daniel and Jennifer were enjoying a short break from work at the coffee station. After walking out of a patient's room, Lexie spotted them and walked over talk to them. With a smile, she asked, "Did I hear correctly about you two getting engaged over the holiday?" Jennifer quickly raised her hand to show Lexie the ring. Lexie grabbed Jen's hand to look at the ring. "It's beautiful, Jen." Turning to Daniel, she let go of Jen's hand and added, "You did a good job, Daniel. Congratulations."<p>

"Thanks, Lexie," Daniel smiled. He was on cloud nine for the most part as he never imagined he would find someone as wonderful as Jen to be with after everything he had been through. He looked at Jennifer and then remembered the way Jen responded to Colin on Christmas Eve. He felt like Jen was hiding something from him and felt a bit helpless.

Lexie suddenly received a text from Abe. In the text, Abe let Lexie know that he had one more meeting and then he would be done for the day. Lexie responded to Abe to inform him that her mother had Theo for the day. After putting her phone away, Lexie looked at Daniel and Jen and got an idea. "That was Abe and I just got an idea. We should go on a double date to celebrate your engagement at some point this week."

Jennifer looked at Daniel to make sure he was okay with the idea. "Yeah, that's a good idea. We should definitely do that." Daniel agreed.

Melanie and Nathan walked over after overhearing Lexie mention the word celebrate. "What are you celebrating?"

With a smile, Lexie responded. "Your father and Jennifer are engaged."

Melanie's mouth dropped as she made her way to Jennifer and her dad to hug them both. She then grabbed Jen's hand to see if she had her engagement ring on. It was the same one she found in the kitchen. "This is so pretty Jen!"

Nathan shook Daniel's hand to congratulate him, but also apologized. "Melanie told me what happened about your original plans, and I am sorry that I ruined them."

Not wanting Jennifer to know, Daniel smiled and lowered his voice. "We'll have to talk more about this later."

Unfortunately for Daniel, Jen overheard Nathan apologizing. "Why would Nathan feel the need to apologize? Did something happen?"

Nathan eyed Daniel and wondered if he should explain. "Well, the night that Melanie and I returned to Salem from Green Mountain Lodge, we ruined your night out with Daniel."

"My dad was going to propose to you at Chez Rouge that night, but then when we tagged along the plans had to be canceled," Melanie finished explaining.

Jennifer smiled and took Daniel's hand. "I guess I am to blame for that since I invited them." Jennifer winked before she continued, "I would have said yes even then, if you're curious." Daniel smiled and gave Jen a peck on the lips.

* * *

><p>Will and Chad sat on the bench that was now their new private place outside to enjoy each other and the peaceful view. They had sat there in silence to take it all in, but Will decided to break the silence after awhile by singing their song.<p>

While Will sang the lyrics of Run Away by BBMak acapella, Chad thought about the words Will was singing. He remembered when Will first dedicated the song to him and how they danced on the old Dimera yacht on their first date. Not thinking, he turned to Will and interrupted, "Will."

Will stopped singing and looked into Chad's eyes. "Are we going to talk about what was on your mind earlier when we were talking about Sonny being a father?"

Chad, filled with a bit of shame, admitted, "I was wishing I was Sonny."

"I figured that was what you were thinking about," Will shared as he placed his hand on Chad's hand to hold it. "Do you really want to have kids right now?"

"Well, I especially do around the holidays, but deep down I know that now is not the right time because I need to get so much in order." Chad looked down at their hands intertwined with the other. "Are you relieved to know that I don't want to have kids right at this moment?"

Will let go of Chad's hand and slightly distanced himself from Chad because he felt guilty. "I'm relieved," he admitted. "I feel bad for how I feel, but you need to know that I am more open to the idea when the future comes."

Chad sensed Will's guilt and knew that was why he turned away from him. "Don't feel bad Will. All that matters is that you are being honest." Guilt began to hit Chad, but before Chad could say anything else, Will's cell phone began to ring.

Will picked up when he saw that his mother was calling. "Hey mom."

"I'm glad you picked up. Is Chad with you by chance?" Sami asked. After Will said yes, Sami continued, "Can you and Chad come over tonight? Come over to the Dimera Mansion that is. EJ and I want to talk to you both."

Will looked over to Chad. "My mom and EJ want us to come over tonight. Can you make it?"

"I can't because I already made plans to have dinner with my aunt," Chad reminded Will.

Will remembered Chad telling him that earlier. "Chad can't make it, but I'll be there tonight." Sami agreed to just meeting with Will then and let him go after saying goodbye. After hanging up his phone, Will turned to Chad a bit worried. "I wonder if this is about Johnny."

* * *

><p>After his last meeting, Abe began to get his things together in his office, when Azzura walked in. Abe looked up and greeted Azzura, "Hello, Azzura, I'm afraid you've caught me at a bad time as I am about to leave."<p>

"Don't worry, mayor. This won't take long," Azzura assured Abe. She pulled out a check from her purse and handed it to Abe. "This is from Maddalena. It's a donation for the city."

Abe looked the check over and was in shock. "A… donation?" he stammered.

"Maddalena wants her name to be anonymous of course." Azzura watched Abe as he kept his eyes on the check.

Abe finally looked up. "Be sure to tell Maddalena thank you for the donation."

"Yeah, she really wants to set roots in Salem, and you don't have to worry about her being like her brother. She really is a good woman." Azzura looked around the office while Abe put the check in a safe place. "Your office is greatly decorated." She made sure to look his desk over.

"Thanks. Lexie had a huge hand in how my office was decorated," Abe smiled as he closed the safe again.

"I can tell that you and Lexie are really in love," Azzura smiled.

Abe grabbed his things so they could head out. "I am very lucky to have Lexie in my life." Azzura silently agreed.

Azzura followed Abe out to his car. "You have a good day, Mr. Mayor. Keep up the good work."

As Abe unlocked his car door and opened it, he responded, "Thanks again." Getting into his car, he smiled and thought about how Azzura seemed like a very lovely person.

* * *

><p>Sonny sat alone at the bar at the Cheatin' Heart. He kept looking at his phone, which sat on the bar, and tried to not stress out about calling Kai to tell him the about Kinsey's baby. The fact that Dario was taking so long to arrive made it harder for him. Sonny heard the door open and he thought Dario had finally arrived. "Finally." He turned towards the door and felt let down when he saw T walking in and coming towards him. "Oh. Will's not here, T."<p>

"I'm not here for Will. I'm actually here because I want to talk to you," T announced. Sonny gave T an inquisitive look because he wondered what T would have to say to him. Wondering about Kinsey and what Gabi had told him at the hospital, T asked, "Is it true that Kinsey's pregnant with your kid?"

"Yeah," Sonny admitted. He didn't see any reason to deny it now.

T still couldn't wrap his head around the news. "So that means you really did sleep with Kinsey? I'm sorry, but I am just really confused because you're gay."

Sonny wondered why T was so invested in wanting to know about this baby. Sonny found T's forwardness a bit offensive. Before he could try to explain, the entrance door opened again. Looking towards the door again, Sonny told T to hold his thought. Sonny let out a sigh when he saw Dario. When Dario got closer, he grabbed Dario's arm and pulled him even closer without thinking.

Dario immediately spotted T and stopped in his tracks causing Sonny to let go of his arm. "T, what are you doing here?"

T decided to keep his mouth shut about why he was there due to the fact that Dario was Gabi's brother. T decided to only share part of the truth, "I just came over to ask Sonny about something. What are you doing here?"

"I am here to support my friend," Dario quickly answered. "Sonny is going to call his boyfriend and tell him the news about the baby."

T stepped back as he didn't want to get in the way. "You can go ahead. I'll stand over here and keep my mouth shut."

Sonny stood up and looked down at his phone. His heart began to beat faster as the moment drew nearer. Dario walked over to Sonny and put his arm around Sonny's shoulders. "It's going to be okay, Sonny. You did nothing wrong here. She took advantage of you. Just explain the whole situation to Kai and he'll understand." Dario watched Sonny and could tell that his little pep talk seemed to help Sonny, but he felt somewhat awkward about pushing Sonny to be with Kai.

Sonny grabbed his phone and began to dial Kai's number. He tried to stay as positive as possible. "I have to tell Kai the truth now about the baby!" he reassured himself as he finished dialing.

As the phone started ringing, Victor walked into the Cheatin' Heart because Justin and Adrienne had told him that he was going to call Kai today. "Sonny, hang up that phone before you make a huge mistake." At this point, Justin and Adrienne walked out from the back.

Sonny quickly hung up without thinking and looked to his great-uncle. "What are you doing here, Victor?"

As T and Dario watched on, Victor, who was holding onto a file, replied, "I have news that will change everything for you. The baby that Kinsey is carrying is not yours."

Confused about how Victor would know, Sonny questioned, "How do you know?"

"Since you came over to tell me the news about Kinsey being pregnant, I decided to do some digging." Victor showed Sonny the file. "The plan that I had set up with Kinsey was never for Kinsey to drug and sleep with you. I am not even sure I believe that is what happened, but I talked to Kinsey's first pediatrician and found out that Kinsey is actually further along than what she claimed to be. That means…"

"…the baby was conceived before the night Kinsey and I went out," Sonny finished Victor's thought. Sonny couldn't believe it and turned his back on everyone to think what this all meant.

"She had to have slept with someone else before that night," Victor added.

This revelation hit everyone. Sonny quickly made sense of everything and turned to T. He now knew why T was so interested in Kinsey and the baby. "You're the father."

T felt like he had been hit by a car. Denial hit first even though he knew it had to be true. "We were careful when we fooled around. Is it really possible?"

Dario could not believe that T was the real father of Kinsey's baby. He remembered what happened between T, Gabi, and Kinsey over the summer, but also remembered that T claimed he had broken things off with Kinsey before. He stood there unsure of how to respond.

Victor took the opportunity to start apologizing to Sonny for what happened. "I am so sorry for the way I let you down. My plan was extremely foolish and I would really like to make it up to you."

Still a bit lost in the revelation that he wasn't going to be a father, Sonny looked up at Victor. "I don't know what to say to you right now. I need more time to let this all sink in."

Victor glanced at Justin and Adrienne and decided that Sonny thinking it over was good enough for now. He backed off. "I'll give you space again, but call me if you ever need anything." Victor then remembered one more thing. "I lost tabs of Kinsey, but it appears she fled Salem when I told her the jig was up. Wherever she is, she isn't in Salem." Victor looked at everyone one last time and left the Cheatin' Heart.

T made his way to an empty chair in shock. He had wondered earlier about the possibility of the baby being his, but now knowing for sure made him feel a bit uneasy. "What am I supposed to do?"

Dario watched T. "You need to come clean with Gabi."

T suddenly felt threatened and got up. He didn't really want to have this conversation with Gabi's brother. "I'm going to go and figure out what I need to do."

Dario stopped T when he walked past him. "I understand that all of this happened before you got with my sister, but please do the right thing by her." T nodded his head and left. Dario turned his attention to Sonny and noticed that Sonny had now taken a seat at the bar.

Sonny felt Dario take a seat next to him. Sonny looked over at Dario with mixed feelings. "I'm feeling confused as ever. What does this all mean now?"

Without skipping a beat and with a smile, Dario replied, "It means you will have an awesome birthday weekend!" Justin and Adrienne walked over and agreed.

Sonny's face lit up at Dario's comment as he let out a small smile. "I guess you're right." Sonny placed his hand on Dario's leg and squeezed it. Deep down, though, Sonny wondered how Kinsey was able to disappear.

* * *

><p>From the stairs, Maddalena watched her grandson, Ignazio, walk towards the front door. As she made her way down, she called out his name to make him stop from leaving. "Where are you going?"<p>

Ignazio turned around. "I was headed out to check on Chad."

"There is no need for that. Stay here because Chad is coming over later for dinner, remember?" Maddalena finally made her way to the foot of the stairs. "Besides, I need a little time to talk to you about something."

Ignazio gave his grandmother his full attention like he always did since she came into his life. "What do you want to talk about?"

"What ever happened to that girl who spied you out on the pier?" Maddalena asked giving him a look to remind him she doesn't forget anything.

Ignazio feared this moment. He knew he would either have to lie to Maddalena or tell her the truth. He thought about how he told Azzura that he would take care of the situation. "You have nothing to worry about as I have taken care of it." Ignazio hoped his answer would suffice.

Maddalena decided not to push the conversation any further. "I trust you." Changing the subject, Maddalena looked towards the basement door. "Is Colin in the basement?"

"Yes," Ignazio answered swiftly, thankful that his grandmother changed the subject.

"I will see you later for dinner." Maddalena headed towards the basement and disappeared.

Knowing he had to make sure he did a better job about the Kinsey situation, Ignazio headed towards the wing where Ric's bedroom was located. Walking into Ric's bedroom, Ignazio found Ric relaxing on his bed. "We need to talk," Ignazio let out calmly.

Ric pulled himself off of his bed. "Ignazio, what is it?"

Knowing he couldn't leave Kinsey's body to chance, Ignazio asked, "Where did you bury her body?"

Ric became concerned as he didn't want to tell Ignazio. "Nazio, stay out of this. You don't want to know." Ric looked into Ignazio's eyes hoping he could convince him to drop this. "I don't want you to get into trouble. I know that you are disappointed in me and most likely lost favor as well, but I don't think you should know."

Ignazio hated that he and Ric were in this position. "If you do not tell me where you buried her body, I will end you in the same way you ended that girl." Ignazio glared at Ric convincingly. "I need to make this right so that I can make sure no one ever finds the body."

"I will tell you, but not now." Ric hoped Ignazio would be okay with that. "What exactly do you have in mind in taking care of this?"

Ignazio decided to let this slide as it helped him with his new plan. Placing his arm around Ric's shoulders, he responded, "We will talk soon as I have come up with a better way to take care of the body, but we will have to wait for the perfect moment."

Meanwhile in a secluded part of the basement, Maddalena found Colin working on the prototype and new solutions. "Please tell me good news, my son."

Colin turned around and smiled at Maddalena. "I have finally figured out a way to make the prototype quicker, but we need to do some tests after we have created the new solution to make sure there are no side effects."

Pleased, Maddalena patted Colin on the back. With an interested look, Maddalena asked, "Have you found a way to make it slower?"

"We are still working on that," Colin admitted, "but I feel we are close to finding the key since we have found the way to make the prototype faster acting."

Azzura made her way over after arriving home. "Signora, I met with Abe and did as you asked."

Maddalena was happy to hear that. "Good."

"What do we do now?" Azzura asked.

"We wait." Maddalena turned back to Colin with a wide smile. "Soon you'll have everything you need to run tests on the new solution."


	34. Chapter 34 The Secrets of a Father

**Chapter 34: The Secrets of a Father – Monday, December 26th, 2012**

Sonny's cell phone began to ring. Sonny picked it up to see who was calling. "It's Kai," Sonny informed Dario.

"You should answer. Talk to him. You don't have to tell him about Kinsey and her baby anymore." Dario tried to remind Sonny he no longer had anything to worry about.

Sonny answered his phone with his best happy voice at the moment. "Hey Kai. What's up?"

"I'm sorry I missed your call. I'm out shopping on my own and I guess I didn't hear the phone ring," Kai said on the other side.

Deciding not to tell Kai that he hung up before Kai had the chance to hear his phone ring, Sonny responded, "It's okay."

"So why did you call?" Kai asked.

Sonny glanced at Dario, stood up, and moved to the other side of the room for some privacy. "I just really miss you. My life has been complicated because of an outside source, but things seem to be settling down and clearing up."

"I miss you, too, Sonny. I'm also glad that things aren't so complicated anymore. I sensed that something was going on when I talked to you yesterday." Kai and Sonny remained silent for a moment not sure what to say next. Kai finally broke the silence. "I wish I could be there for your birthday, but my parents want me to stay at least another week since I have nothing to work on back in Salem. My parents are all about the work. I don't think they understand I do have a personal life in Salem, too. I guess part of that is my fault since I am keeping us a secret from them."

From the couch, Dario watched Sonny as he talked to Kai. His thoughts escaped him as he wondered what might have happened if Kinsey never came to Salem and lied to Sonny's face at the Cheatin' Heart. He wondered if Kinsey ran off because Victor was onto her and then realized Kinsey most likely lied for money.

Dario's thoughts returned to Sonny when he saw Sonny smile. Dario questioned how much Sonny really loved Kai. He wondered if Sonny had really been able to move on. Dario could still feel that same connection between them that he had tried so desperately to fight over the summer. Dario gave Sonny a loving look, but Sonny did not see it.

Dario's phone fell on the floor causing Dario to snap out of his thoughts. Dario mentally shook his head at himself for having those thoughts as he picked his phone back up and placed it on the table. He knew these thoughts and ideas that took control of him were nothing but trouble. Sonny and Kai loved each other and were a couple. Dario didn't want to complicate things for Sonny again after what happened with Kinsey. Dario suppressed his thoughts and feelings because he and Sonny could never happen.

Sonny and Kai began to wrap up their conversation. "I'll call you back on your birthday," Kai promised. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Sonny returned as his eyes turned to Dario and lingered for a moment. He had noticed that Dario was quiet this whole time. After hanging up, Sonny placed his cell in his pocket and walked over to Dario. "Now that things have been cleared up in my life, maybe you should go back and take care of your mother."

Just then, Chad and Will walked in. Will immediately asked, "How did things go with Kai?"

Dario stood up and smiled. "Sonny didn't have to tell Kai anything because it wasn't true."

"Wasn't true?" Chad asked not following.

"I found out that the baby Kinsey is carrying isn't my baby. My great-uncle came over and informed me that she's too far along for he or she to be mine." Sonny sighed as he let that truth sink in more.

Will looked over at Chad and then back to Sonny. "That's crazy. I guess that's a big load off for you."

Sonny nodded his head. "I still want to find Kinsey so that I can confront her about her games and find out why she did this to me," Sonny admitted leaving out that he still wondered if they did sleep together that night. He wanted to confront her about that as well.

Dario sensed that Sonny didn't want to let this go. He believed Sonny should not dwell on it and let it go so he could go back to living his life normally. He figured not talking about it might help Sonny move past it. Changing the subject, Dario asked Will and Chad, "What are you two up to?"

Chad glanced at Will before replying. "Will and I need to get ready. We're going separate places though. I'm going over to my Aunt Maddalena's for dinner."

"I have to meet up with my mom and EJ to talk to them about something." Will looked at the time. "We should probably get ready."

"Don't let us stop you," Sonny said.

"I'm glad the truth came out," Will shared as he put his arm on Sonny's shoulder before he and Chad made their way to their bedroom.

Once Chad and Will had left the room, Dario turned to Sonny realizing that Sonny would be alone if he left, too. "Do you want me to stay and keep you company. I don't mind."

Sonny bit his lip wishing he could allow Dario to keep him company. He knew that it wouldn't be good to keep Dario away from his family when things seemed to be fixed in his life – at least on the outside. "You should be with your mother." Giving Dario a hug, Sonny continued, "Thanks for your support. It really means a lot, and I am glad we can be friends."

Even though hearing 'friends' hurt Dario a bit, he agreed. "Anytime, Sonny. I'll see you later. Call me if you need anything." Dario grabbed his phone from the table and left. Sonny eyed the front door for a second before heading to his room.

* * *

><p>Feeling a bit impatient, Stefano walked into the Brady Pub and found Kate sitting at the bar. "Why are you still here? I expected you to finish talking to Chelsea awhile back."<p>

"I am waiting for Chelsea to come back out so we can finish our conversation," Kate explained.

Stefano heard voices coming from the back. "Well, I think I hear her coming out now.

Chelsea walked from the back with Caroline. When she saw that Kate was still sitting at the bar, she couldn't believe it. Trying not to let the surprise get to her, Chelsea decided she needed to get rid of her maternal grandmother. "I don't know why you're still here. There's nothing to say about what happened in London." Chelsea knew that wouldn't keep Kate away, so she added a warning, "You know if you keep pushing this, it will only make things worse."

Stefano looked at Kate while placing his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Katerina. We should head out so we can make it to our reservation on time."

Kate decided she should go. As she stood up from the bar stool, she looked her granddaughter over. "Chelsea, I wish you would confide in me. We will talk later, and I will find out what happened there to make you want to run back to Salem so bad."

Chelsea gave Kate an annoyed look and watched as Stefano and Kate walked out. She turned back to Caroline hoping they could just get back to work, but noticed that Caroline had a look on her face.

"Is it true that you came to Salem because you were running away from something in London?" Caroline asked a bit worried.

Chelsea hated the fact that Kate's questions now had Caroline suspicious and asking questions. "Kate is just worried because I haven't talked to my mom in a while."

Caroline kept her eyes on Chelsea. "I talked to Max the other day and he asked about you. Did something happen between the two of you?"

Chelsea didn't want to continue talking about this because she had moved on. "Technically, no." Chelsea turned around and headed to the customers to make sure they didn't need refills on anything. She wanted to avoid all personal conversations at this point.

* * *

><p>At Salem Place, T stood at the outside section of Java Café. His thoughts focused on Kinsey and the fact that she was carrying his baby. He glanced at his phone and wondered if he made the right decision to tell Gabi to meet with him to tell her the news. "This is all happening so fast," T said to himself. He decided he needed to get out of there, but stopped when he spotted Gabi walking towards him. He knew there was no turning back.<p>

Gabi walked up to T giving him a hug and kiss. "I'm glad you finally called me back. I was beginning to worry." Gabi was so happy to have back the one good and constant thing in her life.

T struggled with keeping eye contact with Gabi. "I'm sorry for going MIA. I just had some things I needed to take care of."

Gabi sensed something was off with T as the worry began to creep back into her mind. Looking away from him, she began to dwell in her own pain and sadness. "Tad, if you're going to tell me something bad, don't. I can't take any more bad news. Not now."

T thought about what Dario had said to him earlier. Dario told him to do the right thing and tell Gabi about the baby. With Gabi coming out and asking for no more bad news, T questioned if he should wait to tell her later when things weren't so rough for her. "Well, I don't know. You need to know this, but if you want me to wait…"

Gabi looked up at T and could see fear in his eyes. It seemed to be a more personal problem. Gabi realized she was being selfish and needed to hear T out because he might need help. Fearful, Gabi grabbed T's hand and said, "Tell me. I don't want you to feel the pressure of keeping something from me that you're clearly struggling with."

T looked over and spotted an empty table. "Sit down with me." After they took a seat at the table, T began to explain. "You know that I have a past with Kinsey, but I ended that when things started with us. You know that Kinsey is back and that she told Sonny that he is the father of her baby." Gabi nodded her head and continued to listen. T looked away for a moment contemplating his decision to tell Gabi, but finally looked to her because if he didn't tell her now, it would only cause more problems later. "Kinsey lied. I am the real father of her baby."

Gabi let out a small laugh. "That is impossible," she quickly denied. "You told me that you two were careful when you fooled around, remember?"

"We were, I promise," T reaffirmed. "But as far as I know I was the only guy messing around with Kinsey. We grew up together. She told me everything."

Gabi read T and saw that he was serious about this. "How did you find this out in the first place? Did she tell you? …because I don't trust her!"

"Well, I found out Kinsey is further along than she claimed to be when she told Sonny that she was having his kid. It makes sense that means I am the real father because of the timeline." T looked at Gabi and sensed she was upset. He didn't want to hurt her like this. Grabbing her hand, he tried to pull her back to him. "This doesn't change anything between us. I still care about you and want to be with you."

Gabi quickly removed her hand from T's grasp and stood up. "Yes it does! It changes everything!" she yelled back at him causing a scene. Noticing her mistake, she felt embarrassed for the both of them. "I need space," she shared in a quieter tone.

T stood back and watched Gabi rush off. He looked around as everyone continued to stare at him. Feeling lost and unsure of what to do, he headed back to his car. He pulled out his phone and attempted to call Kinsey. Unfortunately, the call went straight to Kinsey's voicemail. "Where are you, Kins?" he said to himself after hanging up.

* * *

><p>Jennifer arrived home from work and spotted JJ and Abigail talking in the living room. Making her way over to the desk, she placed her purse and other things on it before turning around to face her kids. "JJ, please do not run off because I really need to talk to you."<p>

JJ decided to reject his mother's request by jumping off of the couch. Luckily for Jen, Abigail immediately pulled him back down onto the couch. Annoyed, JJ rolled around to get away from Abigail. Turning to his mom, he said, "I don't really want to talk about Daniel."

Jennifer let out a sigh and took a seat next to JJ. "This isn't about Daniel. I want to talk to you about your father." Jennifer wondered how much she should tell JJ because she wanted to avoid making Jack look like a bad guy to his son even if he hurt her so much. "Your father and I are no longer married. We're divorced."

JJ glanced at his sister for confirmation and realized that she already knew. "He actually signed the divorce papers?"

Jen shook her head. "No. The judge granted me a divorce because your father never returned and has ignored any form of contact with us. I've tried everything to reach him, but he is caught up with his blog and walkabout." Jennifer realized that she should not have added that last piece. She didn't realize how angry she still felt about what Jack did to her and the kids.

JJ began to shake his head at Jen as he became upset. "How could you do that to dad?"

Abigail quickly stepped in, "Are you really making mom the bad guy here? You should be asking, 'How could dad to this to her?' Do you realize…"

Jennifer interrupted Abigail to stop her from saying anything else. "Thank you, Abigail, but I should be the one to explain this to JJ." Jen watched as Abigail leaned back on the couch and nodded. Turning her attention back to JJ, she continued, "JJ, I know that this is rough to hear this, but you need to hear me out. I am your mother, and you still need to respect me and your father. I still care about your father and hope he comes back to us, but I had to move on emotionally because I cannot love a man who is not present."

"So you needed someone who you could physically touch?" JJ didn't understand how all of this could happen. "Do you even know anything about Daniel? He could be a big mistake. You shouldn't move on too fast because I know dad still loves you and he wants to be with you. This Daniel guy seems like a complete loser, and I don't trust him one bit."

Abigail could not sit back and let JJ talk to their mother like this. "JJ, Daniel is a good guy and I trust him because he saved Mom's life."

JJ turned around and gave Abigail a confused look. "Saved mom's life? What are you talking about? Mom's life never needed to be saved." JJ turned to his mother and realized she wasn't denying what Abigail said. "What's going on?"

Jennifer looked down remembering that she decided not to tell JJ about what happened almost a year ago in the prison infirmary. "It's complicated. I would have died if Daniel and Melanie, Daniel's daughter, had not performed surgery. Someone stole my actual heart and they were the ones to put it back in."

JJ couldn't believe that this happened to his mom and he had no idea. "Is this a joke?" He looked into his mother's eyes and knew she was quite serious. "Mom?"

Jennifer tried to smile and took JJ's hands in hers. "I'm okay now. I haven't had a problem come up and I am still healthy." Jennifer could tell that JJ was full of questions and concern.

"And dad didn't even think about coming to Salem to see if she was okay," Abigail stated interrupting their moment.

Jennifer gave Abigail an impatient look causing her to stop. "Please."

The doorbell rang. "I'll get that. You two continue your mother-son moment." Abigail stood up and made her way to the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Josh on the other side. "I didn't know you were coming over."

Without skipping a beat, Josh informed Abigail his reason for coming over unannounced. "Abby, I am tired of pretending that nothing is different between us. Talk to me, please."

Abigail glanced back in the living room and spotted JJ and Jen hugging on the couch. Turning back to Josh, she grabbed his hand and led him outside so that they could have some privacy. Once the coast was clear, she pulled her hair back behind her ear. "Yes. Things are different between us Josh and you already know why." Abigail leaned in and lowered her voice. "You proposed to me in New Zealand, remember?"

"Of course I remember. I was there on one knee with the ring in my hand." Josh rolled his eyes a bit because he wanted to move past this.

"You need to stop pushing all of this and relax," Abigail suggested.

Josh thought about how he saw Abigail with Chad in the town square on Christmas. "I know you saw me when you were with Chad. You two seemed so close and you didn't even seem bothered by the fact that I saw you two together. You completely dismissed me. Did you say no to my proposal because you still want to be with Chad?"

"No," Abigail immediately answered. "You already know why I declined."

Josh turned around as he remembered what Abigail said. "You told me that you were not ready to make that step and that you wanted to continue with the fun part of dating." Turning back to Abigail, he continued, "It doesn't even feel like we're dating now. I'm not into being friends with benefits. I like you more than that and I know that you feel the same way – well, I thought that you did."

"Josh, I already told you that I don't have feelings for Chad. That's the reason I didn't make a big deal about it when you saw us together. We're just friends." Abigail took Josh's hand in an attempt to reassure him that Chad was not a threat to their relationship.

Josh didn't let go, but still didn't buy Abigail's excuse in full. "What is the real reason, Abby? I know you, and I can tell there's something you're not telling me."

Abigail gave Josh a serious look. She had to get him to believe her that she was telling him everything. "You're overreacting, Josh. Look, I understand that I hurt you when I rejected your proposal." Abigail looked down at the fact that they were still holding hands. "Will we ever be able to move past this?"

Hearing Abigail's question worried Josh. His fear caused him to back pedal. "I want to be with you, Abby, no matter what. Maybe I am making a big deal about this because I'm still dealing with the rejection. I'm sorry. I'll take what I can get because I love you."

Abigail froze when she heard his final three words. "Josh, I care about you, too."

Josh looked away from Abigail for a moment before he decided to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I should go. I'll call you later so we can set up a date if you want."

Abigail felt bad for not being able to say it back. "I do, Josh. I want to date you." Josh left without another word. Abigail let out a sigh as tears began to fall down her face. She felt awful for keeping Josh at a distance, but she knew she had to. She had to stay in control.

* * *

><p>Will arrived at the Dimera Mansion to meet with his mother and EJ. Once he walked in, he noticed that his father was there as well. "Dad?"<p>

"I hope you don't mind that I asked your father to be here as well," Sami tried to clear things up. "He needs to be here."

A little confused, Will looked at his parents and EJ and asked, "Isn't this about Johnny?"

"It's about the family," Sami answered.

EJ remained silent for a moment to allow Sami and Lucas to explain to Will why they wanted to meet. Lucas walked over to Will and put his arm around his son. "Will, this talk isn't meant to make you feel awkward or ashamed of who you are, but we all agreed that this needed to be talked about because we know that you and Chad really care about Allie, Johnny, and Sydney."

"We do," Will shared.

EJ decided he would share his piece. "We are all in a hard place because we are not accustomed to the position we are in," EJ admitted. "Yes, we realized with Johnny's behavior that something needed to be done. Part of his acting out is normal for his age, but we really do believe there's another part that isn't. He hasn't responded well to you, Chad, Samantha, or myself recently because of what happened at my aunt's mansion next door." EJ paused for a moment before posing his next question. "What exactly did Johnny possibly witness when he looked under the table?"

Embarrassed, Will looked down in shame as he answered, "Chad and I were touching each other inappropriately." Will didn't want to get technical because answering vaguely was bad enough. Looking up he continued to admit his and Chad's fault in the situation, "Chad and I weren't thinking because we were clearly only focused on ourselves in that moment and not on what was happening around us. It's not an excuse and I sincerely apologize for our mistake."

Sami and everyone else sensed Will's sincerity and shame. "Will, we all know that you regret what happened, but we asked you to come here because we wanted to talk to you and Chad to see what you were comfortable with."

"Comfortable with?" Will looked to his parents for clarity.

"We think it would be a good idea if you and Chad came over later in the week to have a talk with Johnny and Allie to sort of introduce the idea that you and Chad are together." Sami looked at Will to see what he thought, but he remained silent.

"It's also important because Johnny has this idea in his head that you and Chad no longer want to be a part of the family," EJ added.

Lucas, who still had his around Will's back, pulled him closer to reassure him that this could be fixed. "We need to be sure that your siblings know that you two still love them and want to be a part of their lives because it seems they are getting ideas from outer influences who buy into the false stigma that every gay person is selfish and destructive. I overheard a conversation between Johnny and Allie about how you didn't want to be their brother anymore."

Will couldn't believe that Johnny and Allie really believed that. Feeling overwhelmed, Will took a breath before responding. "I'm not too sure about all of this. I'll need to talk to Chad about it."

"I know this is a big deal," Sami emphatically told Will. "You don't have to explain what being gay means necessarily. This is a team effort and it's important that EJ, Lucas, and I tell the kids what homosexuality means. What we need you and Chad to do is explain that you guys love each other and want to be together while maintaining that you want to remain family with them." Sami hoped she was able to soothe any stress Will might be feeling. "You and Chad are in love, correct?"

For some unknown reason to Will, he had to think about Sami's question. The reason hit him as he realized too much had happened recently that made him question a lot of things about himself and Chad. He then realized that regardless of their problems he did love Chad and believed Chad loved him back. "We do love each other." Will forced a smile, but his nerves and doubts remained his mind. Deep down he wondered if their feelings for each other were enough to keep them together.

"Like your mother said, we are not doing this right here and now. We want to do it later this week, so that should give you time to talk to Chad and discuss what you want to do." EJ looked at the time realizing it was past dinnertime. "We will keep in contact with you two throughout the week about a good time to talk to the kids and consider a good format of approaching this."

"I will talk to Chad later," Will told them before adding under his breath, "I wish Chad could have been here."

"Why couldn't he make it?" EJ asked curiously.

Will realized his parents and EJ heard his slip. "He's having dinner with Maddalena."

EJ became intrigued by the news. "I hope Chad is making a good impression."

* * *

><p>Chad arrived at his aunt's mansion for dinner and was greeted by Ignazio first. "Hey, Ignazio." Chad knew that he barely knew Ignazio, but he had fun with him. He struggled though with the idea of having dinner with his Aunt Maddalena. He remembered that his father warned him about her and that she might be a danger to Will if she found out they were together. He needed to approach this dinner with caution.<p>

"I'm glad you could make it tonight. Hopefully you can get to know more about this part of the family." Ignazio winked at Chad. "Come on, everyone else is seated at the dining room table." Ignazio put his arm around Chad and led him to the dining room.

As soon as Chad walked into the room, Maddalena and Azzura greeted him. Maddalena smiled convincingly as she thought about how she would get to know Chad better as they ate together. "I am happy I get to spend time with you." Maddalena motioned to the seat beside her as she sat down. "Sit down."

Chad took the seat and watched as everyone else took a seat. Ignazio sat on the other side of him. Chad felt a bit awkward sitting down with them alone. He began to wish that someone else had come with him, but he knew that if he brought Will with him Maddalena might start asking questions.

After dinner was served, Maddalena turned to Chad. "Are you religious?"

Chad recognized that Maddalena was pretty much asking if he wanted to pray before they ate. "I don't mind praying, but the family I grew up in never had time for church and usually left me alone to do whatever I wanted – unless I got into trouble of course."

Ignazio smiled and elbowed Chad lightly. "Trouble maker, eh? We have something in common." Chad smiled back at Ignazio.

Maddalena looked to Ignazio. "Why don't you bless our food, Ignazio?"

Maddalena's request surprised Ignazio, but he did not let the surprise get to him. "Of course, nonna." Ignazio bowed his head to the table and blessed the food rather quickly. He didn't remember this being part of the plan, but he figured that his grandmother wanted Chad to see them as religious to convince Chad that he could trust them.

As they began to eat, Maddalena decided to return to their conversation before the prayer. "Going back to troublemakers, I am sure you already know that your father was quite the troublemaker in the past. He's gotten a little soft since then, but you would be amazed at the things he did over the years." Maddalena shook her head at the thought. "Don't misunderstand me because I love and care for my older brother, but sometimes I question his decisions and actions."

To soften the tension and help Chad not feel like this dinner was about attacking his father, Ignazio leaned into him a little. "I am guilty of making poor decisions as well."

"I think we all are guilty of making poor decisions in our lifetimes. It's what makes us human," Azzura shared. She smiled at Ignazio remembering how Maddalena asked them to play up their guilt of making poor decisions so that Chad would not realize the real purpose of Maddalena inviting Chad over for dinner alone.

"You're right, Azzura," Ignazio nodded. "I know that no matter how poor my decisions in life, my nonna will always have my back."

"That's great. That's important to have in a family," Chad acknowledged. His guard started to drop as he began to really connect with all three of them. He turned to Maddalena wanting to return the conversation to Stefano. Through EJ and Lexie he heard about some things, but he believed that talking to his dad's sister might help him understand his father better. Curiosity was really getting the best of him. "I'm intrigued to learn more about my father. What kinds of things did he do growing up?"

As Azzura and Ignazio shared smiles, Maddalena thought about the things Stefano did. "Even though he was at our father's side for most of his child life, he did have his moments where he would run off and do things alone. Our father and mother used to get so upset with him when he'd disappear for days." Maddalena laughed at the memories. She hoped her laughter would continue to convince Chad this was just normal family conversation. She wanted Chad to decide for himself that Stefano was not a good person to be related to.

"Things did get darker though after our father died." Maddalena paused so she could take a bite of her food. "I don't know if you are familiar with a woman named Marlena Evans."

Chad immediately recognized the name of Will's grandmother, but did not want to state the connection out loud. "I met her at Sami and EJ's wedding this year."

"Your father used to be – at least he doesn't act so now – obsessed with Marlena. It was really unhealthy and he often put her life in danger." Maddalena smiled before continuing, "It's good that your father has found Kate. He's gotten over it, but I was really worried for him when he kept holding her hostage and kept her away from her family and the men she did love."

Chad wasn't sure what to think. He couldn't believe that Stefano would do that to Will's grandmother, but then remembered feeling the tension between Marlena, John, and Stefano at EJ and Sami's wedding. "I guess I'm happy that he has Kate now, too." Chad wondered how many more secrets his father had. "Did he do anything else?"

"Well, he had a big influence on André, my son. I think that was the hardest part for me." Maddalena looked down at her food purposely so that Chad would notice she had lost her appetite because they were discussing her son.

Chad remembered what EJ and Stefano told him about André and his experience. He remembered his father telling him that Maddalena dismissed André because he fooled around with another guy. He was curious to hear what Maddalena had to say about it. "I've heard a little bit about André." Chad decided to leave it at that so that Maddalena could fill in the rest. He thought about Will and knew he needed to make sure he was careful for Will's sake.

"I'm sure you've heard of all the horrible things my father did. I am so glad I never knew him," Ignazio spit out.

"Ignazio Dimera, do not talk ill of you father!" Maddalena demanded. "I know that your father abandoned you and did awful things, Ignazio, but if he had proper guidance, he would have turned out a better person." Maddalena began to tear up as she thought about André. "I'm sorry that you have to see this Chad. I really let my son down and wish he had stayed with me so I could tell him that I still loved him. Unfortunately, Stefano had his way with André." Maddalena stopped herself. "I'm sorry for saying that about your father. I know I am at fault for André's downfall, too."

Chad's heart began to fill with sadness and concern as he could feel and hear the sadness in Maddalena's voice. She was able to crumble Chad's defenses as Chad remembered hearing what others had to say about his father. He thought about what his father did to Tony and how Stefano allowed André to take Tony's place. "It's okay. It's clear you loved your son and like Azzura mentioned earlier, we all make mistakes."

"But my mistake ended with my oldest son's death." Maddalena turned to Azzura for comfort.

Azzura stood up and put her arm around Maddalena. "Signora, maybe we should talk about something else." Azzura looked to Chad. "As much as Maddalena wants to blame Stefano for brainwashing André and turning him into this evil soldier, deep down she blames herself for letting André runaway."

Even though he wanted to know if Maddalena had really killed the boy that André fooled around with, Chad turned his attention to Ignazio and then to Maddalena. "We can talk about something else. We can talk about Italy. I've always wondered what it would be like to visit there."

"It's really nice," Ignazio shared. "I miss it sometimes."

Maddalena motioned to Azzura to take her seat again as she wiped the tears from her face with her napkin. "Maybe Ignazio can take you there to visit some time. He knows all the places people your age like to go." Maddalena smiled at Chad to let him know that she liked his subject change. "Growing up in Italy wasn't always easy, but it is home."

"Why did you decide to move here?" Chad asked.

Maddalena did not expect Chad to ask that. "I suppose I wanted to come here and make peace with your father before the opportunity was lost to us. Time continually moves faster as one ages."

* * *

><p>Kate and Stefano walked through Horton Town Square to get to the new restaurant Stefano wanted to take Kate for dinner. As they made their way past the fire, they ran into Celeste and Theo. Theo smiled and headed for Stefano. "Nonno!" he let out giving Stefano a hug.<p>

"Theodore, my boy. It's so good to see you," Stefano beamed at the fact that Theo came to him.

"Come on Theo, we need to go if you want to get a hot chocolate at the Bradys before bed," Celeste took Theo's hand so they could leave.

"Oh come on, Celeste," Kate started, "I'm sure Theo can have a longer moment with his grandpa."

Celeste looked Kate and Stefano over and decided to have her own moment with them. "So how is Maddalena doing now? She misbehave any recently?"

Stefano stood his ground and knew that Celeste still saw his sister as a danger. "I don't think your reading on the dangers of my sister will come true. We shared words and I made sure she understood where I stand."

"And where does she stand if you don't mind my asking?" Celeste countered.

"She says she wants to bring the family back together. She can do that and that is all she can do," Stefano claimed. He turned to Kate and kissed her cheek. "We are safe."

Celeste looked down at Theo and saw that he was distracted. Looking back up she smirked a bit at Stefano. "You may have been able to convince your sister to stay away from your wife, but you should make sure that Maddalena does not cause harm to your children." Celeste looked back down at Theo and realized his attention was on them again. "We should go." Celeste led Theo away as Theo said goodbye.

Kate grabbed onto Stefano's arm wondering if Stefano really had to interfere with his sister so that she did not go after Kate. "Do you buy into any of Celeste's warnings?"

Stefano thought about Celeste's past warnings. He knew she had a good record at predicting things even though they played out differently from what she claimed would happen. Turning to Kate, he patted her hand. "Don't worry about it, Katherine. I am keeping an eye on my baby sister." Deep down he wondered if his sister would really attempt to harm any of his children.

* * *

><p>Maggie was baking in her kitchen when someone started knocking on her backdoor. She quickly washed her hands and dried them as the knock sounded urgent. When she opened the door, she quickly asked, "Are you okay? What's going on?"<p>

Mia walked into the kitchen after making sure no one else was around. "I'm scared, Maggie and I don't know what to do about Kinsey disappearing."

Maggie swiftly closed the back door and made her way to Mia to attempt calming her down. "Mia, you're okay. You're safe here. Now tell me what has got you so afraid?"

Mia hated that she had to tell Maggie about her connection to Kinsey, but knew that she could trust Maggie with this information. "I told you I came to Salem with a friend. That friend is Kinsey. We came together and shared a room at the Salem Inn to cut costs. The problem is that I haven't heard from Kinsey since Saturday night when we had dinner together."

"I thought you were supposed to be at your mother's house Saturday evening?" Maggie posed.

Mia knew that Maggie would ask about that. "I needed to watch out for my friend Kinsey because she would have had Christmas Eve dinner alone and my mom wouldn't let her come with me."

"I know why you came back to Salem, but why did Kinsey come back?" Maggie asked.

Mia had to think of a fake answer fast, "Kinsey really missed Salem and when she found out I was coming, she decided to come, too. She hates it where her family moved. Her family is not in a good state at the moment either."

"Well, have you called Kinsey's family? Maybe she went back home or has talked to them since Saturday." Maggie wanted to make sure Mia covered all her bases. "What makes you think something happened to Kinsey?"

Mia looked through her pockets and pulled out a piece of Kinsey's cell phone. She had gone back to the pier earlier. "This looks like a part of Kinsey's cell. I found it on the pier and the last thing she said to me was that she wanted to go for a walk outside."

"Have you called the cops?" Maggie began to get a bit worried. She didn't want to show it though because she didn't want Mia to feel worse than she already did.

"I haven't because I thought I would've heard from her by now." Mia began to pace. "I'm scared to call the police because I don't want to get caught up in the investigation. I don't want to get the bad news that something has happened." Mia stopped pacing and turned to Maggie. "Can you talk to the cops for me because I just know that my mother is going to think the worst like she always does. I'm just now getting my mother back on my side."

Maggie put her hand on Mia's shoulder. "Mia, you need to calm down. You're thinking too much. We can call the cops together. I'm here for you."

Mia backed away from Maggie and shook her head. "I'm not sure that is a good idea." Suddenly the doorbell rang from the front door causing Mia to jump. "I have to go. I can't be seen."

Maggie gave Mia a look and thought that Mia was extremely paranoid. She had never seen her like this. "Mia, you are safe here. You don't have to worry about anything. Just stay in here and I'll go see who it is."

"I have to go now," Mia insisted. "I can't stay – I'm sorry."

Maggie knew she couldn't change Mia's mind. "Well, come back as soon as you can." Maggie watched as Mia walked out the backdoor and sighed. She questioned if Mia was in some serious trouble.

The doorbell rang again. Maggie headed to the front door and found Victor standing there. "I hope I am not interrupting anything," Victor said calmly.

"No, come in, Victor." Maggie eyed the back of her house while closing the front door after Victor walked in. "What do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Kiriakis?"

"I came to check in on you," Victor shared with a pleasant smile. "I also came because I want to talk to you about my situation with Sonny because you have always been able to get me out of these types of messes."

"What's going on with Sonny? I've heard rumblings, but I am not 100% sure I know everything." Maggie made her way to the sofa, took a seat, and patted next to her so that Victor would have a seat.

Taking a seat, Victor informed Maggie about how he hurt Sonny and used Kinsey as a tool to help Sonny realize he liked girls. He also told her about how Kinsey came back into town pregnant. "She claimed that Sonny was the father of the baby, when the truth is, he's not."

"He's not?" Maggie questioned wondering how he could know that for sure.

"Well, I did some digging and she is further along than she claimed. She conceived the baby before Sonny was even on her radar. I emailed Kinsey telling her I was getting proof together that she lied on Christmas Eve and told her to stay away from Sonny. I thought just a little warning like that would keep her away from him altogether." Victor paused thinking about how he never heard back from Kinsey. "It appears she decided to skip town."

Maggie thought about her conversation with Mia and how Mia believed she found a piece of Kinsey's cell phone on the pier. She figured that Kinsey must be okay and what Mia found on the pier was just a coincidence. Wanting to be certain though, Maggie asked Victor, "Can you make sure that Kinsey is okay?"

"Why do you need to know?" Victor asked.

Deciding to leave out the fact that she talked to Mia, Maggie replied, "I am worried because that's who I am. It will be good to know that she and the baby are okay."

"That poor baby." Victor took Maggie's hand and smiled. "I love that you are so caring and think about everyone. I promise I will look into it more."

"Thank you, Victor," Maggie beamed.

Letting go of Maggie's hand, Victor continued with his dilemma. "What else do I need to do to show Sonny that I do care about him?"

"Just be there for him when you can," Maggie suggested.

"Well, Sonny's birthday is this week and I'm trying to think of a good gift to give him." Victor looked to Maggie if she could think of something meaningful.

"Have you thought about what Sonny wants more than anything that is not materialistic that will show Sonny that you accept and love him?" Maggie asked giving him a huge hint as the direction he should be going.

Victor immediately got an idea. "I've got it!" Victor stood up and gave Maggie a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. I have to go."

Maggie stood up confused as to what Victor had planned. She wanted to ask, but Victor left in a hurry. She shook her head at Victor, but smiled.

* * *

><p>Back at Maddalena's mansion, everyone had finished dinner and talking. As they all headed towards the front door, Chad gave Maddalena a hug. "Thanks for inviting me." Chad let go of Maddalena and thought about what she shared with him about his father. He wondered if he could really trust his father when he banished Tony and destroyed André's life.<p>

Maddalena couldn't help feel a bit guilty for deceiving Chad, but she knew it was a necessary evil. "It's important that our family becomes close again."

Chad smiled and appreciated the fact that Maddalena was trying hard to bring everyone closer. "I agree. I'm sure we'll get to talk more." Chad said goodbye to Azzura and Ignazio and left. He had planned to visit his father at the Dimera Mansion before heading home, but after what he had discussed with Maddalena, Ignazio, and Azzura, he decided to just go home.

After Chad was gone, Ignazio turned to his grandmother. "I think that went well. I could tell that Chad had a lot more on his mind when he left."

Maddalena smiled and nodded her head. "I think we accomplished our mission tonight, but it's not over. I think you should do more digging to find Chad's weakness."

Ignazio thought about Will immediately. "I feel that I am close to finding that out and doing something about it."

Pleased with Ignazio, Maddalena decided to move on to his other mission. "Have you spent time with EJ?"

"Well, Chad and Will invited me to go out-of-town with them this weekend, but I will make it a priority to talk to EJ tomorrow about when EJ is free so I can spend time with him before I leave on that trip." Ignazio looked at his grandmother hoping she would be pleased with his answer.

"I trust you," Maddalena replied. "I am going to bed now. Azzura, we will talk first thing in the morning about your objectives."

Azzura bowed her head to Maddalena and watched as she headed up the stairs. "Well, Nazio, it seems your plate is rather full. Do you think you can handle it all?"

Ignazio rolled his eyes at Azzura. "This is about the girl, isn't it?" Ignazio didn't give Azzura a chance to answer because her face said it all. "My nonna trusts me and I promised to take care of it."

"How?"

"I'm going to have Ric move the body so that no one could ever tie the body back to us." Ignazio didn't want to reveal too much of his plan in case anyone overheard. "I'm also going to tell Ric that we are sending him back to Italy because we can't take that chance of him staying in Salem after what he did."

Azzura walked over to Ignazio and patted him on the head. "You're about to lose your best friend. I hope you know what you're doing."

Getting a tad defensive, Ignazio shot back, "I have learned a lot over the years. Never get attached to anyone is one of the lessons I have had to learn."

"Oh, I know you have learned a lot. You are interesting to watch because I can tell you love playing mind games," Azzura teased. "One has to wonder if you'll ever get over playing and find time to settle down so Maddalena can have more great-grandchildren."

"I'm too busy to even think about meeting someone," Ignazio replied shaking his head at the thought. He had never considered settling down with anyone before this moment. "I don't see you settling down anytime soon."

Azzura let out a small laugh. "It won't be that way if your grandmother has her say in things," Azzura claimed as she walked away thinking about EJ. Ignazio became intrigued, but let it go. Shaking his head, he headed up the stairs to head to his bedroom.


	35. Chapter 35 Help Me, Help You

**Chapter 35: Help Me, Help You – Tuesday, December 27th, 2011**

The next morning, Chad, Will, and Sonny enjoyed breakfast that Sonny made for all of them. Chad turned to Sonny and smiled. "What are we going to do when you become some hot shot doctor and you're too busy to make us breakfast?" Everyone laughed as Sonny shrugged his shoulders. "Have you made all the reservations needed for later this week?"

"I still need to make one more call. We are going to use the family cabin, but I might need to rent or buy a few more beds so that everyone has a place to sleep." Sonny didn't expect a lot of people to come, but the number seemed to grow by the day. Sonny also couldn't stop thinking about Kinsey.

Will sensed that Sonny still felt the hurt from what Kinsey did to him. He knew it was somewhat bittersweet for him to find out he wasn't going to be a dad. "Chad and I want to help in any way possible because you shouldn't have to plan your own birthday celebration."

Sonny took a quick bite and responded, "You guys don't have to worry about that because it's pretty much already planned."

"Who's going?" Will asked as he took a sip of orange juice.

Sonny looked up as he thought about who had confirmed. "Chelsea, Abigail, Josh, Nathan, Melanie, you two, Ignazio, and T."

Chad thought it was weird that Gabi wasn't coming. "That sounds like a good group. Is there anyone missing that you want to go as well?"

"I wish Dario could go," Sonny immediately answered. "I also wish Kai could come." Sonny thought about both Dario and Kai and frowned. "I doubt the possibility that either will make it. I really miss Kai."

Chad and Will looked at each other wondering if there was anything they could do. Both had discussed earlier in their bedroom after waking up what they could get Sonny for his birthday, but neither came up with anything that could bring Sonny back up from everything that happened to him since Kinsey returned to Salem.

Sonny finished eating and looked at the guys. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head to my room so I can work on finding Kinsey."

Will wondered if Sonny's continued focus on Kinsey was healthy. "Are you sure you want to do that? You're no longer connected to her."

Sonny stood up and grabbed his plate to put it up. "Yeah, someone needs to look out for that baby. Kinsey also needs to own up to what she did to me. I need definites, not hearsay."

Chad stopped Sonny from taking his plate. "Will and I will clean up. Do what you have to do." Chad had decided earlier that maybe if he helped Sonny in any way he could then maybe he could use it as a distraction from the things that were in his mind. It seemed to work for Will. Chad didn't want to live in his mind because it only seemed to make things worse.

"Thanks. I'll see you guys later." Sonny put his plate down and headed to his room to call his parents.

Will turned to Chad after the coast was clear. "I'm worried about Sonny. I'm not sure him looking for Kinsey is a good idea. What if he never finds her?"

"I think we should let him do what he needs to before we all head up to the cabin this weekend. This weekend we can help him get back to his old self by helping him have the best birthday weekend ever." Chad stood up and began to stack the plates on the table. With Sonny gone, Chad began to think about his dreams. He glanced at Will a few times and remembered the dreams where Will's life was in danger. He felt a bit annoyed that he had not dreamt in a while, but then figured it could be a blessing. Maybe they were just dreams and nightmares.

"Yeah, we need to come up with something to surprise Sonny in a good way. He planned his whole party. We have to bring in something he won't expect." Will helped Chad clear off the table. Suddenly, Will's phone made a sound. Will grabbed his phone and saw he had a text. "This is random." Will read the text and then turned to Chad. "Chad, look at this."

"What's that about?" Chad asked after he read the text. He had something to keep him out of his head again.

"Let's finish here, so we can head out and see." Will replied to the text and put his phone back down. He continued to help Chad clean the dining room and the kitchen as fast as possible.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, Abigail walked down the stairs to grab her things. Jennifer walked out of the kitchen to talk to her daughter. "Oh good. You're down here. I just finished breakfast and was about to head upstairs to let you know."<p>

"I'm not eating breakfast," Abigail let out as she grabbed her keys from the desk in the living room.

Jennifer got a bit frustrated. "Why not? I wanted to make a big breakfast for my two children and now you're not going to eat it? Where are you going?"

"I am meeting Chelsea at the pub, so I can talk to her about something." Abigail made sure she had everything she needed in her purse.

Before Abigail could leave the house, Jennifer stood in Abigail's way. "Wait. I noticed Josh stopped by yesterday when I was having that talk with JJ about your father. He didn't even come in. Is everything alright?"

Abigail rolled her eyes. "Yes. Josh and I are fine."

"I don't believe you. I hope you know you can talk to me about this if you want," Jennifer pleaded. "I know something happened because when you both came back from New Zealand you two were both different."

Abigail grew impatient. "Mom, I just said we are okay. In fact I am meeting Josh for brunch at the pub. That's why I am not eating here." Abigail could no longer hide her impatience at it was written on her face and voiced in her tone. "So can I go now?"

Jennifer sighed and moved out of Abigail's way. "Sure. Just be careful, please. Call me if you need anything."

"I'm going to be okay," Abigail shot back as she walked out of the house. Jennifer frowned as she wished Abigail would open up to her.

* * *

><p>Chelsea walked out from the back of the Brady Pub to make sure everything was going smoothly out front. She turned her head towards the back and slightly yelled, "Abigail is supposed to stop by, grandma. I'm going to be out here for a while. Let me know if you need anything." Chelsea made her way to the bar to check on things.<p>

After a while, Abigail arrived at the Brady Pub. She walked over to the bar with a somewhat fake smile. "Hey Chels, I decided to come here a bit earlier because I am meeting Josh for brunch here soonish."

Chelsea moved to the front of the bar and sat on a stool. Abigail followed suit. "So how are things with you and Josh?"

Abigail thought about her conversation with Josh the day before. "I think things are finally going back to where they are supposed to be." Abigail thought about her mother, Daniel, Nathan, and Melanie. "With everyone getting engaged, I am hoping I'll be able to keep Josh and me where we're suppose to be."

Chelsea pulled her head back because she didn't follow Abigail completely. "What is that supposed to mean? Did something happen?"

"I'd rather not delve into details," Abigail quickly answered hoping to change the subject. "Are you still going on the ski trip?"

Chelsea nodded her head as she sighed. "I already need a break from Salem because people are asking all these intrusive questions about my life. I need to get away for a few days."

Abigail grabbed Chelsea's arm and pulled her towards her. "I am so glad you are coming." Abigail smiled as she thought about how Chelsea could help her take small breaks from Josh on the trip for when things got too serious between her and Josh.

Chelsea turned around when she heard the door open. Spotting Nathan and Melanie walking in, Chelsea turned back to Abigail. "Are they going this weekend?"

"Yeah," Abigail said. "Is that going to be a problem for you?"

Chelsea glanced over and saw that Nathan and Melanie were ordering drinks. She still could not believe that Nathan and Melanie were engaged, let alone together. Lowering her voice, she admitted to Abigail, "I don't know if I can remain silent about what I think about their relationship if I have to spend so much time with them this weekend."

Abigail grinned. "I'll help you with that. I'll make sure you don't get into too much trouble." Abigail winked, but suddenly got quiet when Melanie walked past them to use the bathroom.

Nathan headed over with his hands in his pockets. "Hello ladies."

"Hey, Nathan. Chelsea and I were just talking about you!" Abigail smiled widely and then spotted Josh walking into the pub. "Josh is here! I'll see you two later." Abigail got up and walked over to Josh.

Chelsea could not believe Abigail just did that to her. "Hey," she let out softly feeling really uncomfortable.

Nathan gave Chelsea a curious look. "You were just talking about me?"

Chelsea tried to hide the awkwardness she currently felt. "Yeah. We were talking about the ski trip this weekend. When are you heading up to the cabin?" she covered.

"Melanie and I are heading up Thursday because I have to work." Nathan pulled his hands out of his pockets as he asked, "When are you heading up? You're going, right?"

"Yeah, I'm heading up with Abigail, Josh, and Josh's friend on Thursday, too. I want to make sure everything is in order for my grandmother before I leave her for the weekend," Chelsea shared trying to avoid eye contact with Nathan.

Nathan sensed Chelsea's feeling uncomfortable. "I can tell there's something on your mind and I wish you would just say whatever it is you want to say," he managed to let out.

Chelsea bit her lip knowing she should avoid speaking her thoughts out loud. She thought about her past with Nathan and how close they used to be. They could be really honest with each other in the past, but now things were different. Chelsea spotted Melanie walking over and forced a smile, "Melanie, you're back. I need to get back to my grandma. Enjoy your drinks."

While Chelsea headed to the back, and Nathan and Melanie grabbed their drinks, Abigail and Josh sat at a table together. After they ordered their food, Abigail tried her best to keep the conversation on light topics that had nothing to do with having a deeper relationship with Josh. She remembered how her mother had tried to talk about Josh before she left the house. "We are going to have so much fun this weekend. I bought you something that I think you'll enjoy – well, I think both of us can enjoy."

Josh became excited. "I can't wait to see whatever it is." He looked into Abigail's eyes and wished he could tell her that he loved her, but knew she didn't want to hear it. "I heard about your mother and Doctor Jonas getting engaged. Are you happy?"

Abigail frowned a bit as she thought about it. She was happy for her mom, but it depressed her for some reason. Forcing a smile, she tried to hide the fact of how much it did bother her. "Yeah, I know they love each other, so it's good for them. Same as Nathan and Melanie."

Josh gave Abigail a weird look. He wondered why Abigail brought up Nathan and Melanie. As he thought about it though, he wondered if Abigail was hinting that she didn't love him and that's why she rejected his marriage proposal. Josh knew better though. He wondered why Abigail wasn't allowing herself to love him back.

* * *

><p>Isobel sat with her two daughters at the table in the Dimera guesthouse. All three were cutting up vegetables and other things for lunch and dinner later. "It's so nice to be here together like this. I feel like it's just any other day with my daughters – like the old days," Isobel shared.<p>

"If you need to take a break, Mama, Gabi and I will understand," Arianna told her mother.

"Yeah, we don't want you to overdo it and end up in the hospital again," Gabi added.

Cutting up tomatoes and apples is not too much for me," Isobel insisted. "Let me enjoy this."

Dario made his way over to his sisters and mother. "Do you need anything?"

Isobel stopped what she was doing and pulled out a piece of paper. "I started a list earlier. I'll add a few more things so you can go to the market and get them." Isobel began to write on the piece of paper.

Manny decided he needed to get out as well. "I'll join you, Dario. I could use some fresh air." Dario nodded his head to let Manny know he was okay with him joining.

Isobel finished and handed the list to Dario. "You two boys don't get lost." Isobel smiled and returned her focus on what she was cutting. After Dario and Manny left, Gabi's phone made a noise. Knowing it was T, Gabi decided to ignore it because he had tried to get a hold of her since she walked away from him in Salem Place. Isobel eyed Gabi and then her daughter's phone. Annoyed she let out, "Why are you ignoring your phone? It has been ringing a lot since last night."

Gabi glanced at her phone and tried to explain away why she was ignoring it. She didn't want to make it a big deal. "It's just a text message, Mama. I can respond to it later."

Arianna was with her mother on this one. "The other times it wasn't just a text a message. Your phone rang and rang last night and early this morning." Arianna glanced at Gabi's cell. "Who are you avoiding?"

"I'm avoiding T," Gabi admitted. She hated herself for letting that slip. She stopped what she was doing so she could just read the text and get it over with so her mother and sister would stop grilling her about her life. In the text, T asked Gabi to just talk to him because he wanted to understand what was going on between them. Gabi put her phone down without responding.

Isobel watched her daughter and could tell that she was upset with T. "Do you want to talk about it, Gabriela?"

"No."

"Well, if you don't want to talk about your boyfriend, then I guess I will start my own topic." Isobel focused on cutting tomatoes for a moment as Arianna and Gabi watched her. Both wondered what she would want to talk about. "One regret I have about dying is that I won't have son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws, or grandchildren before I die. I always wanted to see my kids have their own families before I died."

Gabi and Arianna looked away. Both began to feel depressed. It hit Arianna hard because she thought about how she could have given her mother what she wanted if things had worked out with Brady. "I wish you could get to see that, too, Mama. Love seems to be a curse for all of us."

Arianna's reply affected Gabi even more as she thought about her problems with T and how he was going to be a father of someone else's baby. Gabi looked to Arianna and shook her head. Both decided not to say any more so that the conversation wouldn't continue.

* * *

><p>At the Kiriakis Mansion, Brady was on the phone, when Justin and Adrienne walked in. Brady quickly ended the phone call to find out why they were there. "How are things going with the family?"<p>

Adrienne squeezed Justin's hand and let go. "I am here to just get some more of my things so I can take it back to the hotel Justin and I are staying in." Adrienne turned around and headed up the stairs.

Justin walked closer to Brady as he thought about his phone call with Sonny earlier. "Sonny called earlier asking for help."

Brady looked down and glanced up to Justin. "Help? Help with what?"

"He wants me to see if I can find out where Kinsey was staying in Salem." Justin gave Brady a look hoping Brady could help.

"Victor isn't here," Brady replied knowing that Justin usually got help from Victor about these types of things. "He's actually leaving town later today as he has some business to take care of out-of-town."

Justin took a seat on the couch as he knew it would be a while before Adrienne came back down. "That's weird. Was this a last-minute trip?"

Brady walked over to the mini bar to pour himself a drink. "So Sonny called you for help because he can't find the girl that's carrying his baby?"

Justin realized that Brady didn't know the truth about Kinsey. "Actually, Brady, Kinsey lied to Sonny. Your grandfather, Victor, found out that Kinsey isn't carrying Sonny's baby and informed Sonny, Adrienne, and me about it yesterday."

Brady was about to take a drink, but paused and lowered the glass from his hand. With a bit of shock in his tone, Brady replied, "That must have been a relief for all of you."

"It was a huge weight lifted on all of us. It appears that Victor is willing to do anything these days to help Sonny." Justin tried to smile, but he could not. "Sonny is still thinking about the baby and why Kinsey lied to him though. He's still very much stressed I think."

Brady chugged his drink quickly and placed the glass on the table. "I can put someone on finding where Kinsey's staying."

"Thanks, Brady. I would really appreciate it." Justin gave Brady a handshake. "I think Sonny could really use some peace of mind." Justin sighed as he thought about Victor. "So do you know where Victor is heading later?"

"Not sure," Brady admitted before adding, "I know it's an international flight though because he had his passport in his hand when he left earlier." Justin placed his hand over his mouth as he found that intriguing. He didn't know what to make of the fact that Brady had no idea where Victor was headed.

* * *

><p>EJ walked down the stairs to give Lucas some time to talk to Sami and his mother about Allie and Will. EJ walked into the living room and found his father resting in his chair. "Father, I'm glad I get to talk to you alone."<p>

Stefano propped his head up from the back of the chair and opened his eyes. "Oh? What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Just wanted to update you on some things that I think you need to know." EJ took a seat on the couch, crossed his legs, and rested his right arm on the top of the couch. Stefano lifted his head as if to tell EJ that he was listening and to go ahead and talk. "Samantha, Lucas, and I have decided that it's time to tell Johnny and Allie about Will and Chad's relationship."

Stefano lifted his body into a straight position as he continued to sit in his chair. "Are you sure that is a good idea? You don't want to confuse the kids with all that, do you?"

EJ blinked a bit and lifted his torso from the couch removing his right hand from the top of the couch. "The kids are already confused about all of this – well, at least Johnny is. For some reason Johnny thinks that Will and Chad hate him and want nothing to do with him."

Stefano tried to relax again as he realized there was no chance of convincing EJ that this was a bad idea. A part of him decided to believe this was all a farce though. "What do Chad and William think about all of this?"

EJ relaxed again as well. "Not completely sure. Samantha, Lucas, and I talked to William about it last night. He seemed open to the idea and said he would talk to Chad about it since Chad couldn't make it last night before dinner."

Stefano rested his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes. "Why couldn't your dear brother make it? Isn't he still on break from school?"

EJ waited a moment before answering. "He was next door having dinner with your sister, Maddalena."

Stefano immediately tensed up, raising his head and opening his eyes. "What?" Stefano was clearly not happy to hear that Chad had gone over to his sister's mansion for dinner. "If he was so close, why didn't he stop by and at the least say hello last night," Stefano shared with EJ as his thoughts began to consume him. "I wonder what Maddalena hopes to accomplish by getting close to Chad."

EJ became confused about what his father was saying. "Why would your sister have an ulterior motive with Chad?"

Stefano got up and walked over to his desk. "I can't shake this feeling that Maddalena came to Salem for another reason," he admitted as he bent over on his desk. "I also fear what she might do if she were to discover that Chad and Will are together."

EJ became concerned and asked, "Do you believe she is a threat to Will and Chad?"

Stefano lifted himself off the desk and turned to EJ. "I will make sure she is not!"

Lucas, who stood at the bottom of the stairs, overheard Stefano and EJ talking about Maddalena, Will, and Chad. He questioned whether he should head back upstairs to talk to Sami and Kate about this, but decided he would do so later when no one else was around. Lucas headed for the door and opened it to leave, but found Ignazio standing on the other side.

"Who are you?" Ignazio asked wondering if Lucas was someone he needed to know.

"I'm Will's father," Lucas answered as he walked out of the mansion. He figured Ignazio was one of Stefano's henchmen. "If you'll excuse me, I have something to take care of."

Ignazio watched Lucas walk away and found it interesting to meet Will's father. Walking in, he closed the door behind him and made his way towards the living room. Spotting Stefano and EJ, he smiled. He didn't really care for Stefano, but he hoped that he and EJ could get closer because EJ did nothing wrong as far as he knew. "Salve!"

Stefano turned to face Ignazio with a smile. He loved having someone around who could speak Italian. "Salve! Ignazio, what we can do for you?"

Ignazio first went to Stefano and EJ and made sure to shake their hands. "I wanted to talk to Elvis about working for the family business. I wanted to work under you, Elvis, as I want to settle more here in Salem."

EJ looked at his father intrigued. Stefano was intrigued as well. "EJ, you and Ignazio here should schedule something for Thursday. That will be a great time to show him what we do."

EJ smiled and turned to Ignazio. "We should meet early on Thursday. Are you free then?"

"Yes, I should be able to do that," Ignazio answered as he thought about going out-of-town for the weekend. He needed to be sure to check in with Chad and Will. "I will have to make a phone call and I'll be sure to confirm our meeting time later if that is okay."

"That is fine," EJ responded.

"I am very excited as I am really interested in learning more about my great-grandfather's legacy." Ignazio shook Stefano's and EJ's hands again. "I will leave you two to finish what you need to. Arrivederci."

EJ watched as Ignazio left and turned to his father. In a lower and softer tone, EJ asked, "Do you think Ignazio is a threat?"

Stefano watched the entrance into the foyer and then glanced up to meet EJ's eyes. "Anything is possible."

* * *

><p>At Salem University Hospital, Jennifer, Daniel, and Lexie were discussing their dinner plans for the night. Daniel clasped his hands together and smiled. "It looks like we are going on a double date tonight. I feel like I am back in high school," he joked.<p>

Jen slowly nudged Daniel with her elbow. "Your body tells me that you're more of a man than a high school boy." She was clearly in better spirits because she was with Daniel.

"On that note, I'd like to ask for an extended break with my beautiful fiancé," Daniel raised his eyebrows at Lexie causing her to laugh.

"Well, your patients need you, don't they?" Lexie smiled back.

Colin walked over to them because he sensed they were having fun. "Do you two need a room?" he asked Daniel and Jen with a smile. Jennifer glared at Colin and Daniel immediately picked up on it. He decided not to say anything.

"I am so glad you came over Colin," Lexie started. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Shoot," Colin said.

"I was wondering if you could pick up another shift because Nathan will be out-of-town this weekend and we have one more shift that needs to be covered." Lexie hoped Colin would agree to it.

"I would need to look at my shifts and the shift's time that you want me to pick up." Colin glanced at Jennifer and Daniel. He wanted to tease them some more, but realized Lexie needed to talk to him about this now.

"We can go to my office." Lexie turned to Daniel and Jen. "I'll see you two later." Lexie and Colin disappeared into the hall.

After they were gone, Daniel watched Jennifer for a moment. "It's time we had that talk. Not here of course, but maybe before we meet Lexie and Abe for dinner tonight."

Jennifer's eyes widened a bit. "Yeah, sure. We can talk at my place." Jennifer tried not to make it obvious, but she swallowed hard because she feared what Daniel wanted to talk about. It seemed rather serious.

* * *

><p>Manny and Dario walked out of the fresh market in the Horton Town Square holding grocery bags. "I'm glad we could find everything here. Mama will be happy that everything we got is fresh." Manny looked at his brother and noticed his mind was elsewhere. "What are you thinking?"<p>

Dario snapped out of his thoughts and answered, "I was just thinking about Mama. I hope that she will be able to stick around longer than what the doctors told her."

"I do, too." Manny looked down and thought about how he wished he didn't have to go back and finish his treatment. Guilt still burdened his heart. "We just need to keep praying." Manny spotted an empty table and placed the bags he was holding on the table.

Dario watched his brother take a seat. "What are you doing? We need to get these groceries back to Mama."

Manny looked down at the chair next to him. "I just want to talk to you for a second. Come and sit down." Dario placed the bags he had in his arms on the table and took a seat. Manny continued when Dario looked at him. "I want to talk to you about Sonny. I think you should go to Sonny's trip thing this weekend."

Dario gave his brother a questioning look. Manny wanting to talk to him about Sonny seemed so random. He didn't know what to think or say.

"I know you love Sonny, Dario," Manny said looking directly into his little brother's eyes. "I think about what happened on Melaswen when I held Sonny with a knife. Your confession about how you felt about Sonny has stuck with me since then. It was real. You can't sit here and tell me that you feel differently now because those kinds of feelings don't just escape you."

Once again Dario was speechless. He wondered if he was really that transparent and began to worry that his mother could see it, too. Dario had tried so hard to fight what he felt because he knew that Sonny just wanted to be friends now. "I…" Dario looked down as that was the only word he could let out.

Manny bent down and placed his hand on Dario's leg. "Hermano, I know it's taboo to live this way in our family and culture, but you can't let Sonny go. He's yours."

Dario looked up at his brother and remained silent for a while. He could feel the pull to fight for Sonny because he really wanted to be with him again. Dario wondered what he should do. Standing up, Dario grabbed his bags from the table. "We should get back. Thanks for the talk."

* * *

><p>Sonny was driving across Salem after receiving a call from Brady tipping him off that Kinsey was currently checked in at Salem Inn. Sonny arrived at the Salem Inn and handed his key to the valet as he walked in. At the front desk, Mia had just checked out of her room when Sonny walked in. She had planned to stay with Maggie for the rest of her stay in Salem.<p>

Walking towards the door, Mia accidentally bumped into Sonny. She jumped back in fear remembering her belief that Sonny might have done something to Kinsey for ruining his life. Quickly realizing she could not make a scene and needed to play dumb, Mia asked Sonny in a quieter tone, "What do you want? Is there a reason you are following me? Do I even know you?"

Sonny kept his distance as to not scare Mia away. "No, this is a complete coincidence. I'm looking for this girl, but it's weird that I always seem to run into you when I am looking for her. Who are you? Maybe there's a reason we keep running into each other."

Mia knew she couldn't give Sonny answers. "I wouldn't hold your breath with that thought. I'm just visiting Salem, so there's no reason to go wherever it is you want to go with this coincidence as you claim." Mia kept a firm grip on her bags and looked towards the door. "I definitely don't feel comfortable or safe to tell you who I am."

"You can trust me. I'm not a bad person. You can ask all my friends, I am a good and friendly guy," Sonny tried to convince her. "Why are you scared of me?"

Mia had enough and tried to head for the door. "I have to go, so excuse me."

Sonny moved in the way so Mia would not leave. He still thought that maybe she could help him in someway to find Kinsey. "Let me just ask you one quick question. Have you ever ran into a girl named Kinsey?"

Mia froze for a moment and thought about how Sonny was Victor's great-nephew and how that raised the probability that he did do something to Kinsey. "I have never met a girl named Kinsey." Fearing that Sonny or his great-uncle might continue to pursue her about Kinsey, Mia let out, "You have nothing to worry about from me," before leaving.

Sonny thought the last thing Mia said to him was strange. She had given him this look as if she was begging him to stay away from her. Sonny decided to head to the front desk to try to get info about Kinsey. "Hi, I need to get room info on someone." The man at the front desk told Sonny that they were not allowed to disclose that type of information, so Sonny had to think of a way to convince the front desk clerk to give him Kinsey's room info. Sonny told the man Kinsey's full named and added, "I'm her brother. I'm supposed to pick her up, but she's not answering her phone. Could you just give her a call for me and tell her that I am here."

The man up front didn't see a problem in that as he wouldn't be giving the information away. The man looked up Kinsey's name and sighed. "I'm sorry, but it appears she just checked out. She might be waiting for you outside."

"She just checked out?" Sonny asked to clarify how soon she just checked out.

"Yeah, it just happened a few minutes ago." The hotel phone began to ring. "Please excuse me," the man said as he answered the phone.

Sonny turned around and looked at the doors that Mia walked out of. He couldn't believe that Kinsey's room was now empty and she was no longer using it. He wondered if Kinsey was even there to begin with. Maybe she did skip town. He wondered if there was a connection between the girl he kept running into and Kinsey. Everything just seemed so unusual.

* * *

><p>Chad and Will arrived outside of Victor's office at Titan. Victor's secretary stood up and led them into his office because she knew Victor was expecting them. After she left Chad and Will with Victor, Will walked closer to Victor, who was sitting at his desk. "Why did you ask me to come?"<p>

Victor looked at Will and Chad. He didn't mind that Will deciding to bring Chad, too. "I wanted to talk to you about Sonny."

Chad had heard about the things that Victor did to Sonny. He didn't really care for the guy. "Are you going to try to pair him up with some other girl to make sure she gets pregnant with his kid?"

Will pushed Chad back a bit. "Chad, what are you doing? He's the one that found out Kinsey lied to Sonny, remember?" Will gave Chad a look to make sure he didn't say anything else. Turning to Victor, he asked, "What did you want to talk about concerning Sonny?"

"I know that you two, Sonny, and the rest of your friends are heading up to the family cabin this weekend to celebrate his birthday," Victor shared. "I want to do something for him. I have an idea for a birthday surprise."

Will and Chad looked at each other as both had been thinking about ways they could give Sonny a good birthday surprise. "What you have in mind?" Will asked.

Victor took out a blank sheet of paper and a pen and slid both across his desk. "We can start by having you write down everything you know – personal details and whatnot – about Kai, Sonny's boyfriend." Victor looked up at Chad and Will with a smile. Chad and Will traded smiles as well.


	36. Chapter 36 Insecure, Pt 1

**Chapter 36: Insecure, Pt. 1 – Tuesday, December 27th, 2012**

Adrienne had just heard back from Justin that Brady and Sonny had no good leads on Kinsey's whereabouts. Fearing and worrying about the baby Kinsey was carrying, Adrienne decided to make her way to the police station. She spotted Hope finishing up with T and decided to tell Hope about Kinsey's disappearance. "Hope, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to you about a missing pregnant girl."

Before Hope could say anything, T cut in, "Mrs. Kiriakis, I already told Detective Brady about Kinsey and filed a missing person's report. I've also talked to both of Kinsey's parents separately and both said they have not talked to Kinsey since Thanksgiving."

Hope looked over to Adrienne with a curious look. "How do you know Kinsey, Adrienne?"

Adrienne took a deep breath and whispered to herself, "Where do I begin?" Adrienne adjusted her purse on her shoulder and began to answer. "I don't know if Bo told you about this, but Victor paid Kinsey to mess around with Sonny. She drugged my son and then returned a week or so ago and told him that she was carrying his baby. Of course it's a lie."

Hope glanced at T for a moment. "I was going to say, Tad here just told me that Kinsey is carrying his baby."

Adrienne frowned a bit at T and then to Hope. "That's pretty much the gist of how I know Kinsey. She was almost my grandbaby's mama. I don't care that she lied – I mean I do care – but right now my biggest concern is the baby she's carrying. Sonny has not heard from her since Christmas Eve."

Hope frowned a bit with worry, but placed her hands on Adrienne's shoulder to comfort her. "We will work to find her. I'll talk to Roman when he gets back to see if we can put more men on searching for Kinsey and her baby."

"Thanks," Adrienne said. T thanked Hope as well. Both decided to leave. As they headed out the station, Adrienne stopped T from leaving. "T, I know that this has to be hard for you. Do you need to talk? I know that you are friends with my son and Will and I want to make sure you're going to be okay."

T sighed and looked down. He felt he couldn't think about himself but then realized that there were things he would have to do eventually. "I haven't told my parents," he admitted. "I know they are going to be so disappointed in me because they really hate Kinsey."

Adrienne smiled as she could relate to T's parents. "Well, keep your head up. I am sure your parents will love their new grandson or granddaughter. The cops will find Kinsey and your baby."

Bo walked past Adrienne and T and caught up with Hope. Looking at Adrienne and T, Bo asked his wife, "What's that about?"

Hope watched Adrienne and T as she answered Bo, "Both of them came here to report that a pregnant girl named Kinsey has gone missing. It's really sad because it seems the girl is somewhat unstable."

Bo grimaced. "That is too bad. Let's hope that she's not tied to our current case."

Hope quickly looked at Bo, who was still watching Adrienne and T. "Do you really think something bad could have happened to her and that's why she disappeared?"

"How does a pregnant girl disappear like that? Something is definitely off about this," Bo answered as he looked to his wife. "A missing girl might turn into a missing body just like those other bodies that disappeared right under our noses." Hope glanced at Adrienne and T and wondered if Bo was right.

* * *

><p>Maggie immediately let Mia in when she saw her carrying her bags. "Mia, I am so glad you decided to take me up on my offer. I've been concerned about you."<p>

Mia put her bags down and admitted, "Kinsey's disappearance has me scared for my life, Maggie. I feel safe with you."

Maggie placed her hands on the sides of Mia's shoulders to help calm her down. "You have nothing to worry about, Mia. Kinsey is most likely okay because her secret was revealed."

Mia gave Maggie a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"Victor came over after you were here and told me that Kinsey had lied to his great-nephew, Sonny, about having his kid. Apparently she came back to trick Sonny into believing that he got her pregnant." Maggie watched Mia as Mia seemed to not know how to respond. "Did you know Kinsey was trying to set up Sonny so that he believed he was the father of her child?"

Mia quickly denied it. "I just knew Kinsey was pregnant and that she wanted to get away from her parents." Mia hated lying to Maggie. Deep down she remembered Kinsey telling her the truth about the baby's paternity and claiming she needed Sonny to believe the lie because she believed she would get the most money out of him to take care of the baby since her parents couldn't help her. Kinsey also wanted nothing to do with T because of how he ended things with her to be with Gabi.

Mia's thoughts went back to her run ins with Sonny and how she wondered if Sonny could have done something to hurt Kinsey. She then remembered that Maggie mentioned that Kinsey's secret came out and that Victor was the one who told Maggie. "Did I hear right? Did Victor tell you about everything that Kinsey did?"

Maggie sensed fear in Mia's questions. "Yes, Victor told me she did all of this. I am sure Kinsey is fine. She probably ran off and left Salem because she did not want to deal with the fallout of her secret and lie."

Mia began to panic a bit. Paranoia took over her mind as she began to believe that Victor was most likely covering for Sonny. Another idea popped in her mind that scared her even more. If Victor was not covering for Sonny, then he was covering for himself. Victor killed Kinsey! "Oh my gosh. I am not safe anywhere. I'm doomed and I'll never get to see my 20th birthday!"

Maggie became upset with how Mia was responding to all of this. "Mia, you need to stop jumping around and talking about how your life is in danger. Calm down." Maggie tried to hold onto Mia, but Mia wouldn't let Maggie touch her. Maggie finally had enough. "What is going on, Mia? It seems there is a lot you are not telling me."

Mia realized she was causing a scene with Maggie. She didn't want Maggie putting her nose somewhere it didn't belong. Mia took a few deep breaths. "I am sorry. I am clearly overreacting because of everything Kinsey did. The fact that she left without a word really got to me. Maybe she played me as well." Mia looked up at Maggie. "Maybe I just need to settle down in my room and unwind. I can't believe she did all of this."

Maggie pulled Mia into a hug. "I'm sorry that you have to deal with all of this. Kinsey really seems like the type of girl who can pull anyone into her life and then leave them out to dry."

Mia frowned on the outside, but was happy that her change in tune caused Maggie to stop with the questions. "Yeah, I'll be okay." Mia grabbed her bags. "I'm going to settle in."

Maggie watched as Mia headed towards the stairs. "I am taking my great-nephew and great-niece out for dinner. You could join us if you want."

Mia stopped and turned to Maggie. "Thanks for the offer, but I kind of want to be alone for the rest of the night. You can go have fun though."

Mia disappeared up the stairs. Maggie turned around thinking about the fear she saw in Mia's eyes. There was no way that Mia was about to just turn around and be okay so fast. Maggie questioned if she should call the police.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, Jennifer opened the front door and smiled when she saw Daniel standing there. "Come in." Daniel walked in and gave Jen a kiss before they headed into the living room to have a seat.<p>

Daniel sat down, but before Jen could take a seat, Abigail and JJ began to head down the stairs. Abigail let out, "Mom, JJ and I are heading out to meet Aunt Maggie for dinner."

Jennifer excused herself from the living room and met her kids at the bottom of the stairs. "That's nice. I forgot you two were doing that. Where are you going to eat?"

JJ smiled. He was excited to get out of the house. "She's taking us to Buddy's Burger Barn. Is it good?"

Jen smiled widely a bit jealous they were going to Buddy's Burger Barn. "It's the best."

Abigail looked past her mother and realized Daniel was sitting in the living room. She thought about how her mother was now engaged to him. She still wasn't sure what to think about the news, but knew her mother seemed happy. A part of her wished it wasn't true though. Breaking from her thoughts, she turned to JJ. "We should go."

Jen gave Abigail and JJ a hug. "You two have fun with Aunt Maggie and if you have leftovers bring them home!" Jen laughed and patted JJ on the shoulder.

As Abigail and JJ headed to the door, JJ spotted Daniel and said, "Bye Daniel." Jennifer and Daniel immediately looked at each other in surprise.

After they were gone, Daniel watched Jen as she returned to the couch. "JJ seemed to be less annoyed with me."

Jen smiled and took Daniel's hand. "JJ and I had a talk and he seems to understand the situation better." Jen thought about her talk with JJ. "My only fear is that he might begin to hate his dad for staying away from all of us."

Daniel bit his lip as he did not understand how Jack could abandon his family like this. Trying to avoid any negative talk about Jack, Daniel said, "I am sure that both Abigail and JJ still love their dad. They just need to remember the good times."

Jennifer sat in silence for a moment and looked Daniel over. She knew that Daniel wanted to talk about something, but before they did that she wanted to take in everything that felt good to her at the moment. "You look really handsome. I'm really looking forward to tonight." Jen grabbed Daniel's tie and played with it for a while. "I know you wanted to talk about something serious tonight. What is it?"

Daniel looked down at his tie and Jen's hand. "It's about Colin."

Jennifer let go of Daniel's tie and distanced herself a bit from Daniel. Feeling uneasy, she told Daniel, "I don't want to ruin our night." She knew that talking about Colin would not end on a good note. She then realized that keeping this secret from Daniel wasn't healthy for their relationship either. After a long sigh, she decided, "If you really want to talk about Colin, then I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Daniel could tell this was hard on Jen. "I'm sorry for making you feel uneasy, but I feel like there's this big elephant in the room any time he's near. We both work with him, so we're going to see him. What's the history between you and Colin?"

Jennifer took Daniel's hand and took a deep breath dropping her shoulders. "I met Colin overseas and I found him interesting. I was actually interested in him and pursued a relationship with him, but he had someone else in his life. Even after she was gone, he seemed to be into something else – money. The main reason I have so much animosity against him now is because he put Jack's life in danger. To save Jack's life, I had to sleep with Colin."

Jen watched Daniel and could see his body tense as she told him what Colin did. She continued to grab his hand and with a squeeze she felt his tension. "You want to beat him up, don't you?" Daniel didn't answer, but she could see the anger in his eyes. "Don't do it because I don't want you getting into any kind of trouble," she advised. "Promise me you won't do something because I'd rather forget that part of my life."

Daniel looked into Jen's eyes and even though he wanted to beat the mess out of Colin, he knew Jen was right. He needed to think about her first. "It's done. We'll have a great night tonight. We won't have to worry about Colin ruining anything for us." Jen smiled and kissed Daniel.

* * *

><p>Chad and Will arrived back to their apartment now excited for Sonny's party this weekend. They took a seat on the couch and talked about what they needed for the party. Chad smiled widely and clasped his hands for a second. "I am so excited for Sonny. He's going to be so surprised!"<p>

Will immediately thought about Dario. He looked at Chad and enjoyed seeing Chad so excited about something. "It's going to be a nice surprise. I can't wait to see Sonny's face."

Chad looked at Will and smiled. "I think we've thought about Sonny enough today. We should definitely take advantage of this time alone." Chad put his arm around Will and tried to pull him closer.

As much as Will enjoyed seeing Chad so happy, he fought Chad because he wanted to avoid what Chad seemed to have in mind. "Chad, I don't think this is a good idea. Someone might walk in."

"Well, I have a solution for that." Chad motioned his head in the direction of their bedroom. "We can lock the door."

Will still didn't want to do this. "I don't want to have to take another shower after we're done." Will felt bad for turning Chad down like this – especially since it had been the reverse situation not too long ago. Will and Chad sat there awkwardly for a moment when Sami called. Will picked up immediately to avoid another awkward minute with Chad. "Hey mom."

"Hey Will. How are you and Chad?" Sami asked. Will told her that they were fine and then asked her if she and the others had decided when they wanted to meet. "Yes, we talked it over and we think the best night to do it is Thursday. We're going to have a family meeting and possibly do dinner. Is that good with you and Chad?"

"Let me check." Will removed his cell from his face and asked Chad, "Is Thursday evening good for you?"

Chad nodded his head. "Yeah."

Will brought his cell back to his face. "Yeah, mom. We will be there." Sami was happy to hear that. After saying goodbye, Will hung up feeling bad for scheduling the family meeting on Thursday. "You do realize that because we agreed to do this, we are going to have to wait to head up to Colorado later?"

"Sonny will understand," Chad decided. "We couldn't have done Sonny's party tomorrow night anyway because I heard that Nathan, Melanie, Chelsea, and Abigail weren't going up there until Thursday."

"You're right." Will tried not to think about it.

Chad moved in closer to Will and managed to pull him closer so that Will rested his head on Chad's chest. "Besides this is important for us. We have to explain to everyone that we are fully committed to each other."

"Yeah," Will agreed as he nodded. He couldn't help but feel nervous about it all even though Chad seemed to be confident about it.

Chad's cell phone made a noise causing Will to raise his head. Chad moved over to grab his phone. He saw that he received a text from Mia. In the text Mia asked Chad to meet her at Maggie's house as soon as possible because it was an emergency. Even though Chad was confused as to why they were meeting there, Chad sent her a text back saying that he would be there later.

Chad put his phone down and pulled Will close to him again. "I still think we should take advantage of this alone time."

Will decided to separate himself from Chad. Standing up, he turned to Chad. "I'm going to see what we should do about dinner."

"Boring..." Chad became annoyed with Will for not wanting to fool around. He stood up as well and watched as Will walked to the fridge in the other room. Stretching a bit, Chad yelled out to Will, "I am going out with a friend for dinner so don't worry about me."

Will walked back into the living room confused because this was the first he heard about Chad meeting a friend for dinner. "What friend are you going out with?"

"Oh, it's Michelle. She had to come into town today and that was what that text was about. She wanted to see me I guess." Chad picked up his phone and walked over to Will. Chad gave Will a longing kiss because he knew he would miss Will. "Call Sonny up. I'm sure he'll have dinner with you. You can tell him about how we can't go with him tomorrow."

"I guess," Will replied unsure of what to say. Will felt bad for rejecting Chad's advances, but was afraid to do anything like that too soon after making up. Will placed his right hand on Chad's chest and rubbed it. "Have fun. I'll see you later tonight."

"Yeah, of course." Chad gave Will another kiss and left. Will stood there for a moment before returning to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Isobel, who still sat at the table, talked about old times with the kids. "You all had your evil moments, but your smiles always had the power to make my heart warm. It's really too bad I won't get to have grandchildren."<p>

"Not again, Mama," Arianna said in a worried tone. "Why are you set on this conversation?"

"Manny and Dario need to hear this, too. They weren't here earlier," she claimed.

"Can we not talk about grandchildren at least?" Gabi pleaded. Gabi kept thinking about how T was going to be a father. It really upset her.

"Fine," Isobel let out. "Could you at least update me on your love lives? Is there anyone special in any of your lives?"

Arianna, who stood by the stove, decided to answer Isobel's question first. "My thoughts have been on a guy recently, but I don't want to say anymore than that. I don't want to jinx it."

Isobel smiled. "Have I met him already?" Arianna just nodded her head. Isobel looked at Arianna for a while hoping she could convince her to say more, but Arianna would not budge. "Who is next?"

Manny decided to get his answer over with. "I've been so disconnected from real life, I really don't have the time or opportunity to meet someone."

Isobel nodded her head as she understood Manny's answer. She decided to bite her tongue so she wouldn't say anything negative about his situation. She turned to Gabi hoping Gabi would finally spill on what was going on with her boyfriend. "Gabi, are things okay with you and T?"

Gabi didn't want to talk about T and their situation. "We are both just really busy at the moment, so it's hard to say." Gabi turned to Dario so that she wouldn't have to say anymore than that. "It's your turn."

Dario had become nervous when his mother first asked the question. He knew it would be his turn eventually, but that didn't help. "I haven't dated anyone since Melanie."

"It's so weird that she's getting married now," Arianna let out without really thinking.

"Melanie is a fool for letting you go, Dario, because anyone would be lucky to have you," Isobel quickly countered hoping to cheer her favorite son up.

"You mean any girl," Gabi said under her breath.

Dario quickly made eye contact with Gabi. He couldn't believe she would go there in front of their mom. Dario looked at his mom and realized she didn't catch what Gabi said. To get Gabi back, Dario asked her, "Gabi, has T told you the news yet?" He gave her a look hinting to the fact that Kinsey was having T's baby.

Gabi immediately squirmed and felt even more uncomfortable when Isobel asked, "What do you mean Dario?"

Gabi quickly made something up. "He's just talking about T thinking about transferring to another school next fall." She looked at Dario and gave him a look so he would back off. Gabi decided to take the heat off of her by turning to her mother. Since they were talking about their love lives, she decided to ask about their mother's possible love life. "So Mama, you've mentioned this guy named Andres when you saw Tony's picture. What's the story with him?"

Isobel froze for a moment as she thought about her past with Andres. Manny turned his attention as he remembered the name from the past. He then remembered who Andres was and how his mother had a romantic relationship with him. Arianna noticed that Isobel was lost in thought. "Are you going to tell us, Mama?" Ari asked. "You seemed so surprised when you saw that photo and claimed Tony's name was Andres."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Who could that be?" Isobel asked.

Dario walked over to the door and opened it to see Sonny on the other side. "Can I come in?" Sonny asked. Dario let Sonny come in even though part of him didn't want to because his mother was there. Sonny looked around at everyone when he walked in. "Sorry, I just need to talk to Dario as a friend."

Dario became paranoid and avoided eye contact with everyone. "We can talk somewhere else."

Isobel smiled when she saw Sonny. "It's not a problem. I am glad that Dario has a good friend. If you need to talk in private, you can go into my room and talk there."

Sonny half-smiled and put his hands in his pocket. "Thanks so much." Sonny turned to Dario so that he could lead them to Isobel's bedroom. Once they were in her room, Sonny apologetically said, "I needed to get my mind off things because I am obsessing over this Kinsey thing still. You seem to be the one person who can help me with that."

"It's okay," Dario said softly. He was still nervous about the fact that his mother knew they were alone together in her bedroom.

"I'm supposed to head out with Chad and Will tomorrow afternoon to get to the cabin. Everyone else has to work, so it's just going to be the three of us." Sonny looked down when his phone began to ring. "Sorry." Sonny took the phone call.

Dario looked away from Sonny as he thought about what Manny said to him. Dario wanted nothing more to hold Sonny and tell him how he really felt about him. He knew that it was Sonny's birthday tomorrow and he wanted to do something special for him, but Sonny was leaving Salem tomorrow.

Sonny ended his phone call and caught Dario's attention because he appeared to be frustrated. "So that was the furniture people. I had to call them earlier and order two more beds so that everyone had a place to sleep. Turns out I have to be there earlier tomorrow than I had planned." Sonny suddenly got a text from Will. After reading Will's text, Sonny began to get even more frustrated. Freaking out, Sonny shook his head. "Great. Will and Chad can't drive up with me tomorrow. Will said he'd explain to me when I got home."

Dario tried to calm Sonny down by talking in a smooth tone. "So what does that mean?"

"I guess I'll have to drive up there by myself." Sonny placed his hand on his forehead. "I don't want to drive up there and then have to stay alone in the big cabin."

Dario knew he had no other choice but to volunteer. "I'll go with you – if you still want me to come."

Sonny's face lit up. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I just need to tell my family first," Dario answered with a smile.

Sonny rushed over to Dario and gave him a hug. All the frustration he felt a few moments ago was now gone. "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to me." Sonny and Dario continued to hold each other for a moment. It felt good to Dario to hold Sonny like this. They slowly separated keeping eye contact. Both felt warm in that moment. Both didn't want it to end.

Dario realized that they needed to get out of there. "We should probably tell my family now."

Sonny nodded his head not sure what came over him. "Yeah. Let's go."

Dario and Sonny walked out causing everyone else to look back at them. Dario walked over to his mother and took a seat at the table. "Mama, I'm going with Sonny on his ski trip, but I want to make sure you're okay with that."

Isobel placed her hand on Dario's hand. "Of course I am okay with that. Go. I don't want you to stop living your life. I promise I'll be here when you get back."

Dario smiled, but Gabi quickly got annoyed. Sonny picked up on Gabi's feelings and decided he needed to invite her, too. "Gabi, do you want to come?"

Gabi looked into Sonny's eyes. "No thanks. I'd rather avoid colder weather."

Sonny sensed Gabi was referring to him with the way she said 'colder weather'. Deciding he should leave, Sonny thanked Dario again with a handshake. "I'll call you later so we can discuss details."

Dario looked up. "Sounds good." Dario watched Sonny leave and then turned and spotted Manny smiling at him. When they made eye contact, Manny nodded and winked at Dario.

* * *

><p>At the Penthouse Grille, Daniel and Jennifer were enjoying their double date with Abe and Lexie. Jennifer smiled and laughed as she finished her story about one of her first dates with Daniel. "It was kind of scary then, but you should have seen Daniel's face when I had to be rushed to the hospital because he put something I was allergic to in the dinner he made for us." Jennifer looked at Daniel as he tried to keep a straight face.<p>

"It was horrible," Daniel said as he cracked a smile. "Here I was trying to impress you and then you start having some kind of allergic reaction." Daniel shook his head remembering what happened. "How was I supposed to know you were allergic to oyster mushrooms?"

"Well, I didn't know until then either," Jennifer smiled. "Now I know. Didn't you declare our first date as the worst first date ever?" Daniel nodded his head as both Jennifer and Daniel started to laugh again. Abe and Lexie joined in on the laughter.

"Well, we are happy you survived, Jennifer," Abe joked.

Jennifer leaned her body into Daniel's body and looked up at him. "I don't think Daniel's cooked for me since then. Actually did you cook any of that food you brought over for Christmas?"

Daniel looked down at Jennifer and gave her a quick peck. "That was all Melanie!"

"Well, that's probably a good thing," Lexie winked at Daniel and Jennifer. "How was your Christmas?"

Daniel and Jennifer both immediately thought about Colin being there, but Jennifer was able to look past it. "It was good. We had most of the family there this year."

Daniel couldn't stop thinking about Colin even though he told Jennifer it would be okay. He felt like such an idiot for inviting Colin when he knew there was something up between Colin and Jennifer. "I hope I didn't ruin it for you," Daniel said as he ran his hand down Jennifer's arm.

Jennifer separated from Daniel and gave him a questioning look as if to ask him why he would think that. "Of course not," Jennifer said rather seriously, but then remembered her reaction when Colin entered the room. She quickly realized that she needed to lighten things up again. "You didn't have to rush me to the hospital this time," she smiled as she looked at Lexie and Abe.

Both Lexie and Abe laughed. Daniel realized his slip and returned the question to Abe and Lexie. "How was your Christmas?"

"Dramatic probably best describes it," Abe answered as he took a drink.

Interested in hearing more, Jennifer gave them a curious look. Lexie shook her head as she agreed with Abe. "I mean I guess we should expect it when we have Christmas at my father's house. My mother was on edge and so were a few other people. Then you two already know about Isobel Hernandez passing out. It was just very scary."

"The good thing is that Isobel got to go home the next day," Daniel added. Everyone agreed.

Abe's phone suddenly began to ring. Abe looked at his phone and even though he planned to ignore it, he could not when he saw the number. "I'm sorry to do this, but I really need to take this call. I've been playing phone tag with this person all day and he told me he needed to talk to me about something urgent."

Lexie put her hand on Abe's shoulder. "Honey, do what you need to do." Abe stood up and left the table. Lexie turned to Jennifer and Daniel with a smile. "Mayor business calls," she shared as an explanation.

Daniel looked at Lexie and Jennifer before standing up. "Please excuse me, I have to take care of something." Daniel headed towards the bathroom, but took a sharp turn to the left because he wanted to talk to the manager about something.

Jennifer turned to Lexie. "Well, looks like our men have no time to relax and enjoy us at the moment."

"I know Abe wouldn't have taken the call if it wasn't important. I know there are some things that need to be decided on before 2012 hits," Lexie said casually trying not to make a big deal of Abe taking the call. "So how is everything going with your kids?"

"I think things are getting better. JJ understands that Daniel is important to me and that I love him." Jennifer smiled as she thought about the fact that JJ actually talked to Daniel nicely earlier. "Abigail seems to be busy with her friends. I think there might be something going on between her and her boyfriend."

"What do you mean?" Lexie asked curiously.

"Well, there have been moments where Abigail seems to get upset when I mention Josh to her. She claims she doesn't want to talk about him." Jennifer thought about the awkwardness she picked up on when she Abigail and Josh returned from New Zealand. "I think something might have happened on their study abroad trip."

"Have you tried to talk to her about it recently?" Lexie asked.

"No. I think I might try to soon." Jennifer took a sip of her drink and decided to change the subject. "How is Theo?"

Lexie smiled immediately as she thought about Theo. "He is doing great. He's actually been spending more time with my mother. He seems to really enjoy her company."

Jen smiled back. "That's good. I couldn't help but notice how happy you and Abe seem."

Lexie blushed as she thought about how good she had it with Abe and Theo. "I definitely got lucky when I met Abe. He really takes care of me and loves me unconditionally. I don't know what I would do without him."

Jennifer felt chills listening to Lexie describe her love for Abe. She felt the same with Daniel. Jennifer looked up as Daniel returned and took a seat. "Where did you go off to?" she asked him.

Daniel wondered if Jennifer noticed that he had made a quick turn away from the bathrooms. "I had to check on something at the hospital." Daniel hoped that Jennifer would leave it at that because he wanted to surprise her with something.

Jen's phone began to ring. Jennifer looked at it and then up to Lexie and Daniel. "Looks like it's my turn to step away for a moment. It's JJ." Jennifer stood up and walked away as she answered her phone.

Lexie watched Daniel as he watched Jennifer walk away. With a warm smile, she commented on how Daniel watched Jennifer. "I can tell you really love her. I am really happy for you two."

Daniel turned his head to face Lexie. "I got really lucky in many ways with Jennifer." Daniel looked down as he thought about Jennifer's past. "She's had many men in her life that she could be with instead of me. If Jack hadn't walked away, I might not have even been able to date Jen. Her being my fiancé would not have even occurred."

Lexie became perplexed with Daniel's bringing up Jack. "I do know that Jack and Jennifer loved each other very much, but I also know that this isn't the first time Jack has done something like this. And trust me when I say this, Jennifer may have had many suitors, but you are definitely the best for her." Lexie smiled and looked down at her food. She decided to take another bite.

"What do you know about Colin?" Daniel let out. He wasn't able to hold in his thoughts about Colin anymore.

Lexie put her fork down and became even more perplexed. "Daniel, why would you bring up Colin?"

"I guess, I am just curious about him," Daniel said trying to cover his slip. He had promised to not bring up Colin tonight. "I did hang out with him once with Nathan at the Cheatin' Heart." Daniel thought about that night and remembered Brady mentioning the fact that Colin used to work for the Dimera family. He wondered if Lexie knew anything about that. Before he could ask her about it though, Abe and Jennifer returned to the table.

"JJ wanted to see if he could stay the night at Aunt Maggie's house tonight. I guess he wants to watch this movie that she told him about tonight at dinner." Jennifer took a seat and grabbed Daniel's hand.

Abe took his seat as well. He turned to Lexie, but addressed everyone else at the table. "It looks like I have a meeting on Friday night at my office. There are some things that need to be cleared up for the New Year's Eve celebration on Saturday." Abe smiled at the others. "It's going to be a good time!"

"I can't believe it's going to be 2012 already," Lexie said. "Time just slips away these days."

Suddenly, a violinist came over and began to play a song at their table. Everyone turned to Daniel. Squeezing, Daniel's hand, Jennifer asked, "Is this the something you needed to take care of?"

Daniel smiled. "I thought it would be great if we had some personal music." Daniel and Jennifer kissed.

Lexie looked at Abe and placed her hand on his. They began to kiss as well as the violinist began to play.

* * *

><p>Celeste sat in her apartment alone as she shuffled her deck of tarot cards. She wanted answers and direction on what was to come for her family. She finished shuffling and pulled out a card. Placing it on the table face up she saw that it was the "Emperor" card.<p>

Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door. Celeste jumped a bit, but calmed herself down as she headed to the door. Looking through the peephole she shook her head. Opening the door, she said, "Stefano, what do you want?"

Stefano rushed into the apartment without an invitation to do so. "I need to talk to you about something."

Celeste covered herself up with her robe. "Make it quick. I don't have time to waste." Celeste remembered that she pulled out the "Emperor" card as well as the fact that Stefano appeared as the Emperor in Chad's dream. "Is this about Chad?"

Stefano watched Celeste for a moment wondering if Celeste was able to guess because it was an obvious answer or because she had a psychic feeling. "You are partially correct. I want to talk to you about Chad and Maddalena."

Celeste turned her back to Stefano so she could take a seat on a couch and relax. "I see that you're finally taking your sister serious now. It took you long enough," she teased.

Stefano grew impatient. He thought about the fact that Chad had dinner with his sister alone. "Well, is there anything you know. You have given me these warnings. What do you see?"

"Déjà vu." Celeste could not believe that she and Stefano were here once again. "I guess you need my help to fully open your eyes once again, Stefano. I told myself that if you ever came back to me for help, I would deny you my services."

"I don't have time for this Celeste. I know you know something is coming – now tell me!" Stefano boomed.

Celeste didn't dare flinch at the sight of Stefano's power. "Now, now, Stefano. Calm down because even though I told myself I would never help you again, I know I can't keep that promise. This involves too many people who I care about."

"So there is something coming and you know about it." Stefano watched Celeste as she began to shuffle her cards again.

Celeste finished shuffling and pulled out another card. Placing it down next to the 'Emperor' card, she gasped. It was the 'Magician' card. Celeste studied the cards as she thought of the possible meanings.

"What is it, Celeste? What do you see?"

"I am not sure, but it appears that your sister has plans for you and Chad. It's just not clear if it is something good or bad." Celeste looked up to Stefano. "I haven't told Chad this, but I think there is something powerful in the cards about Chad. I just don't know what it is yet. They have called out to him for some reason."

"So Maddalena may have good intentions." Stefano hoped that was the case.

Celeste stood up as a strong feeling came over her. She made direct eye contact with Stefano and spoke in a rugged yet calm voice, "Don't let the possibility of positivity cloud your judgment. Keep your eyes out for Chad because Maddalena is most likely using him as her own pawn."

Stefano thought about how he warned Chad about Maddalena. "Chad is too smart to let that happen. I've warned him about her history with André."

Celeste turned away from Stefano. "I warned him about her as well," she admitted. She wondered if it would be enough.

"Well, we have nothing to worry about then," Stefano said calmly. Deep down he was still a bit concerned for Chad. "It's unfortunate I had to waste my time for something I already knew."

As Stefano left, Celeste shook her head at Stefano. In her head she called Stefano a fool. Looking down, she noticed that Stefano dropped something. Bending down, she realized it was a pin of some kind. As she picked it up, bad energy went through her body. "This is not good – not good at all." She turned to the two cards on the table. "Dark tragedy is near!"

* * *

><p>Lucas arrived back to Dimera Mansion after making sure EJ and Stefano were not around. Lucas walked in and found Sami and Kate silently waiting for him in the main room. Sami and Kate decided not to start a conversation alone for their own sake. "Thanks for meeting me here," Lucas said knowing all too well that Sami and Kate hated to be alone in the same room.<p>

"What is going on?" Sami asked over Kate, who had tried to ask the same question. "You made it sound pretty serious."

"I am worried about Will's well being. I told the both of you that the Dimeras would put my family in danger." Lucas gave Sami and Kate a stern look.

Kate and Sami looked at each other and shook their heads at Lucas. Kate stood up and walked over to her son. "Lucas, what on earth are you talking about? Neither Stefano nor EJ would put Will's life in danger. If this is about his relationship with Chad, then we need to be having a different conversation."

Sami stood up and joined Kate. "I thought you were okay with Chad and Will being together. We're supposed to have that family meeting on Thursday. Are you backing out now?"

Lucas became frustrated. "This has nothing to do with Will and Chad's relationship – well, I guess it does." Lucas thought about what he overheard Stefano and EJ say about Maddalena. "I am concerned about Stefano's sister. Is she trouble?"

Sami shrugged her shoulders. "She seems nice and innocent. Nothing like Stefano."

"I can take over from here, Sami," Kate quickly said so that Sami would stop bashing her husband. "You have nothing to worry about concerning Maddalena. Stefano has made it known to his sister that she is to stay away from me and my family."

Sami became a bit worried with Kate's response. "Did she threaten you or something?"

Lucas picked up on the same thing from Kate's answer. "Did she threaten any of us? How could you not tell me that this happened?"

Kate raised her hands up to settle them down. "You two are jumping to conclusions here. Maddalena never threatened me or our family. She just doesn't like me because I am married to Stefano. Apparently she has it out for anyone who is romantically involved with him. Stefano just told her to leave me alone because he wants to stay with me." Kate paused for a moment thinking of a way she could convince Lucas that Will would be okay. "Lucas, I am telling you that nothing will happen to Will. Stefano is watching his sister closely to be sure of that. She doesn't even seem the type either. She seems to be the type who wants to bring the family closer."

Lucas looked at Sami wondering if she was convinced. "What do you think, Sami?"

"I think your mother might be right. She's been nothing but kind to me and the kids." Sami wondered if she had lost her ability to read people when they were being fake with her. "I'll just keep my eyes more open to be sure."

"Well, that's the smart thing to do. We shouldn't jump to conclusions unless it's really there," Kate added as she crossed her arms. "Is there anything else you needed to talk to us about, Lucas."

Lucas hated being in this position. He wished that Sami and Kate had nothing to do with the Dimeras, so he didn't have to worry about them or the kids while he was in Hong Kong. "No, that is all for now." Lucas took a deep breath and wondered if he should introduce himself to Maddalena.

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment, Will sat alone in the living room as he talked to Ignazio on the phone. "Yeah, you can ride with Chad and me on Thursday night. It all works out since we are leaving Thursday night more than likely."<p>

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Ignazio said on the other side. "I look forward to this trip and I am thankful that you and Chad invited me."

"It's not a problem. You're Chad's family and we want to get to know you better," Will responded. He looked to the door when it opened. Sonny walked in and closed the door behind him. "Hey, I'll talk to you tomorrow after I talk to Chad about what time he wants to head out Thursday night." Will and Ignazio said bye to each other and hung up.

Sonny walked over to Will and asked, "So why can't you and Chad come up until Thursday evening?"

Will put his phone on the coffee table. "Well, my parents and EJ planned this family dinner meeting. I don't remember if I told you, but Johnny has been acting weird because of something he saw Chad and I do under the table at Chad's aunt's house." Will realized his answer was most likely too long. "Anyway, my parents and EJ want Chad and me to talk to Johnny and Allie about how we are still a part of the family and how we love each other."

"That's a big deal," Sonny told Will. He was happy he wasn't in Chad's or Will's shoes.

"Yeah," Will agreed. "Chad also wants this meeting to be about us fully committing to each other." Will looked down as he thought about that.

Sonny picked up that Will wasn't sure about his relationship with Chad. "I know that you and Chad had your problems, but then you seemed to work things out. Even so, I get the feeling that you're still questioning being with Chad."

Will looked away because Sonny was right, but he didn't want to talk about it. "It's just hard because of how we have hurt each other. That's all. It will just take time."

"I don't think that's it, Will. Tell me what you're thinking – what you're feeling," Sonny egged Will. "There is more to your insecurities than you are letting on."

Will knew there was no reason he couldn't open up to Sonny. Keeping his head down, he answered, "I think I am too boring for Chad." Will thought about how Chad called him boring earlier and it really brought up that fear to the forefront. He had worried about the same thing when he was with Gabi.

Sonny tilted his head a bit because he did not expect that answer. "Boring? What do you mean?" Sonny looked at Will in a serious manner because nothing about Will seemed boring to him.

"I don't know," Will replied awkwardly. A part of him didn't want to admit to what he was feeling at the moment. Will took a deep breath knowing that Sonny could help him with this if he opened up more. "Growing up, I watched my dad and mom scheme and fight and destroy people's lives as well as their own. Seeing all of that I promised myself I would not be like that. I would be a good person - try my best to be as drama-free as possible."

Before Will could say anymore, Sonny interrupted, "Will that's good. It's good to want to be a good person. What's wrong with that?"

"I think I'm too vanilla for Chad. I can't keep him interested in me because I am boring. I don't fight enough. I am a pushover at times. I let things slide. I keep him at bay." Will shook his head. "I don't know. He keeps going to Abigail and they fought all the time."

Sonny pushed Will lightly as a joke. "You're not boring Will. You are one of the most interesting people I know." Sonny put his arm around Will's shoulder. "Chad doesn't think you're boring. Why else would he want to make up with you? He wants to be with you."

Will thought of other possible reasons besides the fact that Chad called him boring earlier, but decided to leave the conversation at that even though he still believed he was boring. "I'm sorry that Chad and I can't ride up with you tomorrow."

Sonny decided to allow the subject change. "It's okay. Dario is coming with me, so I won't be going alone."

Will was surprised to hear that Sonny already got someone to go with him, but he was even more surprised to hear that it was Dario. "I don't mean to overstep, but are you sure that's a good idea considering your past with him?"

Sonny knew that Will only asked because he was concerned. "Will, it's okay. You don't have to worry about anything. Dario and I are just friends and I love Kai." Will decided to let it be and gave Sonny an awkward smile. Sonny looked the apartment over. "Where's Chad?"

"Chad's out with a friend." Will went back to thinking about how he was boring for Chad. He tried to shake his thoughts. "I need to stop my insecurities from taking over so that I can trust in the love that Chad has for me. This is so unfair to him if he really does love me."

Sonny patted Will on the back. "No ifs – he does."

* * *

><p>Mia let Chad in as soon as he arrived at Maggie's house. Chad looked the place over and then turned to Mia. With a confused look on his face, he asked, "What are you doing here?"<p>

"Maggie told me that I could stay with her while I am in town," Mia explained. She thought about her fears and tried to make sure they didn't get the best of her. "I'm sorry to bother you. I feel so lonely and helpless at the moment."

Chad looked the place over again. "Where's Maggie? What's going on?" Chad turned to Mia for an answer.

"Maggie's not here," she quickly answered Chad's first question to stall. She knew she couldn't tell him about Kinsey because she did not want him to make the connection that they came to town together. Now that she knew that Kinsey's lies had been exposed, if Chad knew she was involved with Kinsey, he most likely would start suspecting her of playing games. "I am hurting right bow because in a few days it will be a new year – another year where I don't get to hold Grace in my arms. It means another birthday is coming up where I don't get to throw her a party," she covered convincingly with tears.

Tears began to form in Chad's eyes as he thought about Grace. "I know how you feel, but we can get through this." Chad put his arms around Mia to try to comfort her. He knew that he needed to be positive for the both of them. "Have you thought of any ideas for a new middle name for Grace?"

Mia separated from Chad knowing he was trying to help her not get so down. She remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. He was always looking out for her. "I have thought of a few: Cherish, Lauren, and Michaela. What about you?"

Chad thought about some possible middle names. "I really like your ideas. The ones I thought of are Lynn and Leah."

Mia smiled and took Chad's hand. "We don't have to make a decision tonight, but I would like to have her tombstone changed before her next birthday and before I have to head back to NY."

Chad stepped away from Mia. "I forgot you were only here temporarily."

"Yeah," Mia looked down for a moment milking this for everything she could. Looking up she tried to cheer Chad up. "We used to have so much fun together. Do you remember when we used to drive out to the pond and look up at the stars?"

"Yeah, I remember." Chad looked into Mia's eyes and smiled as he reflected on the good times they used to have. "Things were so uncomplicated then. They just were." Mia smiled back. She believed that she finally had a hook into Chad. He would be hers again soon enough.


	37. Chapter 37 Contigo En La Distancia, Pt 2

**Chapter 37: Contigo En La Distancia, Pt. 2 – Wednesday, December 28th, 2011**

The next morning, Chad and Will were getting dressed in their bedroom. Chad watched and knew that something was on Will's mind. Putting his shirt on, Chad walked over to Will. "What are you thinking about, Will?"

Will put his shirt on and looked up at Chad. "A lot of things I guess. I sort of feel bad about not being able to go up with Sonny today, and then I can't stop thinking about tomorrow night's family meeting." Will gave Chad a nervous look. He also thought about the conversation he had with Sonny the night before, but he decided to keep that to himself.

Chad gave Will a kiss on the forehead. "Everything is going to be fine. Dario is going with Sonny, so he won't be alone. Besides he's in for a surprise tonight, remember?." Will still didn't feel comfortable with Dario going with Sonny. Chad grabbed Will's hand as he continued, "Tomorrow night will be fine. I'm nervous as hell about it, too, but I know that it's the right thing because I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

Will looked into Chad's eyes and thought about how he felt insecure about himself. He really struggled that he didn't have the personality that Chad desired. "Are you really sure of that?"

Chad pulled his head back and gave Will a cautious questioning look. "Yeah, of course." Chad paused so he could try to read Will before posing his next question. "Are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

Will looked away trying to overcome his insecurities, but couldn't. "I guess…" Will let out being rather truthful with the way he was feeling, but when he saw the disappointed look on Chad's face, he quickly realized his mistake. "I mean, of course. You know I love you, Chad."

Chad shook his head because he knew Will loved him even if doubts were starting to stack up next to the doubts Mia planted in his head. "Yeah, I love you, too." Chad pulled Will into a hug and tried his best to fight the doubts that continued to plague his mind. He wondered if Will wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. Deciding he needed to get out of the situation, Chad suggested, "We should probably get out there so we can say goodbye to Sonny." Will agreed.

Chad and Will walked into the living room and saw that Justin and Adrienne had just arrived to say goodbye to Sonny. Justin went for a hug first. "Happy Birthday, son. Have a safe trip."

After Justin let go, Adrienne gave Sonny a hug. "Yes, please be careful. Happy Birthday, Jackson."

"Mom, you know I'll be fine. Dario's coming with me, so I won't be alone." Sonny let go of Adrienne and gave his mother a look to let her know she could trust him.

Adrienne smiled and patted Sonny on his right cheek. She did trust her son, but knew he had been through so much the past week. She didn't like to see him so tormented and hoped that this weekend away would help him. "I do feel a lot better by the fact that Dario is going with you."

Sonny turned to Justin as he thought about Victor. "Have you talked to Uncle Victor, dad? He told me he would give me space, but I am a bit surprised I haven't seen or heard from him since Monday."

"Well, your mother and I haven't seen or talked to him since then either. Brady told me he went out-of-town," Justin answered. "I have no idea where he went though." Will and Chad traded glances because they knew where Victor went and why.

"So when is everyone else heading up to the cabin?" Adrienne asked.

"Chelsea, Abigail, Josh, Melanie, T, and Nathan are coming up tomorrow afternoon." Sonny thought about being alone with Dario for so long. "It's kind of weird that Dario and I will have the cabin to ourselves for almost 24 hours."

"Will, Ignazio, T, and I will come up as soon as we can," Chad informed Sonny. "We don't know when our family meeting will end."

"Oh, I thought T was coming up with the others," Sonny said.

"No, T is coming with us," Will shared. "He's coming over later as I am supposed to hang out with him."

"Is there any news on T and Kinsey?" Adrienne asked. She thought about how she ran into T at the police department.

"I am not sure," Will answered. "T has kept to himself since he found out Kinsey is carrying his baby."

Sonny grabbed his suitcase and other things. "Well, I have to go, so I should say goodbye." Sonny gave his parents another hug and said goodbye to them. He then turned to Will and Chad. "You two don't have too much fun without me. I'll see you tomorrow."

Chad and Will wished Sonny a happy birthday. Adrienne and Justin decided to help Sonny with his things as they walked him to the car downstairs. After they were gone, Chad turned to Will and gave him a smile. "I'm excited that we have the apartment to ourselves now."

"Well, not completely. T is coming over later tonight," Will reminded Chad.

Chad pulled Will closer to him. "He won't be here that long. Let's add a little excitement to our lives. Just the two of us." Chad really wanted to forget about what happened earlier in the bedroom and make a new memory for the day.

Unfortunately, Will took Chad's statement the wrong way. When he heard Chad use the word 'excitement' his fear of being too boring for Chad reared its ugly head. "I don't know. I feel like there's something I need to work on."

Chad watched as Will began to walk away. He didn't understand why Will was shutting him down. He knew he had to say something to reel Will back to him. "Will, wait." Chad walked over to Will and looked into his eyes. "I don't want you to leave. We have this time together and I don't want to spend that time not being able to look at you. There must be something wrong with my eyes because I can't stop staring at you."

Will began to laugh believing that Chad was making a joke, but then he realized it was just Chad's corniness coming out. "Wow, Chad. Your corniness always amazes me. It's cute."

Chad smiled, but felt a bit embarrassed that Will always seemed to call him out for telling Will how he felt. "Yeah, I do what I can." Chad let go of Will as he was no longer in the mood. "So what do you want to do? We could go see a movie or something."

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Arianna, Manny, and Isobel sat on the couch as Dario finished packing for his trip with Sonny. Gabi stood in the kitchen as she finished breakfast for everyone. "Do you have everything you need for this trip? Do you need money?" Isobel asked.<p>

Dario stopped what he was doing. "No, Mama. I still have plenty of money." He looked around quickly to see if he had anything else to pack or bring.

Gabi put the food on the table. "Breakfast is ready." She watched Dario and gave him an annoyed look. "You are going to eat breakfast before you leave, right?"

"I can't. I need to hurry up because Sonny will be here soon," Dario answered as he realized one more thing he needed. "I need to bring my guitar, have any of you seen it?"

"I put it in Mama's room when I was cleaning out here," Manny told Dario.

"Thanks," Dario said as he headed into Isobel's room. He could not wait until Sonny arrived. He looked forward to their trip together.

Gabi decided to follow him as the others got up to sit at the table to eat. As soon as she got into Isobel's room, she closed the door and began to chew Dario out. "This is ridiculous, Dario. What the hell are you doing? What are you thinking? Your feelings for Sonny are only going to get you into trouble and cause more pain. Stop making the same mistake over and over by allowing him to be a part of your life!"

Dario, who was now holding his guitar case, paused for a moment because he couldn't believe what Gabi was saying. "Where is this coming from, Gabi? I mean, I guess I shouldn't be surprised…"

"Dario, I am not stupid. You can tell me that you and Sonny are just friends, but I can see it in your eyes. You want more. You are up to something and you're going to take advantage of your time alone with him today." Gabi gave Dario a stern look. "Do I have to remind you about how Sonny has hurt you over and over?"

"Sonny didn't hurt me. It was the other way around. I'm the one who walked away," Dario reminded Gabi.

Gabi couldn't believe that Dario was taking the blame for everything when Sonny was the one that started dating Manny and rubbed it in his face. Getting desperate and without thinking, she verbally vomited about the Kinsey situation. "What about the fact that Kinsey was going to have his baby? Sonny slept with Kinsey and Sonny now has a boyfriend that's not you once again! Do I have to remind you that the last time Sonny rejected you, you were looking for a flight back to Alaska? You were going to leave the family behind because of him."

"Sonny is not the father of Kinsey's baby. They probably didn't even sleep together because Sonny doesn't remember it." Dario shook his head deciding not to discuss the Kai situation. "You are so desperate right now that you'll try to hit me with anything just to tear me down and keep me from what I want. Who are you? I don't even recognize my little sister anymore."

Dario tried to leave, but Gabi's next comment caused him to freeze in place. "What happens when Mama finds out about you and Sonny?" Gabi warned.

Dario slowly faced his sister again. Tears began to form in his eyes as he couldn't believe Gabi went there. "You really do need help. I don't recognize you at all. I'm done talking about this. I pray that your behavior is just due to the fact that T is the father of Kinsey's baby and you just don't want to deal with it." Dario wiped his eyes, turned around, and exited the bedroom.

When Dario made his way out, he spotted Sonny waiting for him. Sonny smiled when he saw that Dario had his guitar in his hand. "Awesome, you're bringing your guitar."

Dario smiled. "Yep! I'm ready to go." Dario gave Sonny a hug. He really needed it after his argument with Gabi. "Happy Birthday. I think it's so cool that our birthdays are a month apart." Dario then turned to the rest of his family, who were all at the table eating. "I'll see you guys on Monday."

Manny stood up and gave Dario a hug. "You won't see me. I have to head back to Brooktree on Friday."

Dario forgot that Manny wasn't out for good. "Right." Dario hugged his brother tighter. "Come back to us soon. I'll definitely visit you if that's okay."

Manny shook his head. "I would really like that."

Arianna walked up and gave Dario a hug. "I'll see you next year," she joked.

Dario rolled his eyes at Ari and then made his way to Isobel. "Mama, please take care of yourself. I'll be sure to call you when we count down into the new year."

Isobel grabbed Dario's hand and pulled him into a hug. "Mi hijo, te amo mucho. Tenga cuidado." Kissing Dario on the cheek, she hugged him tighter.

"I will be careful, Mama." Dario felt a bit guilty for leaving his mother, but he knew she wanted him to go. "I love you." After hugging Isobel, Dario turned to Sonny. "You ready to head out?" Sonny nodded his head and helped Dario with his things so they could leave.

After they were gone, Gabi finally walked out of Isobel's bedroom. Isobel noted that Gabi didn't look too happy. "Why do you look so upset, Gabriella?"

"I'm just tired," Gabi answered not wanting to talk about the fight she just had with Dario. Gabi sat down and joined the rest of her family for breakfast. Manny and Arianna complemented her cooking.

* * *

><p>Sonny and Dario were now on their way to Sonny's family cabin. Dario turned the radio down and looked at Sonny, who was driving. "If you need me to, I can drive the rest of the way after we stop for lunch."<p>

"That would be awesome. I don't know if I could drive up the whole trip honestly." Sonny smiled and then patted Dario's left leg with his right hand. "Thanks so much again for coming up with me. It was so last-minute. Thankfully I was able to push back the time when the beds are delivered by a couple of hours."

Dario grabbed Sonny's hand for a second, but let it go so Sonny could drive properly. "I'd do anything for you."

Things suddenly became awkward and silent. Both kept to their thoughts after Dario claimed he would do anything for Sonny. Sonny wondered if he could really handle being alone with Dario for this long and not have his feelings for Dario take control. He had been able to keep them at bay for the most part since Dario's return. He just needed to focus on Kai.

Dario also thought about being alone with Sonny for so long. He wondered if his slight forwardness was making Sonny uncomfortable because things were a bit uncomfortable now. Dario decided to break the ice with a different topic. "How did your first semester at Salem U go?"

Sonny was thankful that Dario asked something to interrupt the awkwardness even if it still lingered. "Things went really well. I enjoyed all of my major professors."

"I'm glad to hear that," Dario said. "Does that mean you aren't feeling restless in Salem?"

Sonny laughed as he thought about when they went hiking over the summer when they went camping. "Well, I am getting away this weekend, which is much needed." Sonny checked his rearview mirror as he asked, "Have you ever thought about going to college?"

"It might be too late for me to do that," Dario answered. "I wouldn't know what field or major I would choose anyway. I'm not really good at anything."

Sonny looked through the rearview mirror again and spotted Dario's guitar in the back seat. "You should do something in music like Will. You are awesome on the guitar."

Dario began to feel depressed as he thought about his future. So much of it was unknown since his mother wasn't long for the world. He looked out his window and thought about Sonny and his mother. He decided to finally respond. "I can't really think about that now. There's so much up in the air right now." After Dario said that, he and Sonny went back to silent and thinking mode again.

* * *

><p>When they were halfway to Colorado, Sonny and Dario decided to stop at a small diner next to a gas station for lunch and gas. As they got out of the car and walked into the diner, Dario placed his hand on Sonny's shoulder. "I'm paying for lunch."<p>

"You don't have to," Sonny quickly told Dario.

"Let me do this," Dario asserted. "It's your birthday and I want to do this for you."

"Okay," Sonny caved with a smile. He found a table for them to sit at. As he looked across the table he couldn't help but appreciate Dario even more. It really reminded him of what they had over the summer. After a waitress came over to take their order, Sonny picked up the dessert menu to look through. "So how is your family handling living in the Dimera guesthouse?"

Dario began to play with his straw as they waited for their drinks. "Well, it's kind of cool to have the family together pre-Rafe's return from the orphanage." Dario shook his head at the thought of Rafe. "Manny is doing a lot better. I can see his old self coming back."

"Yeah, I can see it, too. I'm glad he's getting better." Sonny put the dessert menu down so he could give Dario his full attention.

"Arianna is okay. I think she is getting a bit restless though because all she does is take care of our mother. I think she wants to get a job or something." Dario thought about Isobel. "I think she knows though that our mother needs her and my mom definitely appreciates her for spending so much time with her."

"How is your mom doing?" Sonny asked with concern.

"She's okay, I guess. It's weird because she is weaker than she has ever been and that's her new normal. I don't think she'll ever return to who she was before – energy wise." Dario knew that was a sign that things could only get worse for her.

"If you don't want to answer, I'll understand. Do you know how much longer the doctor's are giving her?" Sonny asked cautiously.

"Three months at most." Saying out loud like that hit Dario harder.

"She seems to be doing fine," Sonny said trying to give Dario a little hope.

Dario half smiled at Sonny. "I hope she can last longer – not in pain of course."

The waitress walked out and finally brought their drinks out. After thanking her for the drinks, Sonny turned back to Dario and noticed he couldn't make direct eye contact with him except for a few glances. "This is another weird question. Is your mom okay with the fact that you're with me – you know with me being gay?"

Dario thought about his fight with Gabi once again. "I haven't told my mother that you're gay, so she has no problem with you at all" Dario admitted. "It's Gabi who has the problem with me having anything to do with you."

Sonny thought about his friendship with Gabi and how it was never the same after she found out about Will. He thought things would get better after what happened this summer. Unfortunately, it didn't. Sonny looked and noticed that Dario could now keep eye contact with him. "Well, I picked up on Gabi's hostility against me ages ago," Sonny slightly joked.

"I can talk to her about that if you want me to," Dario suggested.

Sonny placed his hand on Dario's hand. "You don't have to do that. I think though that I need to take care of this – personally."

Dario nodded his head as he looked down to see Sonny's hand holding his. Everything in him told him this would work out in his favor at that moment. The moment was interrupted when the waitress brought out their food. Sonny quickly removed his hand from Dario's hand which lingered in the same place for a while as if it didn't want to let go of the memory of what just happened.

Sonny thanked the waitress again and as he looked down to his food, he thought he saw someone in the corner of his eye. He immediately looked back up believing he might have just seen Kinsey. Looking around she was nowhere in sight. Sonny decided to shrug it off so he could eat. Sonny knew he needed to stop obsessing over Kinsey. He glanced at Dario for a moment realizing that until now Dario had kept him focused on other things besides Kinsey and the baby.

As they began to eat, Dario thought about the closeness he felt with Sonny. "Do you remember our first run in?"

Before Sonny could respond, his phone began to ring. "That might be Kai. He told me he would call me for my birthday." Sonny looked at his phone and even though it wasn't Kai he still got excited. "It's my bro, Alex. Sorry. He's probably calling me to wish me a happy birthday." Sonny answered his phone and immediately loud voices could be heard singing from the phone. Sonny's eyes lit up as he looked to Dario. "I think it's all three of my brothers on the phone," he whispered to Dario. Dario smiled for Sonny. He didn't get to say another word to Sonny for the rest of lunch.

* * *

><p>Dario had been driving for a while now when Sonny finally got off the phone with his three brothers and their families. Sonny put his phone in his pocket and immediately turned to Dario. "I am so sorry for that. Everyone had to talk to me and tell me happy birthday. I guess they are all together right now for the holidays." Sonny noticed that Dario was focused on the road. "I promise that I'm not expecting anymore calls to interrupt us – well Kai might still call."<p>

Dario finally spoke, "It's okay. It's your birthday and they're family."

Sonny thought back and tried to remember what he and Dario were talking about before his brothers called. He then remembered that Dario brought up the first time they met. "So why did you bring up the first time we met?"

Dario turned to Sonny, but made sure he kept his eyes on the road. "I'm just happy that you forgave me for what I said because you're my best friend now. I don't know where we'd be now if you never forgave me."

Sonny smiled widely as he thought about how much Dario meant to him and how things changed from the first time they met. "You're my best friend, too, Dario. Even though we've known each other for less than a year, we have been through so much together."

Dario let out a chuckle as he agreed. "I hope that all of that only made our relationship stronger." Dario made sure to make direct eye contact with Sonny before turning his head to watch the road.

Sonny was taken back by how much he could feel Dario inside of him. Looking down, he could feel his heart aching for more as the draw to Dario grew a bit stronger. Sonny knew he had to stop it though, so he changed the subject. Wrapping his arms around his body, he looked out the window. "I can already tell it's getting colder outside."

"You can turn the heat higher. It is your car." Dario picked up on the fact that Sonny didn't want to talk about them anymore. He questioned on whether he was doing the right thing or not. He wondered if he was only making Sonny's life more complicated by doing this. Dario watched as Sonny turned up the heat in the car. "If you need to get a little sleep, I'll be okay."

Sonny began to get more comfortable in the passenger seat. "Thanks, I am feeling a tad exhausted at the moment. You can turn on the radio if you want."

Dario turned on the radio and put the volume down so that Sonny could rest. Dario glanced at Sonny a few times as he got more comfortable and eventually fell asleep. Dario knew he couldn't keep how he felt inside. He had to tell Sonny how he felt even if his nerves overpowered him at the moment.

* * *

><p>When Dario and Sonny arrived to the cabin, Dario commented on how the cabin seemed more like a mini-resort because it was so big. After a while the beds were delivered and placed in their designated rooms, where Dario and Sonny helped the men put them together. After the beds were done and the men left, Dario sat on the bed for a moment before asking, "Are you hungry?"<p>

Sonny rubbed his stomach and nodded. Getting up from the floor, he patted Dario on the back so they could head to the kitchen. "I had the cleaner pack the fridge up for extra money, so I can cook us something if you're hungry."

"What am I supposed to do while you cook?" Dario asked. "I could help." Dario thought doing something together could possibly give him the chance to show and tell Sonny how he felt.

Sonny spotted Dario's guitar case by the couch. "I think you should play the guitar while I cook. You might inspire me like you always do." Dario blushed inside, grabbed his guitar, and sat on a stool in the kitchen.

As Sonny cooked, he watched Dario as he played his guitar. His thoughts wondered to what might have been if Dario had never left Salem to work in Alaska. Having this time alone with Dario seemed to really have an effect on him as he felt at peace even though his thoughts were racing a thousand times over. Accidentally dropping a knife, Sonny's thoughts of Dario went away. As he picked up the knife to throw it into the sink, Sonny began to berate himself for thinking about what ifs.

Dario played softer so he could ask Sonny a question. Whatever Sonny was making smelled so good. "So is Kai going to be here at all this week? You mentioned he was going to call."

Sonny grabbed a new clean knife and continued to work on dinner as he replied. "No, he's still with his family in Canada. His family is extremely conservative so they know nothing about us – let alone him being gay." Sonny thought about how Kai hadn't called him yet to wish him a happy birthday. He wondered if Kai was caught up in something with his family.

Dario continued to play while Sonny finished dinner. He thought about how Kai was in the same boat as him. Neither wanted to tell their parents about how they felt in fear of what they might do or say. Dario suddenly felt more optimistic about things. When Sonny finished, Dario put his guitar away so that they could sit and eat. "Everything looks so good."

Sonny smiled as he took the first bite. "Your playing really helped me cook at my best."

Dario dug in and appreciated Sonny for cooking dinner on his own birthday. He probably wouldn't have made the elaborate meal that Sonny was capable of. After a few moments, Dario looked up and asked, "So how did you and Kai meet?" Dario knew that bringing up Kai most likely would not help him in admitting how he felt about Sonny, but he needed to make sure he really wanted to do this.

Sonny found it odd that Dario brought Kai up a second time within the last hour or so, but decided to tell Dario how it happened. "Kai and I were in organic chemistry together. We traded glances for a bit in the class and eventually sat next to each other. Kai realized he was gay and the rest is history."

Dario looked down at his food after Sonny finished telling him about Kai. He thought it was interesting how casual Sonny told they story of how he and Kai met. "That's very different from the way that we first met," he let out feeling a bit nervous. He could feel his heart beat harder.

Sonny gave Dario a curious look. "Why do you keep bringing up when we met?" He had wondered why Dario mentioned Kai twice, but he was more curious about Dario's wanting to talk about when they first met.

Dario felt his heart race as he put down his fork to grab Sonny's hand. Once his hand touched Sonny's hand, Dario looked into Sonny's eyes. "I really wish things between us had played out differently." Before Sonny could say anything, Dario continued, "I am sorry for making mistake after mistake in pushing you away."

Sonny continued to look into Dario's eyes. He knew he had to take control of where this conversation seemed to be heading. He shook his head as he spoke. "Dario, you don't have to apologize for all of that because we are close again."

"Are we close again? Are things good between us?" Dario questioned. "I am touching your hand right now, but I feel so far apart from you. It's not like how it used to be. Don't you remember what it felt like when you told me you loved me at the Penthouse Grille? You're keeping me at a distance – at a certain point. There's a wall."

Sonny quickly removed his hand from Dario's and stood up. He knew exactly what Dario was talking about. "We shouldn't go there. You know that things can't work for us. You said it yourself at the airport before you left for Alaska this summer. You can't give me what I want – I mean wanted." Sonny felt his heart beat faster even if he was trying his best to guard it by saying whatever to keep Dario at bay.

Dario stood up as well keeping his eyes locked with Sonny's eyes even though Sonny wanted to look away. "That is no longer true, Sonny. Do you remember that day I came over to you apartment and played 'Losing My Religion'? That wasn't the song I originally wanted to play for you."

Sonny remembered the change in song after telling Dario that he had a boyfriend. "I already know you decided to change the song. You wanted to tell me something that day and when I told you about Kai, you decided not to." Sonny couldn't help himself as he moved closer to Dario giving into the pull that he felt between them. Sonny questioned his sanity for allowing himself to open up to what Dario wanted to tell him that day. "What did you really want to play for me that day?"

"I'll play it for you because my feelings are still the same from when I came back to Salem – well, I guess from even before." Dario broke eye contact with Sonny for the first time as he grabbed his guitar. "It's in Spanish. I hope you understand." His racing heart showed through his body. Dario swallowed hard hoping to calm his nerves.

"I took Spanish this semester, so my Spanish is better," Sonny shared as he looked on wanting to know Dario's feelings. His heart was racing as well.

Dario began to play and sing "Contigo En La Distancia".

No existe un momento del día (There's not a moment in the day)  
>En que pueda apartarte de mi (That could separate you from me)<br>El mundo parece distinto (The world seems different)  
>Cuando no estás junto a mi (When you're not by my side)<p>

No hay bella melodía (There's no beautiful melody)  
>En que no surjas tú (In which you don't appear)<br>Ni yo quiero escucharla (I don't want to listen to it)  
>Si no la escuchas tú (If it doesn't have you)<p>

Es que te has convertido (It is that you have become)  
>En parte de mi alma (a part of my heart)<br>Ya nada me consuela (Nothing comforts me anymore)  
>Si no estás tú también (If you're not by my side)<p>

Más allá de tus labios (Far beyond your lips)  
>Del sol y las estrellas (Of the sun and of the stars)<br>Contigo en la distancia (With you in the distance)  
>Amado mio, estoy (My beloved one, I am)<p>

Es que te has convertido (It is that you have become)  
>En parte de mi alma (a part of my heart)<br>Ya nada me consuela (Nothing comforts me anymore)  
>Si no estás tú también (If you're not by my side)<p>

Más allá de tus labios (Far beyond your lips)  
>Del sol y las estrellas (Of the sun and of the stars)<br>Contigo en la distancia (With you in the distance)  
>Amado mio, estoy (My beloved one, I am)<p>

Contigo en la distancia (With you in the distance)  
>Amado mio estoy, oh (My beloved one, I am, oh)<br>Contigo (With you)

As Dario sang the lyrics and played his guitar, Sonny's heart began to melt as he understood what Dario was singing to him. He thought about his connection with Dario and felt it strengthen as the song continued. Tears began to form in Sonny's eyes as his emotions overpowered him in a way he had never experienced before. So much was happening in those few moments that he could no longer keep his walls up to keep his distance from Dario emotionally.

After Dario finished playing, he slowly placed his guitar on the floor next to him. Looking into Sonny's eyes, Dario put his hand out to Sonny. A rush went through both of them as they looked at each other. Dario spoke, "I'm no longer going to fight what I know in my heart is supposed to be. I hope that you won't fight it either." Sonny looked down at Dario's hand as he struggled with understanding the strong feelings that had come over him so suddenly.

* * *

><p>At the guys' apartment back in Salem, Chad and Will had finished dinner with T, who had remained quiet for most of it. Chad stood up from the table, and knowing that T most likely needed to talk to Will alone, volunteered to clean up. "You two should go into the living room and decide what we are going to do next while I clean up."<p>

As Will walked into the living room with T, Will put his arm around T's waste giving him a side hug. "I'm glad you could come over tonight, but I can tell you're somewhere else."

T gave Will the saddest look. "I'm so sorry…"

Will quickly interrupted T. "T, I understand. You've got a lot on your mind because you have a lot to deal with."

As Will helped T take a seat on the couch with him, T looked down as he thought about everything running through his mind. "I feel like my life is falling apart because Kinsey is having my kid and I can't find her anywhere. Gabi is ignoring me because she is upset with me about all of this. I think she blames me."

Will couldn't believe that Gabi was making things worse for T. "I get that it takes two to make a kid, but how can she be mad at you when all of this happened before?"

"Gabi is just dealing with a lot and probably can't process the situation," T stood up for Gabi. Even if Gabi screwed him over by keeping him away from his friends, T couldn't help but try to rationalize Gabi's behavior and reaction.

Surprised that T still stood up for Gabi even with the way she was treating him, Will replied, "You really love Gabi."

"Yeah, I do – maybe too much," T shared. He hated that it had been forever since he and Will hung out like this and even so it was at a time when things were dark for him.

Will began to rub T's back. "Hang on, man."

Chad looked into the living room from the kitchen. Even though he knew that T and Will were just friends, he felt somewhat uncomfortable with how close they were. His eyes focused on how Will continued to rub T's back.

"What did your parents have to say?" Will asked.

A look of realization came over T's face. "I keep putting that in a place in my head so I don't have to think about it. I haven't allowed myself to entertain the idea of telling them really. I know they are going to be so upset." Thinking about it made T start to cry. "I can't imagine what they'll say or do. I might lose them."

Will pulled T in. He had never seen T look and feel so lost. "No matter what happens we'll always be friends."

T pulled Will closer and rested his head on Will's head. "I really appreciate you, Will." T tried to wipe the tears falling down his face. "I have felt so alone for so long even before the whole Kinsey situation hit the fan. I don't feel it as much now."

"I thought you and Josh were friends," Chad said as he walked into the living room. Will looked over to Chad sensing jealousy in Chad's voice but decided not to say anything about it because T was there.

After separating from Will a tad, T answered Chad, "Josh has been dealing with his own problems with Abigail, so we haven't hung out much since he returned from New Zealand." T removed himself more from Will as he wiped his face. Feeling ridiculous and embarrassed with the way Chad looked at him, he decided he needed to end the pity party. "Let's play some video games. I'm done thinking about life."

"I'll set it up," Chad said as he walked over to the TV.

As Chad set up the Xbox, Will turned to T to make sure everything was okay. "I'm happy that you're coming on this trip with us."

"I'm not sure it will do me any good," T shared and continued, "but I am glad that I get to be with you." Chad's eyes widened as he continued to set up the Xbox.

* * *

><p>Celeste sat in her dimly lit apartment thinking about her family as she looked at a picture of them. She decided she needed to turn to her cards for answers because she sensed danger all around them. She placed the photo on the table and grabbed her tarot cards. After shuffling her cards, she chose the first card and turned it around. Panic filled her whole body as she gazed upon the 'Death' card.<p>

The worse case scenarios began to play through her mind as she feared that someone in her family would die. She stood up to grab her phone, but then stopped herself to take a deep breath. "Celeste, calm down," she told herself. She reminded herself that the 'Death' card could mean other things other than someone dying. It could also represent the end of anything else – person, object, relationship, job – anything. It was not exclusive to just the end of a human life. Celeste studied the card closely and said aloud to give her comfort, "This card is also about transformation and not just about loss. In the end, all will be even greater if we nurture and welcome the new piece that is created." Even with the ability to calm herself and look at the good qualities of the "Death" card, Celeste wondered who the card was meant for.

* * *

><p>Azzura searched for Ignazio and finally found him in the dining room of Maddalena's mansion eating a snack at the table. "I hope you are enjoying the pie I made for after dinner," she let out rather annoyed.<p>

Ignazio continued to eat slightly ignoring Azzura's presence. "Did you need something?"

Azzura decided she didn't have time to waste, so she got to the point, "Ignazio, we need to talk." She wanted Ignazio's full attention.

Ignazio motioned for Azzura to take a seat next to him. "Talk. I can listen and eat at the same time."

"I don't need to take a seat. This won't last long." Azzura moved to the end of the table, but didn't take a seat. "You are going to meet with EJ tomorrow, right?" Ignazio nodded his head as he took a bite of his food. "I am going with you to the mansion to meet with EJ. There's something I have to do."

Ignazio stopped eating and shifted his chair so he could look at Azzura directly. "I don't think that is a good idea. I already believe that he's suspicious of me. If you come as well, it will only get worse."

"I need to do this. Don't worry. I will not be with you the entire time." Azzura thought about how she needed to find a way to get in between Sami and EJ. "You can argue with me, but I am going."

Annoyed, Ignazio moved his chair back towards the table. "Fine. Can I have some peace now?"

"One more thing," Azzura responded.

Ignazio let out a sigh. "Yes?"

"What's the update on Ric and that girl?"

"I don't really want to talk about that," Ignazio quickly answered. "I need to focus on EJ and Chad at the moment." Ignazio continued to eat the rest of his piece of pie.

Azzura decided not to push the topic and walked away after staying, "You know your nonna will be upset that you cut into her favorite dessert before we could sit down for dinner, which will be served in the next twenty minutes."

* * *

><p>Back at the cabin, Dario could tell that Sonny was still trying to fight what they both felt for each other. "What's keeping you from taking my hand, Sonny? Am I too complicated for you to commit to now? Did I mess everything up? I know that I really pushed you away, but that was because I was fighting my own feelings for you. I was afraid because of how my mother and siblings raised and said to me about homosexuality, but I'm done with that. I don't want to fight it anymore."<p>

Sonny finally grabbed Dario's hand because it was what he really wanted. "I don't want to fight it anymore either." The moment that Sonny grabbed Dario's hand, every thing that told him to fight his connection with Dario disappeared, but some fear and doubt remained.

Dario stood up and smiled at the fact that Sonny grabbed his hand. "Everything in me is connected to you, Sonny. I know you feel it, too."

"I do." Sonny couldn't believe what he was doing and saying. "I have tried so hard to shut the idea of us down so I could move on because you told me to. The truth is Dario that you've always been in my heart and I have always wanted you to be a part of me. I guess I just don't know what that means now. Things are different now, right? I mean, you mentioned that you don't want your family to know. I am with Kai and you once told me that you couldn't give me what I wanted. How can I trust this? Things have to be different, but they aren't." Even though Sonny had said he didn't want to fight it anymore, a part of him took control of him in an attempt to rebuild his defenses against letting Dario in.

Dario didn't say anything, but let go of Sonny's hand. For a moment Sonny believed that this meant that he was right and that Dario couldn't give him what he so eagerly wanted from Dario even if he had found happiness with Kai. Sonny's body began to relax again as Sonny believed it was safe to let his guard down.

Dario raised his left hand and placed it on Sonny's chest to show Sonny that things were different. He could feel Sonny's heartbeat and it almost seemed like he could hear it as well. Even though Sonny seemed to want to continue fighting it, Dario knew that Sonny wanted to give in. Looking down at Sonny's left hand which seemed to be shaking with nerves, Dario decided to grab it with his right hand. He raised Sonny's hand and placed it on his chest, so Sonny could feel Dario's heartbeat. Looking up, Dario made direct eye contact with Sonny and finally broke the intense silence. "I love you, Sonny."

Sonny looked down to Dario's lips after Dario said those words. He got so lost in the moment that he moved his head in closer allowing his lips to meet with Dario's. Dario returned the passion as he kissed Sonny back. Sonny could not believe this was really happening. He never imagined it could feel this good.

Dario lifted Sonny up so that he could carry Sonny over to the fireplace. Sonny allowed Dario to hold him as he wrapped his legs around Dario's torso. Once they made it to the rug by the fire, Dario gently laid Sonny on his back as they continued to kiss. Dario then moved to Sonny's neck causing Sonny to moan softly. Dario made sure to take a moment in between kisses to say, "Tell me how you feel."

"I love you, Dario," Sonny exclaimed quietly and passionately. "I wanted to be with the one I love for my birthday and it came true." Sonny kissed the top of Dario's head as Dario continued to kiss his neck. Sonny then ran his hands through Dario's hair. When his hands reached the back of Dario's neck, Sonny moved Dario back up so they could make out again. As soon as their lips met, Sonny reached for the bottom of Dario's shirt so he could lift it off Dario.

When his shirt came up closer to his head, Dario sat up and took over taking his own shirt off. Sonny's hands immediately went to Dario's chest as Dario threw his shirt to the ground next to the couch. "I want to make love to you, Sonny," Dario stated hoping Sonny would be okay with the idea. Dario began to unbutton Sonny's shirt so he could massage Sonny's bare chest and stomach.

After Dario finished unbuttoning Sonny's shirt and took it off, Sonny pulled Dario close to him and whispered, "Make love to me Dario. Show me how much you love me." Sonny pushed Dario's head down after one quick kiss. He really wanted to have sex with Dario. All of the confusion Kinsey had caused him about his sexuality was now gone. Dario took it all away.

Dario began to kiss Sonny's chest. Sonny's feet kicked when Dario got to his nipples. He looked down to make sure he was not dreaming. He never thought he and Dario would ever do this. Dario lifted his head and body to kiss Sonny on the lips again. Breaking for a moment, Dario asked, "Do you want me to take complete control here? There's so much I want to do with you."

As much as Sonny always hoped for a lover who knew how to take control, Sonny wanted to share in this experience more since it was their first time. "I want to make love to you, too, Dario." Sonny grabbed Dario and pushed him to the ground so he could climb on top of Dario. Sonny rubbed Dario's chest for a while before kissing Dario's abs as he laid his body on top of Dario's.

Dario smiled and giggled with pleasure. "You definitely know what you're doing." Dario smiled even wider when he felt Sonny's hands grab his pants to unbutton them. Pretty soon, Dario's pants were off. Sonny smiled as it surprised him how excited Dario was about making love. "Don't be too shocked, Sonny. I've been dreaming about this moment for a while now. I love you, remember?"

Sonny thought about how he could really see the love Dario had for him in every part of Dario. Sonny hoped Dario could see the same in every part of Sonny in this moment. Sonny stood up and decided to drop his pants and briefs so that he was completely naked in front of Dario. He was now completely vulnerable.

Dario gazed and took in the beauty of Sonny for a moment before sitting up to pull Sonny back on top of him. "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you."

Sonny moved his body up so he could look into Dario's eyes. The way that Dario looked at him was different from when they first met. In fact, Sonny realized that Dario's gaze on him had been different since Dario returned to Salem from Alaska. Sonny had shut Dario out so much that it caused him to not fully notice before. "Do you really feel lucky?"

"Of course. Every man dreams of finding his soul mate and I found mine," Dario shared with absolute sincerity. Dario noticed that water began to form in Sonny's eyes after he answered Sonny's question. "Did I say or do something to upset you?"

Sonny wiped his eyes and shook his head. "No. It's just that I have waited so long for you to say that to me." Sonny immediately leaned down and passionately kissed Dario. He continued to passionately kiss Dario's body as he made his way down to Dario's hips. Removing Dario's briefs, Sonny threw them to the ground by the other clothes.

Sonny looked into Dario's eyes as began to take Dario completely. Dario threw his head back, closed his eyes, and moaned in delight. Dario made sure to run his hands through Sonny's hair as Sonny continued. He never imagined that making love to another guy could feel so good, but he knew why now because of what Sonny meant to him.

After a while, Dario grabbed Sonny's arms and pulled him up so they could kiss some more. Dario flipped Sonny over onto his back so he could return the favor. He had never done this before and hoped that he could convince Sonny that he knew what he was doing by showing Sonny how much he wanted this. Dario flashed Sonny a smile before going down on him.

As Dario continued, Sonny began to feel complete ecstasy that he had no control over. Looking down, Sonny pulled Dario up as he began to moan uncontrollably as his whole body stiffened. Dario smiled as he realized he had given Sonny an orgasm. Kissing him, Dario grinded his body against Sonny's body. Feeling so close to Sonny, Dario could not help but orgasm too as Sonny ran his hands all over Dario's back. After Dario finished, he let out a small laugh of excitement as he fell onto his back next to Sonny. Both made eye contact with smiles on their faces.

After catching their breath for a moment as they beamed in the after glow of what just happened, Dario ran his hands through Sonny's hair. "We should probably get cleaned up."

Sonny smiled as he thought about what just happened between him and Dario. He never thought it possible. "There are quite a few showers. We could choose any one of them."

Dario stood up and grabbed his and Sonny's clothes. "The closest one is fine just as long as we are using the same one." Dario made sure to wink at Sonny.

Sonny stood up as well and took Dario's hand. "I'll show you where it is." Sonny led Dario into the bathroom and then started the shower. After the water was warm enough he grabbed Dario's hand again so both could get in.

"I never imagined it would ever feel this good," Dario admitted.

Sonny blushed and agreed. "Yeah. Would you like me to wash your body for you?"

Dario quickly started to get aroused again. "Sure, but let me do you first since it's your birthday," he replied with a wink.

As Dario grabbed the soap and lathered it in his hands, Sonny gave Dario a peck on the lips and turned around so Dario could start on his back. "This is the best birthday ever!" Sonny had never felt this high before. He felt so high that he hadn't even thought about Kai.

Dario rubbed Sonny's back with the soap in his hands. "Honestly, there was a lot more I wanted to do with you tonight, but I guess the excitement and the pleasure got the best of both of us," Dario shared.

"Oh yeah?" Sonny asked with a smile. "I can't imagine it getting better, but doing more could help I suppose." Sonny moved his hand and grabbed Dario to pull him closer to him. Dario's arms went around Sonny as he began to wash Sonny's chest. Sonny leaned his head back and rested it on Dario's shoulder so they could kiss. They had managed to get lost in the moment again.

Dario and Sonny realized that washing each other would only lead to more sex and they didn't want to prune up. After separating, Sonny washed and rinsed off first to allow Dario to wash and rinse himself off. "Take your time. I'm going to see which room has the biggest bed."

Sonny dried off and then headed to his suitcase to get dressed. He found a room with two beds in it and put on some pajamas and found some shoes to put on because the floor was cold. After getting dressed, Sonny headed to the main room to clean any messes. As he walked by Dario's guitar, he smiled widely. He stood there for a moment as he took in everything that just happened with Dario.

Sonny walked over to the rug and decided he needed to replace it with another one in the closet. As he picked it up after folding it, there was a sudden knock at the front door. Sonny jumped as it was completely unexpected. "Who could that be?" he asked himself. After putting the rug in the closet for the moment, Sonny went over to the door and opened it. Once the door was open, Sonny felt the world rush back into his body. Kai stood on the other side of the door. "Kai, what are you doing here?"

Instead of answering Sonny's question, Kai walked in and gave Sonny a kiss. As Kai kissed him, Sonny kept his eyes open in shock. He wasn't sure how to respond, but he froze somewhat in place. Kai then grabbed his bags from outside and brought them in so the front door could be closed. Looking Sonny over, he giggled. "It looks like you've seen a ghost. Your Great-uncle Victor set this all up so I could be here."

"He did?" Sonny said in a daze. He remained somewhat frozen as the guilt ate at him. Processing the fact that Kai was now here and also processing what he and Dario had just done made it so hard for Sonny to react. What did this mean for his relationship with Kai? What did this mean for him and Dario?

"Yeah," Kai smiled. He gave Sonny a hug. "Happy Birthday, Sonny!"

"I think I forgot my suitcase in the car trunk!" Dario shouted as he walked out to the front door wearing only a towel that barely covered his hips. Noticing that there was someone else in the cabin now, Dario quickly fixed his towel so that it covered him more. "Sorry, I didn't know someone else was here. Who are you?"

Sonny, who was battling speechlessness, turned around and managed to get out, "This is Kai, my boyfriend."

Everything hit Dario as well in the same manner that Kai's presence hit Sonny. Things were really screwed up now. Seeing the look on Sonny's face made Dario feel so guilty for the position he had put Sonny in. "It's finally nice to meet you, Kai." Dario decided against shaking Kai's hand and waved instead so he could hold the towel to his body.

"Who are you?" Kai questioned. He couldn't help but notice how attractive Dario was. The fact that Dario was only wearing a towel made Kai want to know even more as he asked more questions in his mind.

Dario could tell that Sonny didn't have the ability to answer Kai's question, so he took charge. "I'm Sonny's friend, Dario. I drove up here with him so he wouldn't have to be alone on his birthday." Dario looked down at his own body and then back at Kai. "I apologize for being half-naked. I just got out of the shower and I accidentally left my suitcase in the car."

Sonny suddenly snapped out of his complicated thoughts that had rendered him speechless. "I… I'll go grab your suitcase." Sonny grabbed his coat from the coat hanger and headed outside.

After Sonny shut the door, Kai turned back to Dario. He still could not believe how attractive Dario was. He remembered how Adrienne had brought up Dario before he left for winter break. "So what have you and Sonny done since you've been here?"

Knowing that he needed to protect Sonny, Dario decided not to tell Kai that he and Sonny made love. "Well, we set up some extra beds for everyone that's coming tomorrow. Then Sonny cooked dinner." Dario looked over to the floor by the fireplace and noticed that the rug was gone. He didn't allow that to phase him as he continued, "I played a few songs on my guitar." Dario motioned to his guitar which Kai had noticed before. "Finally, we decided to get cleaned up for bed. Sonny took his shower first and I took the next one – and now we are here." Dario and Kai traded glances for a moment. Feeling awkward, Dario excused himself. "I'm going to wait in this bedroom over here because I am freezing."

Before Dario could go into the bedroom, Sonny came back in the cabin with Dario's suitcase. "Dario, here you go." Sonny handed Dario's suitcase over to Dario and turned back to Kai as Dario disappeared into another bedroom to change.

Kai walked over to Sonny and smiled. "It's so good to see you again." Kai decided not to let his questions about Dario ruin their reunion.

"It's such a nice surprise," Sonny said. He was able to get a better grip of things while he was outside. He could hide the guilt better. Grabbing Kai's hand, he continued, "Thanks so much for coming out here. I didn't think it would be possible."

"I've missed you." Kai pulled Sonny close into a passionate kiss. His hands began to wander around Sonny's body.

After a moment, Sonny pulled away from Kai. There was no way he could sleep with Kai after what happened with Dario. "I'm really tired, Kai. It's been a long day. Dario and I worked hard on putting the extra beds together."

Kai rubbed Sonny's cheek. "That's fine. I'm tired myself from the last-minute packing and traveling. We can make up for being apart for so long tomorrow."

Dario had watched the scene from the bedroom door. He remained in the bedroom as he closed the door. He had never seen Kai before and seeing Kai with Sonny now made him worry about his future with Sonny. He wondered what would happen now. Dario knew he couldn't bare to lose Sonny right after finally having him.


	38. Chapter 38 Reminders

**Chapter 38: Reminders – Thursday, December 29th, 2012**

The next morning at the guys' apartment, Chad walked out of his bedroom and could hear Will singing in the shower. He turned as he heard Sonny's bedroom door open. T walked out and spotted Chad as well. "Good morning."

"Morning," T said back as he ran his hand through his bed head. "Thanks again for letting me stay the night. I wasn't in a place to go home last night."

"It's no problem," Chad smiled hoping that T would be okay. Chad and T could then hear Will singing in the shower. "There goes Will and that Bruno Mars song again. I guess it is fitting to sing about rain when he's taking a shower."

T laughed with Chad. "I'm used to it I guess. Will would always sing in the shower when we stayed the night over each other's houses growing up."

Chad became annoyed with T because it appeared he implied he knew Will better than Chad. Wanting to change the subject, Chad asked, "So what are you doing today before we head out later tonight?"

"Well, I am going to try to talk to Gabi. I really want to fix things with her and try to help her understand this whole Kinsey/baby situation." T wondered if Gabi would even look at him if he showed up at her place.

"Well, I hope it all works out," Chad said feeling a bit guilty for being jealous of T and Will's friendship.

"Thanks," T said with appreciation. Hearing Will starting to sing a different song, T smiled at Chad. "So why aren't you taking a shower with Will?"

Chad laughed. "Well we decided to take separate showers so we can actually get some things done today. We haven't mastered co-showers yet." Chad and T laughed together.

Will walked out of the bathroom only wearing a towel. "T, you're awake and you're smiling!" He liked that T seemed to be in better spirits than the night before. Will turned to Chad quickly because they had a lot to do. "It's your turn, Chad. I put a towel in there for you."

Chad took in how hot Will looked partially wet and in only a towel. He then looked over at T. He didn't want to leave the two of them together, but reminded himself that T was not a threat and that he needed to get over it. "Thanks." Chad kissed Will and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

Will blushed about the way that Chad looked at him. Thinking about what they were doing later made Will feel like things were going well between him and Chad. Will walked over to T and gave him a hug. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

"I slept okay. I guess better than previous nights." Placing his hands in his pockets and grabbing his keys in one, T looked at Will realizing he needed to get out of there. "I'll get out of your hair now. I'll see you later tonight I guess."

Will didn't want T to rush out without checking on him one last time to make sure he would be okay. "Are you going to be okay, T?"

"I'll be fine," T half smiled. T and Will hugged again before T left the apartment. Will headed to his bedroom to get dressed.

* * *

><p>Back at the Kiriakis cabin, Sonny, who was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, glanced at Kai and asked him about what Victor did exactly to get him here. He still struggled with the fact that Victor did all of this when Victor was so against him being gay before. Kai explained, "Well, your great-uncle actually flew up to my parents' house. When I saw him, I got really nervous because of what you told me about him. I remembered you saying that he was anti-gay, and for a moment I really thought he came up there to tell my parents about our relationship – the fact that I had a boyfriend who happened to be his great-nephew."<p>

Sonny turned around since the breakfast was ready. "But he didn't, right?" he asked nervously and with concern. Sonny really tried to keep Dario in the back of his mind, so that he could fully focus on Kai. He didn't want to let his confusion about everything to get worst and then allow it to show on his face.

"No, he didn't say anything about you actually," Kai answered. "He did introduce himself and his company. He talked to my parents about an internship that Titan was sponsoring at the hospital for future surgeons. Of course my parents were all about it, so they asked him what I needed to do. Your great-uncle told them that he wanted me specifically because I was top of all my classes. All I had to do was come back to Salem during my break. My parents hurriedly agreed without question."

Sonny thought Kai's story was really interesting. He couldn't believe Victor went through all of the trouble. "So does the internship even exist? I mean, you're not in Salem. You're here with me."

"Yeah, it actually exists," Kai said with excitement. "I packed my things, and on my way to the airport, your great-uncle told me that there was more that he didn't tell my parents. He said that the internship is real, but I didn't have to start until the second week of classes for the spring semester. He told me that he needed me now because he was flying me out here for your birthday!"

Sonny couldn't believe that Victor went through all this just to bring Kai back over to the states. He also couldn't believe that Victor set up a real internship for his boyfriend. This was huge. "That is so awesome. You have no idea how happy that makes me. I guess Victor is really trying to fix things and change himself." Inside, a part of Sonny hated the surprise element as Dario entered his mind again. Sonny tried to shake it off.

"Yeah," Kai grinned. "Victor asked me if I wanted my own place or if I wanted to stay with you for the rest of break, so of course I said I would stay with you. I hope you don't mind."

Sonny smiled. "Of course that's okay." He couldn't help but struggle with the idea that all of this was too much for him to handle. In any normal circumstance, Sonny believed that he would be jumping up for joy, but he was not in a normal circumstance.

Kai smiled back not noticing Sonny's lack of great enthusiasm. "So where is everyone else? You told me you had a big group coming to this."

"The rest of the group will be coming in today. Some had to work, while others had family situations to deal with." Sonny looked at the time and decided to set the table. He didn't want the food to get cold.

Dario walked in after waking up finally. He had decided before leaving his bedroom that he would continue to pretend that nothing happened the night before for Sonny's sake. "Breakfast smells really good," he exclaimed to announce himself.

Sonny gave Dario a half smile. He didn't want Kai to see any hint of what he and Dario did the night before. "Thanks Dario. Have a seat. I made enough for all three of us."

As they all sat down to eat, Dario turned to Kai. "So how did you end up here, Kai? Sonny had told me earlier this week that you were stranded in Canada."

Kai smiled as he really enjoyed thinking about how it all came together. He grabbed Sonny's hand and answered, "Fate was on our side. Now I get to be with my boyfriend earlier than planned." Kai made sure to look into Sonny's eyes. "I don't want to be apart from you like that again."

Dario quickly traded a glance with Sonny after Kai began to eat his food. He noticed that Sonny barely wanted to look at him, and it hurt to see Sonny and Kai holding hands. Dario decided to finish his food quickly, so he could get out of there. There was no way he could keep up with pretending last night didn't happen. When he finished eating, he stood up. "Thanks for breakfast, Sonny. I think I am going to get some air out there alone. I'll probably try to call my mother. You two have fun." Dario gave Sonny a sad smile. He really didn't want to leave Sonny alone with Kai, but felt he had no choice.

Sonny looked down at his half finished plate. He felt horrible for the situation he and Dario were in. He looked up and noticed that Kai was smiling at him. Sonny wondered what he should do. "Are you enjoying breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'm stuffed. Thanks." With Dario now out of the cabin, Kai moved his chair closer to Sonny. "Let's take advantage of this alone time. It's been weeks!"

Sonny smiled but tried to keep Kai at bay. One thing Sonny knew that he needed to do was to make sure that he and Kai did not sleep together until he figured things out. He knew he would have to find ways to avoid Kai's advances. Sonny quickly stood up and began to clean the table. "I don't really have the time now. I need to clean and make sure all the rooms are set up for everyone by the time they get here."

Kai stood up to help clean up. He wondered why Sonny seemed so distant. "Well, I am a patient guy, but could you at least give me a kiss."

Sonny stopped what he was doing. "Sure." Sonny gave Kai a kiss on the lips. He hoped that would hold Kai over for a while because he still felt guilty for allowing a kiss.

* * *

><p>At the Carver home, Abe and Lexie sat down with Theo as they helped him with his therapy homework. All three were having fun as they talked about the different things that Theo got to experience in the past week. Abe and Lexie traded excited glances because of how much Theo seemed to improve on understanding the world differently. They really loved their little boy.<p>

Celeste arrived outside, knocked on the door, and then walked in. "Good morning!" She tried to hide the fact that she was still on edge from what she felt when she turned over the "Death" card the night before.

Lexie stood up to greet her mother. "Mom, we didn't expect you until later tonight. Is something wrong?" Looking her mother over more closely, Lexie began to shake her head at herself. "I should know better than to ask you that question. What's going on?"

"Darling, I just wanted to check in on you and the family – make sure everyone is safe." Celeste walked over to Abe and Theo and gave Theo a hug. Turning back to Lexie, she continued with some intensity in her voice because she couldn't fully contain her fears, "Alexandra, it is important that you and Abe keep your eyes wide open. I know that you are careful, but you must be even more careful."

Abe stood up and gave Celeste a distasteful look because he did not like it when Celeste shared her worries and warnings. "I'll take Theo into the kitchen. It's snack time." Abe placed his hand on Theo's back and directed him into the kitchen.

When Lexie knew the coast was clear, she delved into her mother. "Where is all of this coming from? Did you see something that is telling you that we might be in danger? Please tell me you didn't have a vision or sense something in your crystal ball!"

Celeste knew that if she told Lexie about what her tarot cards showed her the night before, she would quickly dismiss it. "Alexandra, you know I don't have a crystal ball. Listen, I just have a bad feeling someone in the family will get hurt or that something will happen that will affect all of our lives. A change is on the horizon."

Abe left Theo at the table with his snack and walked back in to hear Celeste's warning. Annoyed, he decided to give Celeste his take on what she had to share, "You don't have to worry about us, Celeste. We are all safe." Heading over to Lexie, he gave her a kiss. "Theo is eating his snack at the kitchen table. I have to go into the office for a bit to get ready for the meeting tomorrow evening."

"Drive safely," Lexie said as she flattened the front of Abe's shirt with her hands.

"Don't worry," Abe said before giving her another kiss. Abe made his way to the door and opened it. As he walked outside, he tripped on the door post and almost fell down completely. Catching himself on the side of the house, he stood straight up.

Celeste began to freak out because she saw this as a bad omen. "Abraham, you cannot leave. You need to stay home."

Abe shook his head at her. "I am okay. Everything is okay." Abe left without another word after closing the front door.

Lexie looked her mother over and started to feel antsy about everything. "I don't know what's going on here, mom, but you're starting to make me nervous. I have to watch Theo, and I can't afford to have him to start thinking that something wrong will happen."

Celeste knew Lexie had a point. "You're right, Alexandra. I am just thinking of the worst. It could be a good change." After a few breaths, Celeste was able to calm down. "I am sorry for just coming in here and causing a scene. Tell Abraham that I am sorry."

Lexie sighed and looked down away from her mother. "It's okay." Her eyes turned to the door that led to the kitchen. "I'm going to check on Theo. You can stay here if you want since you'll be watching Theo later." Lexie smiled when Celeste nodded her head to her.

Celeste watched as Lexie left the room. She walked over to the couch and sat on the arm rest. Deep down she knew that something big was coming – something that would change their lives greatly. She wished she knew what it was.

* * *

><p>Back at the Dimera Mansion, Stefano walked into the living room to confront Sami and EJ. "So Katherine told me that you two have set up a family meeting that I was not invited or told about."<p>

"Well, there's a reason we did not tell you or invite you to this family meeting," Sami replied bluntly.

EJ sighed and decided to set his father straight. "Father, I told you about this meeting the other day. I just didn't tell you when." EJ traded a glance with Sami as she didn't approve of him telling Stefano to begin with because she hated how Stefano tried to take over with parenting their children. "Look, father, Samantha and I decided we needed to do this our way – as parents – and we didn't want you there to interfere with what we want to accomplish," EJ added in a more gentler but still forward tone.

Stefano was not amused. "As parents? What about these children's grandfather? I would like to be a part of my grandchildren's lives. What is this family meeting all about anyway?"

EJ glanced at Sami, who immediately smiled because she knew the look that EJ gave her. "It's about Chad and Will."

"So it's about one of my sons. Don't I get a say in my son's life?" Stefano shook his head at EJ and Sami. EJ couldn't believe this was a surprise to Stefano. He wondered if Stefano remembered their conversation at all.

"Well, it's about their relationship. I thought you wanted to stay away from that as much as possible," Sami recalled. "We are going to have a talk with Johnny and Allie about Chad and Will's relationship and what that means for the family, which by the way doesn't really change anything."

Stefano began to laugh at the idea. He did remember his previous conversation about this with EJ, but wanted to challenge the both of them in their decision to do this. "Are you two serious?" Stefano shook his finger at them. "Johnny and Allie are way too young to know about Chad and Will's relationship. You don't want to confuse them, do you?"

EJ grew impatient with his father. "Apparently, Samantha and I haven't been clear with you. We don't care what you think because we are still going to do what we believe is best for the children. Of course we don't want to confuse our children and we have discussed this, but the point is we need to take care of this now before it gets any worse."

Sami folded her arms around her chest and gave Stefano a pleased look. "Yeah, what EJ said."

Before anything else could be said, Harold showed in Ignazio and Azzura. Ignazio tried to keep his distance from Azzura because he still believed it was a bad idea for her to follow him over. "Prozio e cugino, it's so good to see you. I'm here for my introduction into the business. I wanted to get an early start. I hope you don't mind."

Azzura made her way to Sami. "Sami, it's so good to see you."

Even though he was pleased to see Ignazio, Stefano quickly looked over to Azzura. "And what are you doing here, Azzura?"

Azzura traded a glance with Ignazio before answering. She knew that neither Stefano nor EJ would want her to tag along with Ignazio. She did need an in though so she could get between EJ and Sami. "I wanted to have a discussion with Sami. I am hoping she could show me around Salem since I have been so busy taking care of your sister, my signora."

Caught off guard by the fact that Azzura wanted to be friends, Sami looked straight into Azzura's eyes with a bit of surprise and a bit of disappointment. "That sounds great, but I already have plans unfortunately. I took the day off to spend with the kids. We'll have to make plans to have a girls' night out soon!"

"Yes, of course. I should have called. It's just that I prefer to talk to people in person." Azzura purposely looked down in shame, but then lifted her head for a moment. "I do look forward to it. I could cook dinner or something. I am in charge of the menu every day for the house of Maddalena."

"Wow, that sounds amazing." Sami smiled.

Azzura traded glances with Stefano, EJ, and Ignazio before turning back to Sami. "I will go now. I will try to call you another time so we can make plans." Azzura gave Sami a hug. "Give your beautiful children a hug for me."

Sami felt a bit overwhelmed by Azzura's kindness. "Yeah, will do." Azzura let go of Sami and traded one more glance with Ignazio before heading out.

After Azzura left, Ignazio turned back to EJ and Stefano. "I apologize for Azzura. She gets lonely sometimes and tags along quite a bit."

"No need to apologize," EJ replied as he smiled at Sami. Putting his hand on Ignazio's shoulder, EJ asked, "So are you ready to get out of here? I'll call Marco so he'll get the car ready." EJ pulled out his phone and called Marco.

Ignazio nodded his head. "Prozio Stefano, are you coming with us?"

"Oh no, no, no. I have to take care of some other things." Stefano patted EJ and Ignazio on the back and pushed them towards the door. "You two enjoy yourselves, and Ignazio, I am glad to have you on board with the family business."

Pleased to hear that Stefano wasn't coming, Ignazio smiled. "Well, I hope to be a good asset."

"Very good," Stefano said. EJ and Ignazio headed out leaving Stefano alone with Sami. Stefano turned to Sami with disappointment in his eyes. "You are going to be very sorry about what you plan to do tonight. Those kids are already scarred enough."

"Scarred? Really Stefano?" Sami shook her head at Stefano. "I know things are different between us and we have made some sort of peace, but I will never forget what you did to Eric and me. You scarred me and my twin brother. You took our parents away from us multiple times and there's no way I am going to let you hurt my kids in any way even if some of them are your grandchildren." Sami digressed. She knew she couldn't let him get to her. "Think what you want Stefano. EJ already told you. We don't care what you think or believe."

Stefano threw his hands at Sami and headed into the foyer. He heard the doorbell ring, so he decided to answer the door. After opening it, he quickly told Chelsea, who had rung the doorbell, that her grandmother Kate was not in at the moment.

Chelsea didn't expect Stefano to answer the door. Fighting her nerves, she told Stefano her reason for visiting. "I'm not here to talk to my grandma. I'm here to talk to Sami." Chelsea looked into the mansion hoping to see someone she felt more comfortable talking with.

Having heard her name, Sami walked into the foyer. "Oh, Chelsea, come in."

Chelsea walked in and gave Stefano a look. Stefano picked up that she wanted to talk to Sami in private. "I'll leave you two alone. I have to take care of some things anyway." Stefano headed to the back so he could make some calls.

Sami noticed that Chelsea kept her eyes on Stefano and seemed nervous. Sami brought Chelsea into the living room and made sure no one else was around. "Don't worry. We're safe to talk here for now. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Chelsea still felt nervous about being in the Dimera mansion. She didn't understand how Kate could live here. "Sorry to bother you, but I really wanted to talk to you before I headed out-of-town." Sami gave Chelsea a look so she would continue. "First off, I found a few numbers of referrals for Johnny if you wanted to continue with therapy." Chelsea pulled out a piece of paper from her purse and handed it to Sami.

Sami looked at the numbers, "Thanks Chelsea. This really means a lot." Sami looked up. "Was there something else?"

Chelsea nodded her head as she adjusted her purse. "Last night I remembered something that Johnny said to me that day he came over to play with Ciara and me."

"What did you remember?" Sami asked.

"I remember Johnny mentioning something about Stefano," she answered. She went on to explain, "He said that Stefano talked to him about Chad and Will. I think Johnny possibly got the idea that Chad and Will no longer wanted or cared to be family from Stefano."

Sami thought back to when that happened and then remembered something herself. "I think you're right. Sometime after the dinner table incident, Stefano did mention that he had to have a little chat with Johnny." It all made sense to Sami because she usually didn't appreciate it when Stefano stepped in to parent Johnny about things. "That little chat is most likely the reason Johnny has acted out this way. Johnny is only doing this because of something Stefano said."

"Yeah. I heard that you're having a family meeting later. Will told me." Chelsea looked Sami over. "Do you need any help with that?"

"No, I think I know what to do and you have been so much help already." Sami gave Chelsea a hug to show her appreciation. "You go have fun on your trip. I will try to send Chad and Will your way as soon as possible."

Chelsea looked at the time and realized she needed to head back to Bo and Hope's house so that she and the others could head out. "Thanks. I hope everything goes well." Sami walked Chelsea out to the door and hoped the same.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Isobel, Manny, and Arianna could not help but notice that Gabi's moping around had gotten worse with time. Isobel reached out to her with her hand. "Gabriella, come over here and talk to me. You have been in such a bad place for a long time."<p>

"Mama, I don't really want to talk about it." Gabi grabbed a book from the coffee table so she could read and avoid the rest of her family.

Manny took a seat next to Gabi and began to lean into her. "Come on, Gabi. We know you're not happy. We're family. We're supposed to watch out for each other."

Gabi pushed Manny back away from her. "Stop, Manny. You're being annoying."

Arianna noticed that Isobel wanted to join in with annoying Gabi so that she would share what was on her mind, but then Isobel lost her balance and had to hold onto the couch. Arianna rushed to her mom. "Mama, are you okay?"

Manny stopped annoying Gabi, stood up, and rushed over to Isobel as well. "You look tired, Mama."

"I just got a little dizzy," Isobel admitted. "I'm fine." Isobel tried to walk a few more steps, but she still felt weak in the knees.

Manny held Isobel up. "I'll take you to your room so you can rest." Isobel nodded and allowed Manny to help her to her room.

Arianna and Gabi watched as they headed to Isobel's bedroom. Arianna then turned to Gabi because she wanted to talk to her about how her depressed mood was affecting their mother, but there was a knock on the front door. "I'll get that. You keep moping around." Gabi scowled at Arianna for her comment.

Arianna opened the door and found T standing there. She knew automatically that he was there to talk to Gabi. She put her hand up before he could say anything, "I'll try my best to get her out here to talk to you. It's time that you talk, right?" T remained silent, but nodded in agreement. Arianna walked over to Gabi. "T's here to talk to you."

"Tell him I'm not here," Gabi responded still focusing on the book she had in her hands.

Arianna had it with Gabi's attitude. Taking the book from Gabi's hand, Arianna laid into her. "Gabi, do you realize what you are doing? You need to fix things with T because your negative attitude is only causing more stress for Mama. She's worried about you so much that she's not even thinking about taking care of herself."

Gabi groaned in frustration but realized Arianna was right. She had to think about her mother first and it sucked to her that she had to ignore her own feelings. "Fine," Gabi stood up and headed out the door. Once outside, she addressed T without looking at him. "I'm going to hear you out, but I doubt whatever you say will change how betrayed I feel."

T tried to hold in his frustration with Gabi's attitude as he spoke to her. "Gabi, I did not cheat on you with Kinsey. I got Kinsey pregnant before we were together and it was a complete accident because it wasn't planned."

"Have you been able to track down Kinsey?" Gabi asked ignoring what T had just said.

T felt helpless all around. "I have not. I'm worried I might never see my son or daughter because Kinsey didn't even want me to know that the baby she's carrying is mine."

Hearing the sadness in T's tone caused Gabi to soften a bit towards him. "That was pretty horrible of Kinsey to do. I can't believe she lied to Sonny and then kept you in the dark like you weren't good enough." Gabi placed her hand on T's shoulder to apologize for her behavior, but the moment she touched T, her heart hardened again. "I can't do this anymore. I'm done with us." Gabi stepped away after removing her hand.

T knew he almost had Gabi. "Wait. You can't give up on us. This is still all so fresh and you have a lot of stuff going on in your life." T began to move closer to her, but stopped when he noticed she only moved back from him more. "I don't think we should make any decisions about our relationship yet. Can you at least wait until after the new year? I'll leave you alone for a few days to a week. Please, don't just end it."

Gabi sighed and nodded. "Okay, I'll wait, but I am not making any promises." T nodded his head to let her know he understood.

* * *

><p>At Dimera Enterprises, EJ gave Ignazio a tour of the building and the functions of everyone in the building the same way Stefano did with Will over the summer. Ignazio asked questions concerning the company, but wondered why EJ wasn't letting him in on the illegal side of business that he knew he and his father ran.<p>

"Well, this ends our tour," EJ announced before asking, "Do you have any other questions?"

"Is this all that you do?" Ignazio asked. "I don't see my prozio as an office kind of guy."

"My father runs things from home for the most part." EJ looked Ignazio over knowing he was fishing for information. He knew he couldn't tell Ignazio about the illegal things until he and his father knew he could be trusted.

Realizing that EJ wasn't going to give any information about the illegal side, Ignazio decided to change the subject somewhat. "So does Chad work here, too?" Ignazio knew he didn't, but he needed a segue-way to get more information on Chad.

"Chad did work for the family, but he decided to take a break so he could focus on school and his friends," EJ answered.

Ignazio gave EJ an inquisitive look. "My nonna told me that you, Alexandra, and Chad had a similar experience as me in finding out you were all Dimeras later in life."

"That is true," EJ shared with a smile. He found it interesting that they had shared a similar experience.

"I'm interested in hearing how each of you found out and how you progressed as a Dimera after processing the fact," Ignazio said hoping EJ would oblige to telling him.

"Sure, I'll tell you our stories if you promise to tell yours." Ignazio nodded his head to EJ in agreement. "I guess I'll start with me. I was living in England with my mother and step-father. I had no idea who my real father was, but I knew that my mother didn't like him. She would always change the subject or try to tell me that my step-father was my real father. I knew better." Since EJ hadn't told this story in a while and since his life had changed so much since then, he had to think back. "I ended up going to boarding school and then got into race car driving while in high school. I believe that was when my real father – your great-uncle – found me."

"You were a race car driver?" Ignazio found EJ's story rather interesting. "How did you end up here in Salem?"

"Well, father sent me over here after I was done with my schooling. I did the fast track to become a lawyer. That's when I met my wife, Samantha." EJ smiled as he thought about his first run in with Sami. "As most people know, she changed my life forever."

"So what does the Dimera name mean to you?" Ignazio asked. He wasn't really interested in the romantic aspect of EJ's life.

EJ gave an overwhelmed look. Ignazio's question was a very loaded question. "It only represents a part of me because it is only my last name. I am my own man. As far as the name Dimera, I guess I would say prestigious, esteemed, revered, influential, and familial. We have made mistakes in the past, but hopefully the Dimera legacy will improve with time."

Ignazio smiled as he really liked EJ's answer. He didn't understand how Stefano, a man he really hated for destroying his father's life, could have a son like EJ. He wondered if his grandmother was right in that EJ would be the one to save the family and restore it to what it once was. Ignazio wanted to help him if that really was the case. "So what about Lexie and Chad? What are their stories?"

EJ looked up as he thought about what Lexie had told him. "From what I understand with Lexie, she was much older when she found out she was a Dimera. She came to Salem as a police officer and fell in love with her now husband. She had no idea she had been adopted and had been raised by her real mother's sister. She knew her mother at the time as her Aunt Frankie, who we now know as Celeste. Celeste did not want Lexie to know the truth, so she sent her on a wild goose chase trying to keep her too occupied to see what was right in front of her. Eventually, Lexie found out the truth that her parents are Celeste and our father, Stefano."

"And what does she think of the family?" Ignazio questioned. "I have noticed she seems to keep her distance at times."

"Lexie really struggled when she found out who her real parents were. The aunt and uncle who raised her were deceased when she found out. She felt betrayed and alone at the same time." EJ thought about what Lexie told him of her experience of going full-out Dimera. "Father offered his help when she and Abe could not have children. That whole ordeal is why Lexie keeps some distance from the family. The fallout was not very pleasant for her. I know that she loves us, but she doesn't want the Dimera name to control her life. She is married and now has the Carver name, so she handles it that way I believe."

"Interesting. My nonna would say, 'Once a Dimera, always a Dimera." Ignazio thought about how Maddalena didn't care for Abe Carver. EJ smiled at what Ignazio claimed Maddalena would say. He knew Stefano would say the same. "As you know my nonna kept her last name when she married. The Dimera name was too important to her to let it change."

EJ nodded his head. "Yes, I heard that my grandfather, Santo, played a role in her keeping her last name."

Ignazio smiled. He remembered seeing a picture of his great-grandfather, Santo, and remembered that EJ looked exactly like him. Continuing the conversation, Ignazio said, "So I guess that leaves Chad."

EJ adjusted his tie as he thought about Chad's journey. "Chad found out last year. He had returned to Salem from a year of boarding school and got involved with Will." Ignazio's interest peaked when EJ mentioned Will and how Chad got involved with him. EJ continued, "Will and Chad uncovered that Kate and Chad's mother, Madeline, were friends and that both once worked for my father. Chad approached his mother, but she died from a ruptured aneurysm. Kate then discovered that Chad was Stefano's son and sent the birth certificate to Chad. After the paternity test, it was confirmed that Chad is my half-brother."

"How has he handled it – discovering that he is Dimera that is?" Ignazio hoped EJ's responses would continue to help him.

"I think he still struggles with his identity. It appears to be more so now than when he first learned he was a Dimera." EJ thought about how Chad was so confident in himself and challenged Stefano many times, but then things changed. Things were different now. "I really hope Chad can find himself because I really do think he is vulnerable at the moment."

"That's rough," Ignazio said with empathy. "I do find if fascinating that all three of you were able to come to Salem and find the ones you were meant to be with."

Ignazio's statement caught EJ off guard. He wondered if Ignazio knew about Chad and Will's relationship. Either way, he knew he could not confirm or deny it, so he side stepped Ignazio's statement by putting the conversation on Ignazio's story. "So what about you? You have been in Salem for a couple of weeks. How did you find out you were a Dimera and have you found love?"

"No," Ignazio shook his head. "I don't have time for that." Ignazio thought about his story and how it was similar to his cousins'. "My story – I grew up in a small town in northern Italy called Mantova. I grew without a father and as an only child. Around the time I was twelve years old, my mother got really sick. Maddalena came around claiming she wanted to help. It was after my mother died that Maddalena revealed her real identity. She told me she would take care of me from then on and that life would be different. It was very different. I learned about my father then."

EJ nodded his head. "I think it's interesting that we can all relate in how much our lives evolved with just a change in our last name." EJ smiled because he couldn't help but notice how similar he and Ignazio were.

Ignazio smiled and agreed. His phone started ringing suddenly. When he checked to see who it was, Ignazio put his phone back in his pocket. He didn't want to talk to Ric at the moment because he was with EJ.

EJ looked down at Ignazio's pocket. "Are you not going to answer that? Who is it?"

"It's an old friend from back home – the city of Urbino – where your father and my nonna grew up," Ignazio answered. "I can call him later." After Ignazio's phone stopped ringing, he decided to change the subject to why they were at Dimera Enterprises. "So what exactly will I be doing for the business?"

EJ thought about what he and his father discussed concerning Ignazio. He knew the only way to find out if Ignazio could be trusted would be if he kept a close watch. "For now, you will be shadowing me as I do my work. I'll be the one to train you." EJ could not help hoping that Ignazio could be trusted because he wanted Ignazio to stick around.

"I look forward to it," Ignazio smiled.

"When can you start?"

Ignazio hoped that EJ would be able to wait. "Next week would be best. Your brother and Will kindly invited me to join them on a trip for the weekend. I don't want to disappoint them."

"Sounds good," EJ responded. "Let's talk about what you'll be doing." EJ put his arm around Ignazio's back and led him into an office that dealt with some of the legal aspects of the business.

* * *

><p>Colin arrived to Maddalena's mansion undetected by anyone outside. Finding Maddalena in her office, he announced his presence and gave Maddalena a kiss on the cheek. "Maddalena. How is your health?"<p>

"It seems to be improving. Things are going my way," Maddalena joked with Colin. Taking his hand and patting it, Maddalena asked for a report on his progress.

"I have a few things I need to tell you," Colin started. "First, I have received word that Subject T is doing a lot better. His legs have improved with time."

Maddalena nodded with approval. "I am glad to hear that he is fully functional. You know what to do with him next. Give the orders. What else do you have for me?"

"We are ready to test the new solution. I'd rather skip the animal testing, but if we have to go that route, I will set something up." Colin thought about how they had tested the current solution on the two subjects in Europe.

"Azzura and I are currently working on that. Hold tight," Maddalena said casually as she stood up and placed her hand on his heart. "Now tell me about your plans for the Horton woman."

"I wanted to tell you this the last time I was here, but I didn't have the chance," Colin shared. "I have changed my plans for Jennifer. I no longer want her for my own. She's too much of a nympho. But I do plan to torture her by making her life complicated."

Maddalena smiled at Colin. She gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I am glad that things are working out and you are able to have some fun in the process."

"Signora," Azzura revealed her presence as she walked into the office. "I wanted you to know that Ignazio and EJ have been at Dimera Enterprises all day. It seems clear that Stefano and EJ are keeping all of us on a leash."

"That is unfortunate," Maddalena frowned. "We need a way to show Stefano and EJ that I and my side of the family can be trusted." Maddalena smiled as she thought about a plan she already had in place. "We can use our next order of business to prove to my brother that he can trust us. It's all so perfect."

* * *

><p>Up at the Kiriakis cabin, Dario played his guitar as he watched Sonny and Kai. He really wanted to talk to Sonny, but Kai didn't want to leave Sonny's side. It killed Dario to see them interacting with each other in the context of being boyfriends. It seemed to change a lot of things, but Dario didn't want to give up what he had right before Kai showed up the night before.<p>

Kai placed his hand on Sonny's chest to get his attention because he needed a break from their conversation. "I need to use the bathroom." Kai then whispered something in Sonny's ear that caused Sonny to blush before leaving the room.

Dario stopped playing and saw this as an opportunity. Gently but swiftly placing his guitar down, Dario made his way over to Sonny. "Sonny, we…"

Before Dario could get a full sentence out, Nathan, Melanie, Chelsea, Abigail, and Josh walked in. They had finally arrived from Salem. Sonny got excited and walked over to them. "Welcome everyone! Glad you could make it. It was getting kind of lonely out here." Sonny smiled because he needed a distraction from the confusion he felt about Dario and Kai.

Abigail quickly counted to three and the newly arrived people began to sing Happy Birthday to Sonny. Sonny smiled widely as he really appreciated them singing to them even if it was a day late. After they finished, Abigail hugged Sonny first. "I know it's a day late, but I am so glad you decided to do this! Grades came in today. Have you checked yours?"

"Not yet," Sonny shared as he let go of Abigail. "I completely forgot that grades would be posted this week. I'll have to check later."

As Sonny hugged the others, Josh asked, "So when is the party?"

"It's going to be tomorrow night because Chad, Will, Ignazio, and T are going to arrive here late tonight." Sonny looked at everyone again feeling relieved that things would be busier with more people here. Dario looked down and decided to step back and remain what he had become once Kai showed up: an observer.

Melanie wrapped her arm around Nathan's back. "So where are the rooms? Nathan and I want to get our stuff settled in." Melanie gave Nathan a kiss and smiled.

Chelsea mouthed the words 'Gag me" and decided to look away. She already felt annoyed with them. Whispering to Abigail, she said, "I am so glad we took two cars because I would have died if I had to ride with them."

"It's going to be okay, Chels. I've got your back," Abigail whispered back. Abigail looked down and realized that Josh had grabbed her hand. She decided that it was okay for them to hold hands as it didn't really mean too much.

"I'll show you guys to your rooms," Sonny finally said after he tried to figure out how the room assignments should go. There was an extra bed in his room, so he figured he would put Chad and Will with him.

Before Sonny could lead them to the rooms, Kai walked out surprising everyone who knew him. "What are you doing here?" Abigail asked shocked.

Sonny walked over to Kai with a smile forgetting everything that happened the night before. Grabbing Kai's hand, Sonny explained, "It appears that Victor is trying his hardest to make up for all the bad things he did." Dario headed back to his guitar because it irked him to see Sonny smile the way he did with Kai. He didn't want to observe anymore. "It's definitely working," Sonny admitted causing Dario to feel even worse.

Wanting to get some space from the others, Chelsea pleaded, "Let's check out the rooms. I'm sharing a room with Abigail." Josh looked at Abigail and Chelsea and realized that meant he wouldn't be able to share a room with Abigail. He figured that meant he would share with T or another guy.

* * *

><p>Chad had told Will that he needed to run a few errands for Stefano before meeting with the rest of the family later that day. After buying a few things for the trip to Colorado, Chad decided to stop by Maggie's house. After ringing the doorbell, Chad waited patiently for someone to answer the door. He hoped it would be Mia, but Maggie greeted him. "Chad, what a pleasant surprise to see you. What can I do for you?"<p>

"Good afternoon Maggie," Chad said with a smile. "Is Mia here?"

"Yes, come in," Maggie waved him in. "She's in the kitchen. Follow me." Maggie led Chad into the kitchen. Mia stood up shocked to see Chad there. "I'll leave you two alone. I need to make a few phone calls in the next room anyway."

After Maggie left the kitchen, Mia turned to Chad. "What are you doing here? Not that I mind the surprise – I actually like the surprise – but is something wrong?"

"No, everything is fine," Chad answered. "I wanted to tell you that I am heading out-of-town until next Monday."

Mia's hopes that Chad surprised her to tell her that he wanted to be back with her were crushed. Upset, Mia crossed her arms. "Where are you going?" She hoped it wasn't some private vacation with Will.

"My roommate, Sonny, is having a birthday and new year's eve party at his family's cabin all weekend." Chad could tell Mia didn't like that he was going. "You'll be fine without me. You'll have Maggie. Besides not everyone knows you're in town, so it might be weird if you tried to tag along." Chad thought about how he still hadn't told Will that Mia was in town.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I want to keep it that way because I know that the others hate me." Mia looked down, hoping Chad would feel sorry for her as she continued, "I'll just see you next week then so we can talk about Grace. Isn't that the only reason you want to talk to me?" Mia took a seat at the table waiting to see how Chad would respond.

Chad took a seat with her as well. "Of course not, Mia. You are important to me, too. Why else would I come over here to let you know where I was going? I did it because I care about you. The others don't know you like I know you."

Mia sighed and smiled. "I'm so sorry for going off on you. I'm just dealing with a lot I guess, and I'm on edge." Mia looked down as she played with her bracelet. "I guess Will is going, too?"

Chad tried to make eye contact with Mia as he answered, "Yeah."

Mia finally looked up but made sure not to look directly to Chad. "How are things going there? Is he still telling you that he wants to have kids with you?"

Chad looked down because he felt so uncomfortable talking to Mia about this. "Yes. We've cleared things up and he is open to the idea when the times comes." Chad wanted to leave it at that.

"So are you going to adopt or is one of you going to be a sperm donor for a woman to carry your child? It's really too bad that you two can't share a child together like you and I were able to do with Grace." Mia gave Chad a convincing softened look. "That has to be hard for you to deal with. Having a child that is not the biological child of both his or her parents."

Chad suddenly felt a bit lost as he never thought about those specific aspects of having kids with Will. He had thought about how he couldn't get Will pregnant and having to adopt, but Mia was right in that he always wanted a biological child with the one he loved. He wouldn't get to share that with Will.

Mia smirked inside as she could see the confusion written all over Chad's face. She moved her chair closer to his and placed her hand on Chad's hand. "There's so much you have yet to think about. Make sure you do before you lose all the opportunities that are right in front of you."

Chad moved back feeling even more confused. Standing up, he responded, "I should go. Will and I have plans with family for dinner and then we're heading out."

Mia stood up with him. "Okay. I'm just trying to help you because I deeply care about you, Chad."

"I appreciate it," Chad said without thinking. He just wanted to get out of there. "I'll see you next week." Chad went for a hug goodbye trying not to upset Mia again.

Mia held him tight and managed to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you when you get back. Keep thinking about Grace's new middle name."

"I will," Chad let out before heading out of the kitchen. He spotted Maggie on the phone in the living room as he walked past. He waved and left Maggie's house. So many thoughts clouded his mind.

* * *

><p>Later on that evening, Chad and Will sat around the Dimera dining room table with Sami, EJ, Lucas, Allie, Johnny, and Sydney. EJ and Sami traded glances with each other while Chad and Will did the same. Trying to make small talk, EJ turned to Chad and Will. "I spent some time with Ignazio today. He told me about your trip to Colorado this weekend."<p>

"Yeah, we're staying at Sonny's family cabin to bring in the new year. It should be fun," Will responded.

"Are you and Chad moving to Colorado?" Johnny asked. He wondered if he would never see them again.

Sami turned to Johnny to clear the air. "No, sweetheart. Your brother and Chad are going up there for only five days. They'll be back."

Chad looked at Johnny and thought about what Mia had brought to his attention earlier. Looking at Sydney reminded him of Grace and what he could have had if Grace were still alive. Chad realized he needed to stop living in the past and look to the future. He looked at Will and smiled nervously. Both had agreed that they would keep their hands above the table at all times even if they dropped something. They did not want Johnny to freak out on them. Chad turned to EJ to continue the conversation. "So what were you doing with Ignazio?"

"I gave him a tour of Dimera Enterprises. He wants to work for the family, so I caught him up on how things run. He seems to be really interested and I think he'll be a good asset to the business – especially with you taking time off to focus on school." EJ took a bite and chewed his food as Chad wondered what EJ meant by his last statement.

Lucas wanted to make a crack about how the Dimera business worked, but he refrained. "Must be nice to have an unlimited supply of Dimera men to train and eventually run other people's lives."

EJ turned to Lucas deciding not to say anything negative back. "Well, we are a big family just like the Hortons." Lucas turned to EJ wondering if EJ wanted to imply that their families were the same.

"Don't forget the Bradys!" Allie said pleased with herself. Everyone smiled at her. She had no idea she had just eased some tension between Lucas and EJ.

Sami decided to step in and change the subject. "So have you guys gotten your semester grades yet?"

"Actually they were finally put in the system today," Will said with a smile. "I got straight A's for my first semester." Lucas and Sami were really proud of Will and congratulated him.

EJ congratulated Will, too. Turning to Chad, he asked, "What about you Chad? How did you fare in your business classes?"

"I aced all of my business classes, but I did get a B in Biology II," Chad admitted. "I guess I didn't focus on that class as much as the others."

Trying to show his support of Chad for Will's sake, Lucas decided to respond to Chad. "A B is still good. We all can't be masters at everything. What's important is that you aced what you want to do for the rest of your life."

EJ bit his tongue so he wouldn't say anything bad about Lucas. "Lucas is right. You should still be proud of yourself. I know you'll be an awesome businessman when you come back into the family business."

"You're going to come back into the family business?" Sami asked a bit surprised. "I don't know why, but I got the impression that you were going to do your own thing once you graduated."

"I did, too," Lucas shared. "Will, didn't you mention something about that?"

Chad looked at Will and wondered if Will actually said something like that. He was also happy to hear that EJ wanted him to come back to the family business still. "Well, that has always been the plan I guess." Chad then thought about the situation with his father. He had doubts that he could trust his father now that he knew more about his past. Even so, Chad wasn't sure if his father even wanted him to be in the business because of his relationship with Will. Stefano had claimed he was okay with it, but he doubted anything his father said now. "We'll just see what happens," Chad said as he looked back at the others. He knew that tonight he couldn't get upset with Will because the others were watching them. Chad knew he had to hold it all together. He couldn't let Will know that doubts plagued his mind.

The rest of dinner went on without a hitch. Will noticed that EJ and Sami kept looking at the time, but he didn't question their reasons. After everyone finished eating, Sami led everyone back to the living room so they could have the talk. Will leaned into Chad feeling quite nervous and whispered, "Here goes nothing. I love you."

Chad smiled because Will said it first. He whispered back, "I love you, too."

Johnny and Allie ran over to their parents to get their attention. "What are we going to do now? Are we going to play a game together?" Johnny asked.

"We are going to have a family meeting," Sami answered them.

"A family meeting?" Allie responded looking upset. "That sounds boring. What is the meeting about?"

"We are going to talk about how important family is to all of us," Lucas answered Allie as he knelt down to her. Turning to Johnny as well, Lucas continued as Chad and Will looked on, "We want to make sure everyone knows what is going on in the family and want you two to see that we are all on your side and love you guys very much."

Johnny turned around to look at Sydney. "What about Sydney?"

"We love Sydney, too. She's just a bit young to understand what we'll be talking about," EJ shared.

Sami and EJ heard the front door open and close. "Excuse us for a moment," Sami let out as she and EJ rushed to the foyer to find that Stefano and Kate had returned from eating out.

"So Katherine and I rushed over here since you changed your mind and decided to include us on this family meeting. See, I am important in this family." Stefano smirked at his son and Sami.

"We know what you did Stefano and that's the only reason you're here tonight," Sami blasted at Stefano. She didn't want him to think for a minute that he was invited for his great grand-parenting skills.

EJ continued to explain, "We figured it out. There's another reason Johnny thinks that Chad and Will don't care about him or the rest of the family. You told Johnny that Chad and Will don't care about us because they decided to be gay. You know that's not true!"

Stefano's first instincts were to deny it, but then he remembered a few occasions concerning Johnny. He first remembered an occasion over the summer when he overheard Johnny asking Sami and EJ why he, Stefano, was mad at Chad and Will. He knew that Johnny questioned if Stefano hated them then. He then remembered sitting Johnny down recently when Johnny asked him questions about Chad and Will. "I guess I did."

Kate first gave Stefano a shocked look, but it later became a disappointed look. "What on earth did you say to him?"

"I can explain," Stefano said as soon as Kate began to ask the question. "Johnny began to ask me questions about Chad and Will. He wondered why they spent less time here at the mansion and questioned their closeness. I explained to him that Chad and Will decided that they really cared about each other and wanted to live only for each other. I told Johnny that they felt so strongly about each other that they only thought about themselves sometimes and decided to ignore what the rest of the family wanted. Pretty soon they would be their own family outside of our own. I'm guessing he took what I said differently."

"Well, Johnny believes that Chad and Will only care about each other and hate the rest of us because of what you said to him." Sami shook her head at Stefano. "What were you thinking? If Johnny was asking questions, you should have told EJ and me. We're his parents."

"Samantha is right, father," EJ gave Stefano a stern look. "If you had come to us in the first place we could have avoided this whole ordeal. Johnny is even questioning mine and Samantha's love for him."

Kate began to rub the back of Stefano's arm as she addressed EJ. "I think your father knows what he needs to do." She knew that there was no way Sami and EJ would give her husband the benefit of the doubt, but she could. "I know that you didn't mean for this to happen, but you need to fix this, my love."

Stefano sighed feeling frustrated. "Of course. I will apologize to the kids for my mistake. I should have been clearer with Giovanni and told you and Samantha that he was asking questions. I did tell you that I had a talk with him – I remember that. I just assumed if you wanted to know more you would have asked."

"Really Stefano?" Sami let out. Before she could continue, EJ stopped her from saying anything else. They had Stefano where they wanted him and he didn't want anything to jeopardize that. Sami looked into EJ's eyes and realized she needed to back down.

"After you, father," EJ said as he motioned towards the living room.

As Stefano and the others walked back in, Chad looked over surprised to see his dad there. It was the first time he had seen him since before his dinner with Maddalena. "Father, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to apologize to you, Will, Giovanni, and Allie," Stefano shared. Kate decided to grab Sydney and take her out of the room so they could finish their conversation.

Johnny climbed off the couch and walked over to Stefano. "Nonno, why are you sorry?"

"I think I told you a bad thing," Stefano said as he grabbed Johnny's hand. Taking a seat in his chair and placing Johnny on his lap, he continued to explain, "Chad and Will love you very much, and they are still a part of this family and always will be. They do love each other very much, but they still love you and your sisters. Everyone here loves each other."

"But Chad and Will love each other in a different way, right?" Allie, who was now sitting in Lucas's lap on the couch, asked. "Johnny said that they love each other more."

Will decided to step in. "I really do love Chad. I love him and one day I want to marry him." Chad looked over at Will and smiled widely. His heart felt warm in that moment.

Johnny scratched his head. "You want to marry Chad like daddy married mommy? You two are boys though."

Sami knelt down and grabbed Johnny and Allie so they both stood in front of her. "Love comes in many different ways, but there are no limits. As a family we all love each other because that is important. You love your sister because she is your sister. I love you because you are my son and you're so special. The love I have for your daddy is different because we decided to become a family together. That's what Chad and Will want for each other. People call that falling in love. Men can fall in love with women or men. Women can fall in love with men or women. There's nothing wrong with it."

"Do you guys understand what mommy is trying to tell you?" Lucas asked as he moved closer to Allie.

Johnny and Allie nodded their heads. "I think," Allie shared as she put her finger in her mouth. "Princes can marry a princess or a prince." Sami smiled at Allie and nodded her head.

"So just because Will is in love with Chad, it doesn't mean that he stopped loving us?" Johnny asked.

Chad decided he needed to say something. "That's right, Johnny. You, Allie, and Sydney will always be important to us. We still want to hang out and play with all of you."

Allie and Johnny liked hearing that. "Can we play now?" Allie asked.

"Sure," Will responded excitedly. "We could color or play a game."

As Will helped Johnny and Allie pick out a game, Kate walked back in with Sydney so she could join in. Stefano looked over at Chad and noticed that Chad kept his distance from him. He decided to go over to him himself. "Son, how have you been? I haven't seen you since Christmas."

"I've been okay." Chad looked at his father and thought about what Maddalena told him Monday night. He still couldn't believe the awful things that Stefano had done to Tony and André. "I'm going to go play with the kids now." Chad made his way over to Johnny, Allie, Sydney, and Will. He thought about how Stefano apologized earlier for telling Johnny that Chad and Will didn't care about the rest of the family because of their gay relationship. Maybe Stefano was still against their relationship and just back pedaled because he got caught. He thought about his emperor dream and everything that happened in it. The life that Tony led. The life that André led. He glanced back at his father, who was now talking to Kate. He believed it was possible that Stefano didn't care for him at all. Maybe his own father was the real danger this whole time and not Maddalena.

Chad placed his hand in his pockets and remembered he had put something in them for later. Pulling out the necklaces that he and Will traded close to the end of summer, he got Will's attention as Johnny and Allie were focused on the game. "I thought it was time we started wearing these again."

Will looked up and smiled. "I almost forgot about these. It's weird we got those from the island called Maddalena and now we know that your Aunt's name is Maddalena." Will took his and put it on and watched as Chad put his on as well. "I really do love you, Chad."

Chad placed his hand on Will's hand. "I really do love you, Will." He wanted to kiss Will, but Johnny and Allie grabbed them because it was their turn to play. Chad and Will glanced at each other one more time and smiled before smiling at Johnny and Allie as they continued to play.


	39. Chapter 39 Holding My Last Breath, Pt 1

**Chapter 39: Holding My Last Breath, Pt. 1 – Friday, December 30th, 2011**

Chad, Will, Ignazio, and T finally arrived to the Cabin in Colorado around two in the morning. The guys grabbed their stuff from the car and made it to the entrance of the cabin. Chad lightly tapped the front door just in case some of the others were asleep. "You said that Sonny was staying up for us?" Chad asked as he turned his head to look at Will.

"Yeah, he just texted me back," Will responded as the front door open. Sonny stood on the other side rubbing his sleepy eyes. "See." The guys walked in the cabin. Sonny closed the door after everyone walked in. "Chad and I are so sorry that it took us this long. Johnny, Allie, and Sydney wanted us to play with them until they went to sleep."

"I take it things went well," Sonny said with a smile. Ignazio wondered what Sonny and Will were talking about, but got lost in the decorations of the cabin.

"Yeah, things got patched up and we didn't want to just leave them like that. You should have seen their faces when we agreed to stay longer." Chad smiled. Spending time with the kids really helped Chad relax and since Will drove most of the way up, he was able to rest.

"It's cool guys. I'm just glad you guys came," Sonny shared. Sonny was happy that they had finally arrived. He didn't really like to be alone in his thoughts. It didn't help. "I can show you guys to your rooms." Sonny had planned for Chad and Will to share a room with him and Kai and then have Ignazio share a room with T for the night since Dario and Josh were currently sharing a room. He didn't want to share a room with Kai alone.

"Is it possible for you to put me in the same room as Chad and Will?" Ignazio asked causing Sonny to stop in his steps and turn to Chad and Will.

"It's fine," Will answered for Sonny.

"Well there is an empty bedroom with two nice full size beds. I have an extra empty bed in my room, too." Sonny looked at T wondering if he would want his own bed. He hoped even though he and T didn't know each other very well except for what happened with Kinsey recently.

"I'll just share the room with the other guys, so I don't wake anyone else up," T decided.

"Okay. Well, then I'll take you guys to the empty bedroom." Sonny forced a smile, led the guys up the stairs quietly, and then opened the door to a medium-sized bedroom. "Everything is set up and your bathroom connects with Josh and Dario's bedroom. I'll see you guys in the morning." After the guys told Sonny goodnight, he left for his room with Kai. He had hoped that someone would share a bedroom with him so he could avoid doing anything sexual with Kai. He decided to take one night at a time. He would be okay tonight because Kai had already fallen asleep.

Ignazio looked at the beds and decided he needed to claim his bed before anyone else. Turning to Chad, he said, "We will share a bed and then Will and T can share a bed."

Chad looked at the bed that Ignazio picked. He became annoyed with the idea of T and Will sharing a bed, but knew he couldn't make a scene because Ignazio didn't know that he and Will were together. Chad looked at Will wishing he could say something.

T decided to step in for them unaware that Ignazio didn't know about Chad and Will's relationship. "Are you two okay with the sleeping arrangement?"

Ignazio smiled inside. He believed he had Chad and Will where he wanted them. Ignazio gave the other guys a confused look, while secretly interrogating T. "Why would Chad and Will care? They are just best friends, right?" Chad and Will immediately felt uncomfortable. They watched T closely waiting for his response.

T quickly realized that Ignazio had no idea about Chad and Will. He felt bad for putting them on the spot like that, so he knew he had to fix it for them. "Yeah. They are. I was just wondering if maybe they had any reservations about sharing a bed because I could go back to Sonny's bedroom and take that empty bed."

Will patted T on the back, thankful for what he did. "Yeah, I am cool sharing a bed with you. It's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

Chad squirmed inside. What Mia had said to him earlier and then seeing how close T and Will really were bothered him. "Let's just go to sleep. It's been a long day and trip." The other guys agreed and got dressed for bed. After they were done, they turned out the lights and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>Lexie walked away from the nurses' station at Salem University Hospital after talking with Maxine. As she headed to her office, she spotted Daniel heading the same direction. "Hey Daniel."<p>

Daniel turned around and stopped when he saw Lexie catching up to him. "Hey Lexie. It's been extremely busy at the hospital. We haven't had the chance to talk about dinner the other night." When Lexie caught up, she and Daniel continued on towards his office.

"Oh yeah. It was a lot of fun. We should do it again," Lexie said with a smile. She thought about how Abe told her how much he enjoyed having dinner with Daniel and Jennifer. Lexie smile grew wider as she thought about her little family. "Do you ever wake up and think life is just too perfect?"

Daniel and Lexie made it to his office and when Daniel saw Jennifer, he nodded. "I don't know how I got so lucky."

Jennifer stood up when she saw Daniel and Lexie walking into Daniel's office. She headed over and gave Daniel a hug and kiss. "What are you two talking about?"

"We were just talking about the double date we had," Daniel answered before turning to Lexie, "So are you and Abe going to be at Horton Town Square New Year's Eve Party all night? If so, we should hang out and have our own mini-party at the party."

"Yeah, Theo will be there for a bit, but my mother is going to take him home and watch him so Abe can do the countdown into the new year." Lexie became excited talking about it. "Abe told me about a few ideas they were thinking about this year. He's been sending me texts all day and some are quite funny. They're meeting about it now to make sure everything is set and done perfectly."

Lexie suddenly got a text from Abe. "Here comes another one." Lexie read the text to herself and suddenly became bummed out. "It looks like it's going to be a longer meeting than expected. Abe just told me that he's doing dinner at the mayor's office tonight. Maybe I'll make him his favorite dessert for when he makes it home afterwards."

"I have to say that it's really sweet to see how connected you and Abe are," Jennifer admitted. "It really shows that you two see the importance to make time for each other even when you're both so busy."

Having heard voices coming from Daniel's office, Colin came over from his office. "Was I not invited to the office party or did my invite get lost in the mail?"

Jennifer looked over to Daniel and sensed he was annoyed that Colin came over. She grabbed his hand and held it so he would not do anything he might regret later. "No party here," she replied hoping that Colin would just leave.

"Colin, what are you doing for New Year's Eve?" Lexie asked.

"Well, I am working a shift, but I might make an appearance at the party in Horton Town Square," Colin answered.

Daniel looked over to Jen and in a slightly quieter tone cracked, "We might have to find another place to celebrate then." Colin picked up on some hostility coming from Daniel, but decided not to ask about it. Daniel realized he might have caused a scene, so he decided to cover. Laughing, he added, "I just don't want to have to break another fight like I had to at the Cheatin' Heart."

Colin let out a short laugh. "Right. You don't have to worry about that as long as Brady doesn't start anything. He can be so touchy sometimes." Colin looked at his watch and dismissed himself from the room.

Lexie turned around to Daniel and Jennifer giving them a skeptical look. "Is everything okay?" Lexie then remembered something. "You don't like Colin, do you? I remember you asking about him during dinner the other night."

Daniel knew he couldn't deny his feelings about Colin. "I don't trust the guy. Personally, I think there may be another reason he is back in Salem."

"Well, Colin does have a past with questionable people. Last time he was in Salem, he was in cahoots with my cousin André Dimera at one point, but he wouldn't do what André wanted him to do, so he got punished for going against evil." Lexie looked Daniel over wondering if he would accept what she had to say next. "I believe there is good in Colin. He's an excellent doctor and his patients seem to really like him." Jennifer and Daniel traded glances. Both wondered if the other believed in the possibility that Colin had good in him.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, Sami and EJ were talking to Marco concerning the security of Chad and Will. They feared the possibility of Maddalena being a threat to both boys because they had sensed that vibe from Stefano. "Mr. Dimera has asked me to keep an eye out to make sure that no unexpected guests come over here from next door," Marco shared. "I have put tails on Mr. Dimera's sister and others living in the house, but I'm not sure if we've been able to keep up with everyone."<p>

"Where is my father at the moment?" EJ asked. He hadn't seen Stefano in a while and knew his father wanted to talk about Ignazio.

"He is actually headed to the mayor's office. He claimed he had business to discuss with Mayor Carver. He asked me to stay here and send someone else to drive him there. I have no idea what he needed to discuss though," Marco admitted. "But he is on top of everything though concerning his sister. You have nothing to worry about."

"So Stefano has told you that Maddalena could be a possible danger to my son and his boyfriend?" Sami asked wanting clarification on if she should worry or not.

Before Marco could answer, Manny and Arianna entered from the back door that led to the guesthouse. "Sorry to interrupt," Arianna started. "Manny and I wanted to come here to thank you EJ."

EJ turned around to give them his attention. "Thank me for what?" EJ asked curiously.

"I want to thank you for your help in getting me out of Brooktree to see my mother and siblings. It really meant a lot," Manny shared. "I'm going back into treatment today, so I wanted to be sure to thank you in person."

EJ shook Manny's hand to show it was not a problem. "I hope you continue to get better. Your family really needs you on their side."

Sami gave Arianna and Manny a compassionate look. "My family and I are praying for your mother."

Arianna nodded at EJ and Sami. "Thanks. We really appreciate it."

Marco stepped forward so that he could at least say something to Arianna. "If there's anything that you need, don't hesitate to ask, Arianna." Arianna contained her smile and nodded her head. Marco had to contain his smile as well.

"We should head back to the guesthouse," Manny suggested. "Thanks again EJ." Arianna agreed and traded one last glance with Marco before heading out the back door.

Sami, EJ, and Marco returned to their previous conversation, but this time EJ brought up Azzura's and Ignazio's names. "What do you know about my aunt's right hand and her favorite grandson? Any questionable behaviors from them?" Even though EJ took a liking to Ignazio when he showed him around Dimera Enterprises, he didn't want to let his guard down completely.

"From Ignazio? Not so far." Marco thought about how he found Azzura in the basement. He decided not to say anything about it because he took care of it. "Azzura seems like a nice Italian girl."

EJ tilted his head as he found Marco's response interesting. "I think I know of way to find out if our neighbors can be trusted. Azzura is the key and Marco you're our inside man." EJ smiled causing Sami to smile in anticipation of hearing her husband's plan. Marco wondered what EJ had in mind.

* * *

><p>Back at the Kiriakis cabin, everyone was setting up for Sonny's birthday party. Nathan held the ladder so that Melanie could hang up some decorations. Melanie turned around and giggled at Nathan. "I bet you're enjoying your job. Holding the ladder while getting the best view in this cabin." Melanie made sure to wink to let Nathan know she was only teasing him.<p>

Nathan smiled and winked back. "I'm not complaining."

"Well, I'm going to start. I don't like being up this high. Maybe we can do something else and let someone else hang up decorations." Melanie began to climb down the ladder.

"I can do that if you need me to," T volunteered. He felt somewhat out of place because he believed that Gabi should have come even if they were having problems.

Melanie arrived to the bottom of the ladder and jumped into Nathan's arms. Turning her head to face T, she replied, "Thanks T."

Chelsea, who had watched Melanie and Nathan while helping Abigail with blowing up balloons, shook her head. "Do they ever quit? Don't they realize that there are other people in here?"

"Just ignore them, Chelsea," Abigail reminded her as she glanced at Melanie and Nathan for a moment. Abigail was dealing with her own issues because Josh was not giving her the space she wanted. She was happy that Nathan and Melanie found each other, but they also annoyed her because she didn't want Josh to get any ideas. He was already too distracting. Turning to Josh, she asked, "Why don't you go help T with hanging the decorations? Chelsea and I can finish these balloons."

Josh sighed and took the hint that Abigail wanted space. After he was gone, Abigail turned back to Chelsea. "Don't let this weekend be all about them. Make this about you. Have fun." Abigail smiled as she playfully hit Chelsea with a helium filled balloon.

Chelsea thought about what Abigail said and wondered what it would look like if she made it about her. She smiled and responded, "You're right. I need to think about me and not focus on Melanie and Nathan."

Nearby, Ignazio sat next to the fireplace and watched Chad and Will. He tried to watch their interactions and body language. He had heard some things and wanted more concrete confirmation before going to his grandmother with what he had gathered about Chad and Will's relationship. Since he quickly realized that Sonny and Kai were together, Ignazio turned to watch Sonny and Kai to compare their interactions with Chad and Will to see if there were any similarities.

Dario interrupted Ignazio by sitting next to him. "Hi, I'm Dario. I heard you moved to Salem from Italy."

At first Ignazio wasn't sure what to make of Dario coming over to talk to him, but decided he needed to be friendly. "Yes. I'm Ignazio Dimera. My grandmother is Chad's aunt." Ignazio looked over and noticed that Sonny and Kai headed to the kitchen.

"It's good to meet you," Dario shared. So far Dario had felt like an extra wheel since Kai arrived. He couldn't stomach watching Kai and Sonny together and then seeing Melanie and Nathan so happy seemed to make things worse. He needed to distract himself from his thoughts so he did not blow up. "So how are you liking the USA? Feel lost yet?"

"I'm getting used to it," Ignazio said with a smile. There was something about Dario that made Ignazio feel at home. "Are you from Salem?"

"No," Dario shared. I moved here after my sisters moved here. It's an interesting town."

Ignazio agreed somewhat excitedly. "It is. Life is so different here, but it seems to have it's own secrets like every city."

"What do you mean?" Dario asked.

"Every place has secrets I believe. There are things that happen in the shadows that no one is really aware of – well at least most people don't know about." Ignazio placed his hand on Dario's back and turned his attention at everyone else in the room. "I am sure everyone in this room has a secret they are keeping hidden. I believe deep down they are wanting to scream it out at the top of their lungs, but something or someone is stopping them from doing that."

Dario couldn't help but find Ignazio intriguing and interesting. Dario thought about Sonny and how he wanted to yell out to everyone his love for him. He knew he couldn't though. Resting his arms on his knees, Dario turned his face so he could look at Ignazio directly. "What's your secret?"

Ignazio smiled as he left his hand on Dario's back. "Get to know me better and I might tell you." Dario was impressed with how Ignazio was honest about having a secret. Ignazio removed his hand from Dario's back as he continued to watch the others in the room. "What about you? Are you going to reveal your secret?"

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. There's no way I could let that happen," Dario admitted. "I will have to wait until the time is right and I know that time is not right now."

"I can understand that, Dario. I can understand that very well," Ignazio acknowledged.

On the other side of the room, Chad and Will talked quietly as they decorated and set up the table. "I'm going to follow your lead on what you want to do with Ignazio not knowing that we are together," Will said as he straightened out the birthday table cloth.

"I don't know. I guess I didn't think about that one detail when we invited Ignazio to come up with us. Everyone else pretty much already knows, right?" Chad asked.

"Yeah, Abigail told Chelsea pretty much as soon as Chelsea returned to Salem." Will looked up at Chad and noticed Chad seemed uncomfortable. "I noticed on Sunday when we were opening presents at your dad's house that you are trying to keep our relationship a secret from your Aunt Maddalena."

Chad nodded his head. "Yeah, my father warned me that she could be dangerous, but I am not so sure anymore. I'm starting to think that he just told me that so that he could control me for his own purposes."

"What do you mean?" Will stopped what he was doing and gave Chad a confused look. He wondered if Chad had finally opened up his eyes to Stefano's possible manipulations.

"All of that doesn't matter right now. My father's not here to tell us what to do, so we need to decide what to do about Ignazio." Chad pulled out some plates and bowls from a box to put on the table. He didn't want his father to keep him from Will another moment even if it made him feel guilty.

Will went back to work on decorating the table. "Well, do you want to keep it from Ignazio as well?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know if Ignazio is the type to spread around our secret, Maddalena included." Chad hated being in this situation when he just wanted to hold and kiss Will without a care. He wondered how he got to this point in not allowing him to feel what he felt. He didn't like having to walk on eggshells.

"I guess it's settled then. It's probably best if we don't share a bed until we get a good feel on if we can trust Ignazio or not." Will sighed as he hated the situation as well. "I'll continue to share a bed with T and you with Ignazio."

Chad really hated the bedding assignments, but had to agree with Will. "We'll stick to same assignments for the beds for at least another night. I don't know how long I can take this. I miss holding you in my arms and falling asleep together."

"I miss it so much, too," Will confessed as he stopped decorating the table again. He really wanted to kiss Chad, but fought the draw. "I think it helps if we don't do everything together. I'm going to help T and Josh with the decorations. The table is pretty much done."

"If you say so," Chad sighed as Will walked away from him. He looked the table over to see if there was anything else he needed to do.

Meanwhile, Sonny and Kai were in the kitchen arguing. "Sonny, there's no way I'm going to let you bake your own birthday cake!"

"But I know what I like and no one else can do that," Sonny shared. "I'm going to do it, so there's no way you're going to change my mind."

Kai shook his head. "It's your birthday! You should be relaxing upstairs – allow us to do this for you." Sonny shook his head at Kai. There was no way he could take a moment to relax because he couldn't relax if he gave his brain a moment of silence.

Chad walked in to grab a few more things for the table. Seeing the two alone he decided to take advantage of this opportunity to talk to them. "Hey guys. Will and I decided on something just now and I need both of your help."

Sonny headed to the fridge to grab the ingredients he needed to make his cake, but responded to Chad. "What's up?"

"Well, Ignazio doesn't know that Will and I are together and we're not sure if we can trust him with that knowledge, so we're in closet mode for now." Chad looked at Sonny and Kai fearing they would try to talk him out of his plan.

"Closet mode?" Kai laughed. "Were you two ever out?" Kai walked over to Sonny and grabbed Sonny's hand. "It's not that hard to be out of the closet Chad. It's not a big deal. You guys love each other. My love for Sonny is too important to let some guy decide whether or not we can show affection."

Sonny turned to Kai and elbowed him because he felt uncomfortable and didn't find Kai's response helpful. "Kai this is like if your parents were here. You would do the same thing Chad and Will are doing." Sonny turned to Chad. "Don't worry, Chad. Kai and I won't say a word." Sonny got an idea and remembered the extra bed in his room. "Kai and I still have that empty bed in our room. You and Will could still share it with us." Kai immediately gave Sonny a look. He didn't like that idea.

"Thanks, but I think Ignazio would only wonder why we decided to move." Chad looked the kitchen over ready to move on from their conversation. "Where are the snacks for the party?"

Sonny showed Chad a few boxes full of snacks. "I'll help you take it out." Sonny, Kai, and Chad grabbed a box each and headed out to the table. Sonny immediately noticed that Dario and Ignazio were talking to each other by the fireplace. Placing his box by the table, Sonny commented on the two to Kai and Chad, "I remember the first time I saw Ignazio, I thought he was Dario."

Kai placed his box next to Sonny's box. "You're so racist," Kai joked with Sonny. "Next you're going to say I look like them, too." Kai looked Dario and Ignazio over. "They look nothing alike."

Sonny lightly punched Kai in the arm. "It's my birthday party remember? You're supposed to be nice to me." Sonny decided to head back to the kitchen alone, but glanced back at Dario and Ignazio. He hoped that Dario was doing okay. He hated keeping Dario at bay after what happened between them. In all honesty, he wasn't sure what he would say to Dario. He was confused about everything.

* * *

><p>Back at the Dimera guesthouse, Manny had everything packed and was ready to head out. "I guess it's time for me to say goodbye," he let out feeling sad. Manny walked over to Gabi first. "Please take care of yourself. I am going to miss teasing and messing with you." Gabi immediately smiled at Manny's comment. "Everything will be okay. Don't focus on the negative. Focus on the good in every moment."<p>

"Take care of yourself, Manuel," Gabi said as she gave her brother a hug. "I really wish you could have stayed until Sunday."

"Me, too." After hugging Gabi for a moment, Manny moved over to talk to Arianna. "I know that you've got things covered here and I am proud of you for the way you have stepped up. You have been able to do what Rafe and me never could." Manny gave Arianna a hug. "Thanks for helping me in a way I never could for you."

"Don't say that Manny. You have helped this family plenty." Arianna smiled and rubbed Manny's back. "Come back to us."

Manny stepped back and placed his hands on Ari and Gabi. "Write and call me if you need to talk about anything. It can get lonely and boring in that place sometimes." Manny walked over to Isobel, who was sitting by the table. "Mama."

Isobel pushed herself up. Placing her hand on Manny's cheek she beamed. "I am proud of you, my son."

Tears began to form in Manny's eyes, but he held them back as much as possible. "Call me when you have the energy. Take care of yourself first though. I don't want you to worry about me."

"Don't worry about me out here, Manuel. Focus on yourself so that you may come back to us." Isobel pulled Manny down so she could give him a kiss on the forehead. "Be safe, my son."

"I will, Mama." Manny gave Isobel and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I will see you soon. Hold on for me." Manny let go of his mother and sighed. He walked over to his luggage, picked it up, and left the guesthouse. Arianna, Gabi, and Isobel were all in tears as they held onto each other.

After drying their tears, Isobel made her way to the couch as she thought about what Manny must be going through while Gabi and Arianna cleaned the guesthouse. Her thoughts about Manny led her to think about Dario next. She wished that he was there, but she knew he needed to enjoy his life. She looked over at Gabi and Arianna and wondered what effect her dying had on all of them. She questioned if she would ever see Gabi smile again.

There was a sudden knock at the door. Arianna decided to open the door to see who it was. Surprised to see who was on the other side, Arianna commented, "Justin. Adrienne. What can I do for you?"

On the other side, Justin and Adrienne carried different containers of food that they brought over. Adrienne said with a smile, "Justin and I decided to stop by and say hello and check in with you and your mother. Is she awake?"

"Yes, yes. She's sitting here. Come in." Arianna moved out of the way so Justin and Adrienne could walk in. She then helped them put the dishes on the table. "Mama, Justin and Adrienne Kiriakis are here."

Isobel smiled as she, Justin, and Adrienne exchanged 'hellos'. Gabi immediately thought about Sonny and Dario and became annoyed that Sonny's parents decided to come over unannounced. "I need to get ready for work. I have a few more shifts this weekend since Chelsea is out-of-town. Gabi disappeared into the bedroom.

"Have a seat," Isobel instructed Justin and Adrienne as Arianna put away the food. "You two are very kind to come and visit me. It really means a lot."

"Well, we know how much your children love you and we wanted to see if there's anything we could do to help," Justin shared as he thought about how Sonny informed them about Isobel's health.

"I don't think so, but prayers would be greatly appreciated." Isobel replied automatically. When she saw Arianna walking over to join them, she thought about a way that they could help. "Actually, I do have one favor really."

Interested to hear the favor, Adrienne asked, "What would that be?"

"That you take care of my children when I am gone. I know that you two already have a wonderful relationship with my son, Dario, but it would be great if you could keep an eye on Arianna, Gabriella, and Manuel." Isobel made eye contact with Arianna knowing Ari wanted to object in needing someone to watch over them, but Isobel made sure to give Arianna a look to allow Isobel to say her piece. Arianna knew that this request would make her mother feel better.

"Of course," Justin started. "Your children mean a lot to our family already. I know that our son is really connected to Dario and Gabi. I also know that my Uncle Victor is very impressed with Arianna." Justin turned to Arianna and smiled hoping she already knew that.

Arianna immediately thought about how Gabi was not Sonny's biggest fan. She knew that the others were clueless to the fact and decided to keep it that way. "Have you guys talked to Sonny since he left with Dario on Wednesday?" she asked slightly changing the subject.

Justin and Adrienne traded glances as they realized they hadn't. "We haven't actually. We'll probably call him tomorrow for New Year's Eve," Justin answered.

"So why didn't Gabi go up with them?" Adrienne asked genuinely curious. "I know that her boyfriend, T, went up."

Isobel turned to Arianna as she answered, "I'm not sure. I think she didn't want to leave me behind."

Arianna nodded her head. "I think she's just a little overwhelmed with everything that is happening," Arianna added as Gabi walked out dressed to head out to the pub. "Are you heading into work?"

Gabi nodded her head as she grabbed her things off of the coffee table. She forced a smile when she made eye contact with Justin and Adrienne. "I'll see you all later." Gabi gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and left. The others continued visiting.

* * *

><p>Sonny walked out of the kitchen as his cake continued to bake. He realized everyone must have gone out to play in the snow for a bit before the party started. Dario walked out of his bedroom and spotted Sonny. "What are you doing here alone?" he asked.<p>

"I'm baking my birthday cake. I guess the others are taking a break outside in the snow before the party officially starts." Sonny walked over and looked out the window to make sure he was right. He didn't spot Chad, Will, and Kai outside, but saw the others. Turning back to Dario, he asked, "What have you been doing?"

"I decided to take a nap, so I can stay up for however long the party lasts." Dario tried not to stare at Sonny the whole time, but couldn't stop himself from doing so. He really wanted to talk to Sonny about how they had made love and what Kai's showing up meant. Everyone was outside; this was their opportunity to talk about it. "Can we talk about what happened now?"

Sonny immediately felt more uncomfortable. He had hoped he could avoid having to think about what happened, but the truth was it was always on his mind. "I'm not sure it's the right time to talk about what we did and my relationship with Kai." Sonny really hated himself for putting Dario and Kai in this situation. He also struggled on what to think of Victor's olive branch.

"I don't mean to push you, Sonny, because I can only imagine how hard this is for you." Dario really needed to get this out. He didn't want to explode and make things worse. "I love you, Sonny. How do you feel?"

Sonny wanted to cry when he heard Dario confess his love again, but he managed to keep it inside. He really enjoyed that time with Dario on his birthday, but a part of him wished that it never happened. "I feel so guilty," Sonny admitted knowing full well he had only scratched the surface of what he was feeling.

Dario gave Sonny a devastated look. This was the last thing he wanted to happen. Before he could say anything, Kai, Will, and Chad walked down the stairs into the room. "Guilty about what?" Kai asked. He could feel the tension in the room. So could Chad and Will.

Dario cringed as he realized he put Sonny in an awkward and bad place again. He needed to at least get him out of this one. "Sonny just put a cake in the oven even though everyone told him not to make his own birthday cake."

Kai looked to Sonny for confirmation. Sonny just nodded his head. Kai looked him over and could see he felt bad. "Sonny, don't feel guilty about that. I am sorry I gave you such a hard time about that earlier. I figured you would anyway. Besides no one could make your favorite like you." Kai gave Sonny a hug and a kiss. Sonny hated himself even more.

Chad smiled when he saw Sonny and Kai together. "Victor really did set up a nice surprise for you, didn't he?"

"Yeah," Sonny said timidly. He did not dare look at Dario. "I guess I'm just curious how he knew where to go to reach Kai."

Will sensed some uncomfortable feelings from Sonny and wondered if there was something going on that he didn't know. "Yeah, well you know your great-uncle. He has his ways."

"We helped him out," Chad admitted. He could not keep it in any longer. "Will and I knew he was going to have Kai show up the day before you left because Victor asked for our help."

Sonny thought about how Victor and his friends really wanted to surprise him for his birthday. He felt guilty that he regretted their decision to surprise him by sending Kai. "I sort of wish you guys would have told me about my great-uncle's idea. I would have been more prepared if I had known."

Kai began to laugh. "It wouldn't have been a surprise then, silly." Chad and Will laughed and agreed. Sonny decided to join in so that no one made a big deal about what he wished happened instead. He glanced at Dario for the first time since the others showed up. Dario was not laughing. Both couldn't help but feel horrible inside.

* * *

><p>Maddalena found Azzura sitting at the dining room table looking over Maddalena's dinner menu for the next week. "Do I need to make any changes on what I want to eat?" she asked making her presence known.<p>

Azzura put the menu down and stood up. "No, Signora. Everything should be to your liking. I just need to make a few calls for delivery for certain items and ingredients." Moving closer to Maddalena, Azzura asked, "Can I do anything for you at this moment?"

"Take a seat," Maddalena said with a smile. "We have more important business to discuss." Maddalena took a seat at the head of the table. Azzura took a seat next to her. "Tell me how things are going with Elvis and Samantha. They should be your top priority now."

Azzura nodded her head in agreement. "Well, as you know I went over to your brother's mansion yesterday with Ignazio. I figure my best way to get involved with EJ and Sami is Sami. She has no real friends and I think she might want one. We don't really have much in common, but I think I can convince her that she can trust me."

Maddalena pondered Azzura's technique for a moment before commenting on it. "How does befriending Samantha break up her marriage with my nephew? Are you going to stab her in the back – literally?"

Azzura saw the excitement in Maddalena's eyes. "Not literally, Maddalena. I will also try to spend some quality time with EJ. You do want him to fall in love with me, right? Sami will see that with her own eyes and she will come undone and that will be the end of their marriage."

"I do not care if EJ falls in love with you. I'd be fine if he just fell in lust with you," Maddalena admitted. "Keep me updated on how things go with Samantha and Elvis." Maddalena decided to change gears. "Today is the day."

"Yes it is, Signora," Azzura stated. "Have you heard from Ignazio?"

"I have not," Maddalena shared. "He's gone on that trip with Chad and Chad's friends. He will be gone all weekend."

"Does that worry you? I'm sure he'd come back if you sent for him." Azzura thought Ignazio's going away for the weekend was pure laziness on his part. She knew he only went so he could have some fun when he had other things he needed to take care of that were more important.

Maddalena looked down at her hands as she tapped her fingernails on the table. "I am a bit concerned, but I know he needed to go on that trip. I just hope he can follow through on all of his tasks away from Salem. I am ready to hear back from him about how we are going to get rid of Chad."

"I am concerned as well, Maddalena." Azzura decided to tread carefully with what she shared with Maddalena. "I don't know if Ignazio is capable of pulling everything off because so much is going on."

Maddalena stopped tapping her fingernails on the table. "Well, for now we must trust him. If he can't do things properly, we will step in." Maddalena stood up and smiled at Azzura as she gently rubbed her hand on Azzura's cheek. "Your mother would be so proud of you." After removing her hand, she shared, "I'm going to head to the basement to check in on things."

Azzura watched as Maddalena left the living room. She grabbed the menu as she continued to think about the loose ends Ignazio left with her when he went to Colorado. She put the menu away and headed to Ric's room. Walking in without knocking, she found Ric sitting on his bed watching TV. "Ric, we need to talk about that girl."

Ric stood up but couldn't keep his eyes off the TV screen. "Oh no," Ric said to himself in a worried tone. "It can't be."

Azzura looked to the screen and realized that there was a picture of a girl on the screen. The newscaster claimed the girl was missing and that the cops were looking for her. "That's the girl that you killed isn't it? You killed this girl, named Kinsey?" Azzura became upset. "Do you realize what this means?"

Ric distanced himself from Azzura as he tried to explain things. He needed Azzura to know that this could all be fixed. "I have tried to call Ignazio to tell him about Kinsey. I…"

Azzura became impatient about the situation and decided to take it out on Ric. She interrupted him by slapping him hard on the face. "I cannot do this enough for what you have brought to this family. I promise you that if you have lied to us in any way you will be a dead man!"

Ric cowered and kept his mouth shut for a moment. He couldn't believe he put himself in this position. Things were so different before, but now things were messed up. "Ignazio won't return my calls. He's upset with me. I've lost him, haven't I?"

"That doesn't matter anymore," Azzura shouted. "We must take care of this before the cops come snooping around in our direction."

Ric had to think fast so he didn't get another beat down from Azzura or anyone else. "The body is ready to be moved. Ignazio told me to call him about the body, but like I mentioned, he isn't calling back."

Azzura shook her head as she thought about Ignazio. She was right. Ignazio had dropped the ball. "I will get in touch with Ignazio. You stay next to your phone and wait for my orders if he does not call you back." Ric nodded his head to let her know he understood.

* * *

><p>Back at the cabin, Chelsea, Josh, and Abigail finished putting the snacks in the bowls on the table that Chad had set up earlier while Melanie and Nathan stood by the fireplace talking. Josh looked at the time and saw that they had half an hour until the party officially started. Walking over to Abigail, he whispered in her ear, "We should take advantage of this time and you can show me that gift you said we would both enjoy."<p>

Abigail smiled but was not in the mood to do that now. She looked over to Chelsea and realized that Chelsea could not keep her eyes away from Melanie and Nathan. She turned back to Josh. "I can't just leave Chelsea here by herself." Abigail then placed her hand on Chelsea's shoulder to distract her. "Chelsea, we should find something else to do."

Chelsea turned her head so she could face Abigail. "It's just disgusting. Do they not realize that we don't want to see them flirt with each other and show PDA?"

"Let's do something else then. We don't have to stick around in this room," Abigail suggested. "Don't let them get to you."

Chelsea finished filling a bowl with chips. "I'm afraid that they'll just follow us wherever we go so they can stick it to me. They were pretty much doing the same thing when we were outside earlier." Chelsea digressed and sighed. "I guess I don't know Nathan like I thought I did." Chelsea glanced over at Nathan and Melanie again. This time she managed to make direct eye contact with Melanie.

By the fireplace, Melanie looked away from Chelsea and whispered to Nathan as they held each other, "Chelsea can be really pathetic. I am so sure that Chelsea hurt my brother and is too embarrassed by it. That's why she came back to Salem. She couldn't deal with the shame."

Nathan pulled his head back from Melanie. "Chelsea came back to Salem to help her grandmother Caroline," he corrected her.

Melanie let go of Nathan feeling frustrated. "Why are you defending her?"

"She's a friend and I care about her," Nathan explained. "If you really got to know Chelsea, you two might be friends as well."

"I won't hold my breath," Melanie quickly retorted. "She has been rolling her eyes and grimacing at us all weekend."

Nathan glanced over at Chelsea and could see that Melanie was right. Chelsea did not look pleased. He turned back to Melanie and sighed at the situation. He wished things were different.

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Caroline found Gabi working hard on cleaning and clearing the pub out after Caroline decided to close the pub earlier than normal. Caroline watched her for a moment appreciating the fact that Gabi seemed to come through for her when she needed it. Deciding to talk to her, Caroline took a seat at the closest table and called out to her. "Gabi, you're done. Everything looks good. Could you join me at this table?"<p>

Gabi turned around and took off her green apron. Folding it and placing it on the table, she took a seat across from Caroline. "Mrs. Brady, what's going on?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate you," Caroline said with a warm smile. She took Gabi's hand and patted it.

"It's nothing," Gabi started as she looked down. It had been a while since someone had taken the time to appreciate her, so she felt somewhat embarrassed. "You've done so much for me; I want to return the favor."

Caroline continued to hold Gabi's hand. "When Shawn and I opened this pub, we had dreams that our children would one day take over the pub when we got too old to run things. They are all out now living their own lives, and although they have helped me with things over the last five months, I know they don't want to take over the pub. They shouldn't have to."

Gabi gave Caroline a serious look. "Mrs. Brady, what's going on? Are you dying, too?"

Caroline realized her mistake with how she was talking. "No Gabi. I am sorry for being insensitive. I know that your mother is sick, and I know that's hard on you." Caroline paused for a moment so she could change gears. "I've noticed that even though you work hard, I can tell you feel like you have nothing to look forward to. I am hoping I can help you with that."

Gabi thought about her situation with her mother and then thought about T. She really had nothing to look forward to in her life. With her mother living her last days, Gabi knew it wouldn't be too long until her mother was gone forever. Death was something that seemed to be always on her mind. With T being the father of someone else's baby, she knew that things were doomed with him as well. When she looked to Caroline, she saw hope and became curious as to if something could help her believe in hope again. "What can you do?" Gabi asked without denying Caroline's claim about her.

"I have a proposal for you," Caroline started. Caroline studied Gabi for a while before continuing, "If you are up to it, I would love it if one day I gave you ownership of the Brady Pub, so you could run things. You have great potential as a cook. You have taken some of my recipes and added some interesting twists to them. The customers are always talking about the different soups you make on special occasions." Caroline paused so Gabi could absorb her offer. "What are you thinking?"

Gabi looked down for a moment feeling overwhelmed. She then raised her head back to Caroline with water forming in her eyes. "I don't know what to say." This was big, but at the same time Gabi didn't feel like she deserved the consideration.

"You don't have to give me an answer tonight," Caroline said as she patted Gabi's hand one last time before letting go. "I just want to give you something to look forward to because as far as I am concerned my mind is made up. I want the pub to be yours."

Gabi froze for a moment to let that sink in. "I don't want to tell you either way at this moment. There's so much I have to consider first." Caroline nodded at Gabi to let her know she understood. "I might want to go to culinary school if I were to do that so I can learn more about cooking and the restaurant business." All of these possibilities hit Gabi and she smiled for the first time in a long time. Gabi stood up. "I'll let you know, Mrs. Brady. I should probably head home now. Do you need any help with anything?"

"I'm good now, Gabi." Caroline enjoyed seeing Gabi smile again. "You don't have to come in tomorrow or this weekend really. Enjoy the holiday with your mother." Caroline stood up and grabbed Gabi's apron. "I'll put this up. I'm fine here. They installed a sliding electric chair to help me get upstairs. I might not need it tonight."

Gabi smiled again. "Thanks, Mrs. Brady." After grabbing her purse from the behind the bar, Gabi headed towards the door still smiling, but when she realized she was heading home, her smile soon faded. She glanced over her shoulder as Caroline disappeared into the back. Caroline was able to give her hope, but Gabi began to doubt it as she believed it was all just a fantasy. There was no way she could pull off owning and running a pub. Gabi frowned as she made sure the front door was partially locked so no one could get in. Wrapping her arms around her body, she headed home out in the cold.

* * *

><p>Sonny's birthday party was hopping as people were now dancing to music. Ignazio made his way to the snack table to get a drink. He pulled out his phone to look at the time making note of having a few missed calls from Ric. He decided to turn it off so it did not distract him from getting to know Chad and his friends better.<p>

Josh and Abigail were dancing together with Chelsea dancing to the side of them. Josh felt a bit awkward that Chelsea was dancing with them, but decided not to make a big deal of it for Abigail's sake. He spotted T standing by himself and decided to let Abigail and Chelsea dance together. "I'll be back. You girls have fun." Josh made his way over to T and patted him on his back. "Hey bud. Why didn't Gabi come up?"

"It's complicated," T shared. "Gabi is upset with me and wants to keep me at a distance. I just want to love her and be happy with her, but she's not making it easy."

Josh shook his head as he thought about his own situation with Abigail. "Dude, I can relate with you completely. Abigail is pretty much doing the same with me. It's like she's built this wall around her so I can't get too close."

T could relate to Josh as well. It felt good that someone understood his situation. "I don't get it. It's like she's afraid to be close to me right now. I have done so much for her and she can't look past this one thing when I've looked past so many things."

"What does Gabi need to look past?" Josh thought about how he wanted to ask Abigail the same question. He knew there was something in Abigail's mind that she could not look past.

"Kinsey is having my baby apparently. Somehow she got pregnant before we broke up and decided to never tell me." T looked around and noticed how everyone seemed to be having fun – well except for Dario who sat in a corner by himself. He just wasn't feeling it. "I feel like a loser all around."

Josh patted T on the back. "You're not a loser dude. Why don't you join us on the dance floor? I know you've got the moves." T agreed to try to have fun, but in the back of his mind he kept thinking about how he and Gabi danced at Club Dune for the first time together. They danced so well together.

Will made his way over to Dario. Taking a seat next to him, he decided to point out the obvious. "You have stayed to yourself pretty much since we've been here." Will looked at Dario to know that he cared about him. "Are you okay?"

Dario appreciated Will coming over to talk to him. He was feeling left out from everything. "It was a mistake for me to come up with Sonny. Sonny doesn't really need me. He has all the he needs with you, Chad, Abigail, and Kai."

Will felt bad for Dario as he knew Dario was going through a lot. "You know that's not true, Dario. Sonny loves you and he really appreciates your friendship. I know that because he has told me numerous times."

Hearing the word friendship only seemed to hurt Dario more. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't watch Sonny and Kai dancing together. He couldn't believe that Sonny dismissed him. Even though he had taken a nap earlier so he could stay up later, Dario knew what he had to do. "I'm going to call it a night. Have fun." Dario got up and walked away quickly so that Will couldn't stop him.

Chelsea walked up after deciding to take a break from dancing. Taking the seat that Dario once had, she asked Will, "What's his problem?"

"It's complicated. Do you know Dario?" Will asked.

"No," Chelsea answered. Wanting to distract herself with someone else's problems, she asked, "What's so complicated for him?"

Will looked over and watched Sonny and Kai for a moment. "It's complicated because it's hard for Dario as he's never seen Sonny latch onto someone other than him like that." Will motioned his head so that Chelsea would look over to Sonny and Kai.

"Oh. I heard he was Sonny's best friend next to you. Friendship jealousy can be the worst sometimes." Chelsea took a deep breath and looked over to Nathan and Melanie. "I can relate somewhat with Dario and his situation."

Will decided not to correct Chelsea on the possibility that Dario's jealousy was more than a friendship jealousy. "Yeah?"

Chelsea looked away from Nathan and Melanie realizing she couldn't escape her own feelings. "I don't understand how Nathan can be with Melanie," she let out.

Will wasn't sure how to respond to Chelsea because he thought Melanie and Nathan made a cute couple and made sense. He knew he needed to say something though. "Dario used to date Melanie, but they ended things over the summer. I wonder if that's awkward for him, too."

Chelsea got a little uncomfortable with talking to Will about Nathan and Melanie, so she decided to change the subject. She wanted to focus on someone else once again. "So how did things go last night with your family? Your mom told me that you and Chad were going to have a talk with Johnny and Allie."

Will smiled as he had hope in the situation. "It went well. I am not sure if it's completely over, but I think Johnny and Allie know that Chad and I love them and don't want to stop seeing them. Stefano apologized, which was really weird. Not sure what to make of that."

Chelsea smiled as well. "I'm glad to hear that. I know that every family has its problems, but it seems your family always makes it through somehow. Everyone in your family is very resilient."

Will looked over to Chelsea and gave her a hug because he sensed she needed one. "Well, you're part of my family, too, so you're pretty resilient, too." Chelsea leaned in a bit and thanked him.

Chad walked into the room with some matches as it was almost time to light the candles on the birthday cake Sonny made for himself. Chad saw that Ignazio was standing by himself next to the table. "Don't feel like dancing?"

Ignazio gave Chad a funny look. "Is that what I'm seeing? You Americans dance really weird." Chad and Ignazio laughed together. "This is fun, but I am excited about skiing tomorrow."

"Oh yeah. That's going to be a lot of fun. Are you nervous?" Chad put the matches next to the cake for when the time came.

Ignazio smiled nervously. "I am a little, but that won't stop me." Ignazio gave Chad a hug randomly. "Thanks for inviting me to this. It really means a lot. Back in Italy, I didn't really have family around my age. I just had to do with friends. I hope we can get closer so that we're more comfortable to talk about anything." Ignazio thought about his phone in his pocket. He tried to keep Ric off of his mind, but couldn't.

Chad smiled as he hugged Ignazio back. He found Ignazio's hope refreshing. "I hope the same. If you ever need to talk about anything let me know. I'm here for you."

"Is the offer on the table now?" Ignazio asked. Chad smiled and nodded his head. "I haven't mingled much this weekend because I am worried about a friend that I've had since I was a small boy. We practically grew up together as brothers. I fear I may lose him soon because of a mistake he made recently. I don't know what to do because he's very dear to me. I love him." Ignazio looked directly into Chad's eyes as he thought about Ric. He had turned his phone off earlier because he wanted to put off Ric's going away as long as possible.

Chad looked into Ignazio's eyes and saw sincerity. He couldn't believe how open Ignazio was to him about his struggle. He definitely felt more comfortable with Ignazio now. "I'm sorry that you have to go through that. Does he love you, too?"

Ignazio could feel that he was going to get his confirmation soon, but before he could answer, Kai came over and asked, "Is it time for the cake? I'll get everyone's attention so we can sing happy birthday."

Chad picked up the matches after giving Ignazio a look. "Yeah, I'll light the candles."

Kai called everyone around after turning off the music. Everyone gathered around Sonny and the cake. Sonny looked around and noticed Dario was not around. He had hoped that Dario would play his guitar and sing happy birthday. Everyone else began to sing. Sonny forced a smile, but inside felt so disappointed in everything because it all didn't feel right.

Even though Sonny's smile was pretty convincing, Will looked into Sonny's eyes and could see that something was wrong. Will knew that Sonny was not happy. Will glanced at Chad and knew that Chad noticed the same thing about Sonny. Both knew they needed to help Sonny with whatever he was going through.

* * *

><p>Lexie walked out of her house with her phone to her ear. Abe, who was on the other side of the phone, called Lexie to let her know that he had two flat tires and needed her to pick him up. Thinking it suspicious that Abe had two flat tires, Lexie suggested to Abe, "Stay in the office until I get there. It's cold outside." She didn't want Abe to get too concerned about it because she knew he would ask her to not come if she worried him. "I'll call you in the car phone, so I don't have to hold onto anything while I drive. Just hold tight and I'll be there as soon as I can."<p>

After hanging up with Abe, Lexie grabbed her keys from her purse. Unlocking the car door, she got in and started the car. She kept thinking how it was odd that Abe's car had two flat tires, but tried not to think too much about it. She glanced one more time at the house where Celeste was putting Theo to bed. As she backed out of her driveway, she pushed the call button in her car so she could talk to Abe while she headed to the mayor's office. As long as she heard his voice, she knew things were okay.

"Hey, Lexie. It seems I am now the only person here. Have you left the house already?" Abe asked sitting in his office for the time being.

"Yeah, I just pulled out of the driveway and I am on my way," Lexie answered as she kept her eyes on the road. "Mother is putting Theo to bed. He seems to really like it when she does that. He did ask about you though."

"How is your mother doing?" Abe asked. He decided to lock his office and wait in the lobby for Lexie since she was now on her way.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's been on edge the last day or so. I'm afraid her paranoia could rub off on Theo because he can usually sense those kinds of things even more," Abe admitted. "Is she going to tell him any horror stories before bed?"

"Abe, you know my mom would never do that, but I understand where you're coming from on Theo sensing those types of things." Lexie paused a moment as she stopped at a stoplight. As she waited she couldn't help remembering her mother's warnings the day before. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she told Abe, "I talked to mom and she agreed to keep her fears and feelings in check for Theo's sake. She understands it's not his place to need to worry about those types of things."

"I know you hate it when I question your mom, but I just wanted to be sure." Abe looked down at his things. "Are you close?"

The light turned green for Lexie and she began to drive again. "I'm about to pull into the parking lot actually. You can go ahead and start heading out of the office so you can jump in as I drive by." Lexie smiled and giggled. She felt better knowing she was almost there.

"Okay. I really appreciate you coming out to get me," Abe shared with a small laugh. "We'll have to get those tires replaced tomorrow if any tire shops are even open."

Lexie continued to smile as she pulled into the huge parking lot and spotted Abe walking out from a distance. "Of course, sweetie. I wouldn't leave you here stranded." Lexie thought about the times Abe did sleep in the office when they had problems, but that hadn't happened in a while. "Are you going to keep talking to me over the phone until I pick you up?"

Before Abe could answer, Lexie noticed a few men appear out of nowhere. The men ran out towards Abe and hit him over the head causing Abe to struggle with his balance. "Abe!" She could hear Abe groan and yell out in pain over the phone. Lexie began to drive faster to get over to Abe, but then saw the men pull out guns causing her to panic and put her foot on the brake. They shot at Abe several times causing Lexie to gasp in horror as she watched Abe fall to the ground. "Abe! Talk to me! Can you hear me?"

"Lexie," Abe finally said after a moment. His voice was somewhat weak. "Get out of here! Go home and make sure Theo is okay. This is a set up!"

"I am not leaving you, Abe. Did they shoot you? Are you bleeding? Can you tell me who they are?" Lexie hated that her fear kept her from driving over to Abe. She feared that it would only make things worse if she did. Her training taught her that.

"They got me, Lexie, but now they're just standing over me." Abe looked at the men and noticed he could not see their faces. They were wearing masks. He realized they were watching him closely trying to figure out whom he was talking to on the phone. The men began to turn around and when they spotted Lexie, Abe tried to lift himself up to stop them. "Leave her alone... don't do anything to her!"

Lexie saw the men turn towards her as well. They raised their guns and began to shoot at her car, but missed. Lexie ducked for a moment in fear, but decided to go in reverse. "Abe, what is going on? Why is this happening? I don't want to leave you here!"

"Go now!" Abe demanded cowering in pain.

Lexie began to drive off, but made sure to tell Abe that everything would be okay. "Abe I am going to call 911 and head home to make sure Theo is safe. Hold on please." Tears ran down Lexie's face as she tried to control them so she could see clearly as she drove away.

Abe responded, but struggled with talking clearly to Lexie. "I love you, Lexie. ... Tell Theo I love him, too." Abe looked down at his feet and noticed that the men were starting to crowd him as they knelt down to look him over more closely. "Keep him safe – whatever you do." Abe dropped his phone next to his head no longer able to keep his head or hand raised, but he could hear her voice still calling out to him from his phone. He looked over to the side and saw the snow on the ground as he felt a sharp pain in his leg. It was the first time this winter he actually took in the beauty of the snow. He realized how much he was about to lose. His memories of Lexie, Theo, and Brandon. His memories of his parents and siblings. His memories of Alice, Tom, John, Roman, Marlena, Bo, and Hope. They were now all fading. Abe looked up to the sky and saw that it was a clear night. He could see the stars and they caused him to smile for a moment, but then he realized he would never see Lexie, Theo, and Brandon again. With his last breath he loudly cried out in frustration and agony. His eyes remained open as his head fell to the side.


	40. Chapter 40 Someone Like You

**Chapter 40: Someone Like You – Saturday, December 31st, 2011**

The next day in the castle where Jack was being held captive, the other patient, Mr. Dimera, began to bark orders as he walked around the facility. It was time for him to finally leave the premises as he had fully recovered and could walk without any problems. One of the workers walked over to Mr. Dimera and asked, "Are you ready to head out, sir? We are currently working on airplane tickets to get you back to Salem."

Mr. Dimera looked the place over before answering. "There is one more thing that I need to get before I can go."

"What is it, Mr. Dimera?"

"I'm taking Jack Deveraux with me. There is no reason to make him stay here any longer," Mr. Dimera demanded. The worker nodded his head and led Mr. Dimera to where Jack was staying ready to leave as well. Two men, who had overheard Mr. Dimera's demand, discussed the fact that Colin had already okayed Jack leaving with Mr. Dimera so he could also return to Salem.

Jack sat in his room scratching his head. He figured out something was going on because they were no longer sedating him and did not care he could walk around his room. He looked up when he heard the door open. Seeing Mr. Dimera, Jack sat all the way back on his bed in fear. "André? I knew it was you when I saw you. How did you survive?"

Mr. Dimera stepped forward and put his hand out. "I'm not André. It's me, Tony. The original to have this charming face." Tony smiled and nodded his head to Jack to let him know everything was okay.

Jack gave Tony a skeptical look, but saw that it really was Tony. He took Tony's hand and stood up from the bed. "Why am I here? What happened to you?"

"I can only tell you what I was told. Your case is similar to mine, except in my case it was far worse. You're here because these group of workers found you injured and were able to heal you." Tony looked Jack over to make sure he looked healthy. "They didn't know what to do with you, but now that I am leaving I have decided to take you with me to return to Salem."

Jack took a moment to process everything. He had a lot of questions in his head, but decided to focus on the fact that he was finally leaving this place. Though, the thought of returning to Salem caused him to feel both excited and nervous. Showing it on his face, Jack let out, "When do we leave?"

"We will stay in a hotel tonight and then head out to Salem tomorrow," Tony informed Jack after looking over an itinerary handed to him by one of the workers.

"I don't need to go back to Salem though. I need to go back to London. That's where my family is," Jack explained.

"Jennifer and your children are now living in Salem," Tony updated Jack. "I've been updated on most people's whereabouts since I woke up. There is still one person I need to find."

Jack looked away as he realized something. "Jennifer must have stayed there after Alice died," he said aloud but more to himself. "I wonder what their life must be like now."

Tony looked at how out of it Jack was. "I should probably tell you that it's been a year and a half since Alice Horton died." Jack could not believe it had been that long. He began to wonder how long he had been here. "Do you want to call Jennifer and your kids to let them know that you're okay?"

Jack looked up at Tony fighting all the thoughts in his mind. "I am not ready for that. I need to see them first I think. I've messed up badly." Jack looked away as his nerves continued to get worse. He really was not ready to face his family again.

* * *

><p>At the police station, Bo and Roman stood by Bo's desk as they talked about what happened to Abe the night before. Both struggled with the thought that this happened to one of their best friends. They tried their best to not let that hurt take control of them so they could focus on what needed to be done. Bo shook his head as he shared his thoughts out loud, "What bothers me and makes me think this is more than just a random burglary is the fact that Abe's body is missing."<p>

Roman put his hand on his chin. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Bo nodded his head. "That whoever has been stealing bodies has decided to show us up by getting to the mayor?"

"Yeah - whoever did this had to have known that we have a close relationship to Abe." Roman thought about his past with Abe. "If it's the same case, whoever is doing this is a bastard." Roman leaned on Bo's desk.

"The more I think about it," Bo started as he played with his pencil, "the more I believe that Abe's attack was a warning that if we continue to investigate, more bad things will happen. We really need to do something. We can't lose anyone else."

Roman watched as Bo played with his pencil for a moment as it was somewhat distracting. Looking away so he could focus, Roman stood up and shared his thoughts, "Whether it's a warning or not does not really matter. We have to find the person or people responsible. Salem is no longer safe; This needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."

Bo threw the pencil out of his reach as it was starting to distract him as well. "What do you think about the missing girl, Kinsey? Is it possible that the same thing might have happened to her?"

Roman sighed as things seemed really bad in Salem. "Hope talked to both of Kinsey's parents. Neither have talked to Kinsey, so it's possible that the same people got a hold of her."

Bo shook his head at the darkness that seemed to plague Salem. "We need to come up with a new plan or find a new lead to get to the bottom of this. We need to find out what is happening with these bodies. We need to know for sure if this is a black market organization. We need to find Abe!"

"That's something we can agree on," Stefano boomed as he entered the police station with EJ in tow. "I heard what happened to Abraham. Is my daughter, Alexandra, still here wasting her time with you bumbling idiots?"

Not letting Roman or Bo respond to Stefano's question and comment, EJ asked his own questions hoping to get a straight answer from them. "What happened to Abe? What have you uncovered in regards to suspects? Do you have the guys who are responsible?"

Roman walked over to EJ and Stefano holding his hands up to keep the peace between them. It was hard enough that he was worried for his friend. "You two need to calm down. We need to keep this situation under wraps because we don't want to cause the people of Salem to go into complete panic."

EJ gave Roman an annoyed look. "Well, someone should be in panic. Salem's mayor is most likely dead!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions, Junior," Bo said even though the thought had crossed his mind many times already.

"How did you two even find out about Abe, anyway?" Roman asked as he held Bo back from doing anything to Stefano and EJ.

Stefano's patience grew tired. "Alexandra is my daughter," he reminded Roman.

Bo stood next to his older brother ready to take down Stefano if need be. "I think it's convenient that you know something happened to Abe," Bo spit out. Roman and Bo found Stefano's knowledge suspicious.

EJ caught on to what Roman and Bo were thinking. "This is ridiculous. My father had nothing to do with this." Becoming even more annoyed, he looked past them towards the hall that led to the interrogation and questioning rooms. "Is Lexie in one of the rooms being questioned?"

"No, she's not, Junior," Bo answered. "Hope is actually at the Carver house now taking Lexie's full statement. We will get to the bottom of this."

EJ looked over to Stefano as he placed his hand on Stefano's shoulder. "I'll grab the car, father."

With EJ gone, Stefano took a step forward so he stood in Bo and Roman's faces. "You need to find out who is responsible for this!"

Roman smugly responded by asking one question. "Where were you last night?"

Stefano glared at Roman for a moment before responded, "You two are bumbling idiots. I don't expect you to ever be able to solve a case. You're both full of it." Stefano quickly walked away leaving Roman and Bo to ponder if Stefano could really be responsible for Abe's attack and disappearance. Whether it was true or not, they needed to find their friend.

* * *

><p>At the Kiriakis cabin, Chelsea helped Sonny with breakfast as everyone else waited in the other room. Will walked in deciding he wanted to help as well. He hoped that he could have a moment alone with Sonny to talk about what he had noticed the night before. Chelsea turned to both guys and asked, "So are you guys leaving to go skiing after breakfast or are you waiting a bit before going?"<p>

"I think we are going to wait a bit before heading out," Will answered.

Sonny turned his head while he continued to make French toast. "I hate that not everyone is going skiing with us today," he commented. He found peace when he cooked and dreaded the moment he finished making breakfast because then the guilt would eat at him.

"Well, some of us need to stay to prepare for the party of the year. I can't believe the end of 2011 is finally here. I am so ready for 2012." Chelsea sighed in relief before returning to the topic. "Besides, we can all go tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, I forget we're not heading back until Monday morning." Sonny continued to make French toast and placed the ones that were ready on a plate. He secretly wished the trip ended Sunday instead.

"It sure smells good, Sonny," Will responded as he checked on the sausage placing the ones that were cooked on a separate plate covered with a paper towel to catch the left over grease. He really wanted a moment alone with Sonny, but could not think of a way to get rid of Chelsea.

Chelsea opened up the fridge and got more ingredients out for Sonny so he could continue cooking. "So what did you and Dario do before everyone else got here? Did you cook meals for two?"

"Yeah, I cooked small meals," Sonny answered feeling really uncomfortable. Cooking wasn't having the same effect on him like it normally had. His mind kept reminding him of the situation he put himself in even if he tried to remain focused on what he was doing.

"What did you guys do in-between meals? It was pretty much a whole day before anyone arrived, right?" Chelsea asked curiously.

"Well, Dario played his guitar. We hung out," Sonny replied vaguely. He did not understand why Chelsea was so curious about what he and Dario did.

Trying to help the situation, Will got into the conversation, "Well Kai showed up that same night you and Dario arrived, right Sonny?"

Sonny nodded his head. How could he forget that night? It was a night full of different types of emotions. "Yeah, Kai showed up, and I spent most of my time with him before anyone else showed up." Sonny began to replay his shock in seeing Kai show up out of nowhere that night. The guilt he felt at that moment only grew.

"What did Dario do?" Chelsea had noticed that Dario seemed to be the odd man out this whole trip. She couldn't help but feel a bit concerned about him after her conversation with Will about him.

"I think he just played his piano – I mean guitar." Sonny let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I am trying to make sure I don't burn the French toast." He really hoped that they could change the subject, so he could focus only on cooking.

Chelsea looked at the plates full of French toast and sausage. "I'll go ahead and take what's ready out there so everyone else can start chowing down." Chelsea grabbed the syrup and both plates before heading out of the kitchen. Sonny let out a sigh when she was gone.

Will grabbed a couple of new plates to place the next batch on, making sure to place a paper towel on the plate for sausage. Heading back to the sausage on the pan, Will moved in closer to Sonny. "Is everything okay, Sonny?" Sonny thought about everything he was feeling and couldn't answer. He had figured the questions would have stopped once Chelsea left the room. Will knew that Sonny felt miserable because he could still see it in his eyes. "I know that everything is not okay. This trip is supposed to be fun, but I am not seeing fun when I look in your eyes. Does it have anything to do with Kinsey and the baby?"

"No, it has nothing to do with them. I haven't thought about Kinsey or the baby the last couple of days," Sonny shared.

"Well, that's good," Will started as he kept his eyes on the sausage. "What's wrong then?"

Sonny turned down the French toast so he could look at Will. His mind couldn't relax because he had not allowed himself to really deal with his situation. He debated on whether he should tell Will everything that happened – how he gave in to Dario and cheated on Kai. Sonny felt like the worst person in the world and that guilt was eating him alive. He needed to let it out to someone who was not a part of the situation.

Unfortunately before he could say anything, Chelsea walked in. "Everyone is tearing the food apart," Chelsea commented. Sonny returned to making more French toast and let out another sigh. He was relieved that Chelsea walked in because he was not ready to talk about what happened to anyone.

Out at the table, Josh leaned in after taking a bite of food. "How did you sleep, Abby?" he asked.

I slept okay," Abigail answered. She looked over to Josh and felt this sudden desire to be closer to him. She missed him. She moved closer to Josh and whispered in his ear, "You're going to get your surprise soon, mister."

Josh smiled and wondered if Abigail possibly changed her mind on wanting to be closer to him when he saw the look in her eyes. Josh took advantage of the moment and kissed Abigail on the cheek. "I'm so lucky to have you," he said back. Not wanting to push his luck with Abigail, Josh turned to Nathan and Melanie. "So how long have you two been engaged again?"

Melanie and Nathan traded smiles before Nathan answered, "It's been a couple weeks."

"Have you already started planning the wedding?" Josh asked. Abigail rolled her eyes at the mention of marriage. She distanced herself somewhat from Josh again.

"We haven't started yet actually," Melanie admitted. "At this point, we just know when and where we want it to be. We still need to make calls though."

Not wanting to talk or hear about weddings, Abigail turned her attention to Chad, T, and Ignazio, who were talking about sleep. She looked around and realized that Dario had not come out of his bedroom yet. She wondered what that was about.

Ignazio let out a small laugh as he joked about Chad's sleeping habits. "Chad takes all of the blanket and doesn't like to share." Turning to T, he asked, "Does Will do anything weird or annoying in bed?"

"Well, I guess I'm used to it by now, but Will has always been a cuddler," T shared.

Chad immediately turned his head to T feeling upset. "What?" Chad realized that he allowed his feelings to get the best of him. He needed to control his jealousy better. "I mean, I am just surprised you would complain about that. There's nothing wrong with a good cuddle."

T gave Chad a weird look because he wasn't sure why Chad was making this a big deal. "It's okay I guess as long as you're dating that person," T responded with a chuckle.

Ignazio found Chad's reaction quite interesting, but kept the attention on T. "So are you dating anyone, T?"

T didn't want to answer Ignazio's question, but decided to keep it vague. "My situation is complicated – having issues with a girl."

Ignazio turned to Chad hoping to put him in the hot seat. He believed he had Chad right where he wanted him. "What about you Chad?"

Chad took the question as his cue to check on Sonny, Will, and Chelsea in the kitchen. "I'm going to see if the others need help in the kitchen." Chad stood up and walked away.

T remembered how Ignazio was in the dark about Chad and Will's relationship and wondered if Ignazio was catching on. He also noticed how Ignazio watched Chad head for the kitchen. "What about you, Ignazio? Are you dating anyone?" T asked grabbing Ignazio's attention.

"I don't have time for that really," Ignazio shared. He wondered if Chad still felt suspicious of him.

* * *

><p>Hope took a seat on the couch next to Celeste as Celeste held Lexie attempting to comfort her daughter. Tears fell down Lexie's shock filled face. Guilt began to eat at Lexie as she removed herself from her mother's grasp. "I should be watching Theo. He needs me. I need to be the strong one."<p>

"Theodore is still asleep darling," Celeste told Lexie as she placed her hand on Lexie's leg.

Hope struggled keeping the tears back as she didn't like seeing Lexie in this situation. "I am so sorry that you have to go through this Lexie. With what you witnessed, I can't imagine what you're thinking or feeling right now."

Lexie became a bit defensive. "Abe is still alive. He has to be because his body is missing," she claimed now holding back any tears that wanted to come out.

Hope thought about the missing body case and how the bodies that went missing in the past were dead bodies. She decided not to tell Lexie about the case because she knew it would only make things worse. "Well, as you know I am here to get your full statement. Last night it was hard for you to tell us everything, so I'm wondering if you are ready now to tell us what happened last night. We need this so we can help Abe."

"I'm ready," Lexie said as she attempted to dry her face with her hands. She knew she had to do this if she wanted Abe to come back to her safely. She turned to Celeste and requested, "Mother, please go upstairs and make sure Theo doesn't come down while we are talking about what happened. I don't want him to hear anything about what happened last night."

"Of course," Celeste answered with a nod. She stood up from the couch and headed up the stairs to keep Theo in his bedroom.

Lexie grabbed a tissue from the coffee table to finish drying her face. She continued to struggle processing her current state, but tried to fight the shock so she could focus on telling Hope everything that happened. "Abe called me last night and told me that he had two flat tires, so the spare would not be enough for him to get home." Lexie took a deep breath as she thought about the fact that she felt a bit uncomfortable about the fact that two tires were flat. "I told Abe to stay in the building until I got there. We both found it odd that he had two flat tires when they looked fine yesterday morning."

Hope moved closer to Lexie and grabbed Lexie's hand to comfort her. "What happened next, Lexie?"

"I got to the parking lot and Abe started to walk out. Suddenly…" Lexie began to struggle controlling her emotions as she continued, "these men in all black… they... they attacked Abe. They shot at him ... made him fall on the ground." Guilt began to hit Lexie even harder as she pictured everything that went down as she described it. "I was so stupid. I made so many mistakes ... I could have saved Abe. I should have told him to stay inside until I was at the door. I should have run those men over!" Tears were now flowing heavily again. "I panicked and let them take Abe! I shouldn't have left him!"

Hope quickly put her arms on Lexie's shoulder to make her stop berating herself. "Lexie, you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. Those men were waiting for Abe and neither of you could have known that for sure."

As Hope continued to try to talk Lexie down on beating herself about this, Lexie continued to berate herself, "I should have known. The two flat tires were a clue!" Lexie tried to make Hope see her faults and mistakes and finally yelled, "Abe is dead because of me!"

Silence filled the room as Hope could no longer keep her tears from coming out. Lexie covered her mouth in horror and shock when she made her final statement. She could not believe what just came out of her mouth. She looked to the stairs hoping that Theo did not hear her say those words. She stared at the stairs for a moment before turning back to Hope. "What am I going to do if we don't find Abe alive?" she asked with the worst terror she had ever felt in her life. "What is my boy going to do without his daddy?"

Hope immediately went in for a hug to hold Lexie as she continued to sob. "We will find Abe, Lexie. If you need anything – if you need us to take Theo for a day or whatever – Bo and I will help you." Hope rubbed Lexie's back wishing they had a lead in finding out what happened to Abe. If he wasn't dead, then there was no telling how much longer he had left.

* * *

><p>Back at the cabin, Chelsea, Abigail, and Josh began to discuss the details for the party, while Chad, Will, Sonny, Kai, Dario, and Ignazio prepared to head out to the ski lodge. "I thought I was going to have to throw Sonny out because he felt bad for leaving us here. I told him that we would have tomorrow to join him. He's been permeating a lot of guilt since we arrived. Is he normally like this?" Chelsea asked.<p>

"Sonny is always thinking about everyone else usually at the expense of his own feelings. I wish I could help him with that," Abigail shared.

"Do you want to share my bed tonight?" Josh asked Abigail out of the blue. He had built up the courage since breakfast to ask her. "T is staying in Chad, Will, and Ignazio's room, so I don't have to share with him. I could ask Dario to take the empty bed in Sonny and Kai's room."

Abigail shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I guess we will see. Right now we need to focus on planning the best New Year's Eve party." Abigail looked around and then asked, "Where is T, anyway?"

"He decided to take a nap. He made a comment about not getting much sleep last night because he had a lot on his mind," Josh answered. "I think he wishes Gabi came."

"Yeah, I feel bad for him," Abigail shared. She made eye contact with Josh and felt this sadness between them. She hated it. Abigail then spotted Nathan and Melanie walk in and got an idea to keep herself distracted from Josh while appeasing him as well. "Hey, you two. I think we should take some pictures outside. The sun is in the right position for great pictures."

Melanie jumped on Abigail's idea as she pulled Nathan close. "We could shoot more awesome engagement photos." Nathan smiled and agreed. Chelsea and Josh looked at Abigail wondering what happened to planning out the party. Chelsea rolled her eyes as she realized Abigail only came up with the idea as a distraction from dealing with her relationship with Josh.

"Let's go." Abigail grabbed a camera she brought on the trip and began to push everyone out. "Come on Chelsea."

Chelsea stood in place knowing there was no way she would want to take pictures with Melanie and watch Nathan and Melanie get cozy with each other. "I think I will pass on taking pictures. I don't feel very photogenic today." She crossed her arms and looked at the list she, Abigail, and Josh had started on for the party.

Nathan noticed that Chelsea wouldn't look at him or anyone else for that matter. He decided to stay put as well. "I'll be out there in a sec. Find a good set up and I'll be out there." Melanie glanced over at Nathan knowing something was up, but followed Josh and Abigail outside.

Chelsea continued to avoid Nathan's gaze and waited for him to walk away, but he didn't. "You don't want to miss out on taking pictures. I can work on the party list while you all have fun with that."

Nathan, who was clearly annoyed, stood in front of Chelsea so she would look at him. "Just come out with it, Chelsea. I'm tired of seeing you look so miserable." Chelsea looked past Nathan and bit her tongue. She didn't want to get into it with Nathan. "Chelsea, tell me what you've been wanting to tell me since you found out that I'm engaged to Melanie. I'm tired of the bull."

Nathan continued to push Chelsea until Chelsea finally couldn't hold it in anymore. Chelsea let out a big sigh of frustration before finally letting out, "Melanie is going to ruin your life!" She gave Nathan a look as if to ask him if he was happy to know what she thought and believed.

Nathan was a bit happy that Chelsea finally told him what he expected her to say but wanted to challenge her thinking. "Why do you think that?"

Chelsea didn't care about biting her tongue anymore because Nathan had pushed her to talk. "You don't know Melanie like I do. She's trouble and will find someone else who's better. She tends to jump from one guy to the next."

"I'm not good enough?" Nathan cut in quickly.

"Not what I meant," Chelsea shared defensively. "You're the best guy I know, but Melanie doesn't care that you're a good guy because she takes good guys and twists them around. She ruins them." Chelsea could tell that Nathan wasn't convinced and only appeared to be even more upset with what she stated. "Look at your cousin Nick. Melanie ruined his life by stringing him along. He became obsessed because of the way she toyed with him."

Nathan couldn't believe that Chelsea had this much hatred towards Melanie. He knew he needed to defend Melanie to Chelsea. "I remember hearing that you dated Nick from my great-aunt Marie. I also heard that you broke his heart and that is why Nick went crazy."

Chelsea stepped back. She couldn't believe he was actually blaming her for Nick killing Trent. "Where is this coming from? Why would you say that? There's no way that I believe that Marie Horton would say that about me."

Nathan tried to collect his thoughts so he could get to his point. He ignored the fact that he might have said some things that weren't exactly true. "The point is you have done some crazy things with guys before, too."

"You don't know anything," Chelsea replied shaking her head in disbelief. Trying to hide how Nathan hurt her with his accusations, she decided to set him straight. "You heard wrong because Nick broke my heart when he cheated on me with my own mother!" As much as Chelsea tried to fight it, the hurt showed in her face as she became flushed. She couldn't bear staring him in the face anymore and turned away from him. "That's why I came back to Salem. Max cheated on me with my mother, too." Chelsea looked down in defeat. Her big secret was finally out.

Nathan immediately felt horrible for the way he approached this with Chelsea. He also felt bad for assuming some things and accusing Chelsea of things she didn't do. "I shouldn't have said those things just now," Nathan said in an attempt to apologize. He hadn't planned for their conversation to go this far. He thought about how he treated Melanie when he first met Melanie and realized he put Chelsea in the same boat.

Chelsea pulled herself back together and softly pushed Nathan away from her. "I don't want to hear it. You think I am this horrible person. It was easy for you to think that I would cause a guy to go so crazy that he would kill your fiancé's supposed father." Chelsea finally looked into Nathan's eyes with a broken heart. "Melanie has already ruined you."

Chelsea ran out the door running past Ignazio, who was on the phone with Azzura outside. "I will take care of things, so don't try to interrupt my plans." Ignazio looked up and spotted Chelsea crying. He continued to talk to Azzura as he watched Chelsea. "I'm on top of things. I'm just waiting for the perfect moment. Tell Ric to stay put. Trust me on this. I've got to go."

Ignazio ended the phone call. He thought about how he had noticed Chelsea before, but never really introduced himself to her. He found her very attractive and immediately noticed she seemed to be someone who could take care of herself. Walking over, he decided to see what was wrong. "Why are you crying? Do you need to talk?"

Chelsea stepped back a bit after turning to Ignazio. She felt reasonably uncomfortable because she didn't know much about Ignazio. She questioned how to answer his questions.

Will walked up with a couple of bags over his shoulders. "Come on, Ignazio. We're heading out for the ski lodge and we need to leave now. The other guys are waiting in the car."

"I'm coming," Ignazio replied to Will with his hand up. He moved closer to Chelsea and decided to say one last thing before he left. "You're too beautiful to let sadness and regret control your life. I can see there is a fire in you. Use it to your advantage. It's there for a reason."

Chelsea watched as Ignazio walked away to get into a car with the other guys. Drying her face, she pondered what Ignazio shared with her. She wondered where he came from. Chelsea then turned back to the cabin and spotted Melanie pulling Nathan outside so they could take pictures with Josh and Abigail. She let out one last sigh before whispering to herself, "Good riddance."

* * *

><p>Sami quickly got into the hospital elevator after arriving to see if anyone else knew what was going on with Lexie. She had left the kids with Lucas and Kate, both of which had no idea that Abe had gone missing. She pushed the button for the floor she wanted and stepped back. Before the elevator doors could close, a woman's hand stopped them from closing. Kate walked in after she knew the elevator doors were retracting. "Kate, what are you doing here?" Sami asked confused. "Did you follow me here?"<p>

"We need to talk," Kate replied ignoring Sami's last question. "What are you even doing here to begin with? You sounded urgent when you dropped the kids off with Lucas at the Salem Inn."

Sami pushed the floor button again so that the elevator doors would close and go up. She didn't want to be the one to tell Kate about Lexie and Abe figuring that was Stefano's responsibility. "I'm here on business since I am on the board. There is an emergency."

Kate looked Sami over and saw that she was serious. "Oh my god. Is everything okay?"

"Hopefully," Sami quickly answered. Not wasting anymore time so she could finish this conversation with Kate, she swiftly asked, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Stefano told me that Chelsea had stopped by the other day. I wanted to know what you two talked about because there is something that she's keeping from me." Kate adjusted her purse over her shoulder. "Why is Chelsea even talking with you about anything?"

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Both Sami and Kate stepped out, but stopped to face each other once they were out. "It actually had to do with Johnny. I took him to her awhile back and she made some observations on his behavior and comments after what he saw Chad and Will doing under the table when Stefano's sister first came to town. She came over as a favor to me and made recommendations on what I should do with Johnny."

Kate smiled as she thought about how smart her granddaughter was. "Well, I am glad she was able to help out. Did she give you any hint as to how she is doing?"

Sami turned back and spotted Jennifer, Daniel, and Maxine at the nurses' station. Trying to get rid of Kate, she pushed the elevator button so Kate could get on and leave. "No. She seemed to be fine. She went on that ski trip with the others. You should ask her when she gets back. For now, could you please help Lucas with the kids?"

Kate knew Sami was trying to get rid of her, but she decided to let is slide because she had gotten all she could from Sami concerning Chelsea. "I'll see you later tonight I suppose." Kate got in the elevator when the doors opened.

Once the elevator closed and headed down, Sami turned around and took a breath. She made her way over to the nurse's station eavesdropping to see if anyone at the hospital knew Lexie's situation. She wanted to help with planning and procedure if needed.

Jennifer, Daniel, and Maxine stood at the nurses' station discussing hospital business and procedure during Lexie's absence. "The good thing is that Dr. Carver is on top of things and has the shifts and rotations figured out for the next couple of months," Maxine shared.

"We'll just have to figure out who can pick up her patients and duties while she is gone," Jennifer added.

Sami noted that the three seemed to know that Lexie would not be working in the foreseeable future. "So you guys know because I know." Jennifer, Daniel, and Maxine turned to Sami surprised to see her there. Before they could ask her why she was there, Sami answered their question. "I came here because I wanted to help with making sure the hospital runs smoothly. We can't let it get out what happened to Abe and why Lexie won't be around."

Jennifer realized that Sami did know the real situation. She looked around to make sure no one else was around to overhear their conversation. "It's sad what Lexie is going through. There's no telling how long she will be unable to come in."

Daniel sighed as he looked at the schedule Lexie had put together. "I can pick up most of these shifts and patients if need be. We'll have to talk to some of the other doctors to fill in."

"Who should ask and what exactly do we share concerning Dr. Carver's situation?" Maxine asked as Colin walked around the corner overhearing her question. He quickly hid so he could continue to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I want to set up a staff meeting so we can talk to the doctors about this," Jennifer answered Maxine. "I don't think we should tell them that Abe is missing because we don't want to disrupt services."

"I can take care of the board and help you plan the meeting if need be," Sami proposed. "How do you all know what really happened anyway?"

"Roman told me that we should keep everyone else in the dark and just tell those who need to know," Daniel shared answering Sami's question. "At the meeting, we should just say that Lexie is dealing with a family emergency and has decided to take some time off. Leave it at that."

"The hospital will want to name someone as a temporary chief of staff. We should probably discuss that at the meeting up front to keep things in order." Maxine looked around, but didn't spot Colin spying on them. "Do we know any inside info on whether the mayor is still alive or not?"

"I didn't know that was still up for debate," Sami responded. She thought about her relationship with Abe and how he was always an uncle to her. "I hope that he's okay."

Daniel thought about everything that Lexie was most likely going through. He remembered when he lost Rebecca and knew that Lexie probably felt worse than he did. Scratching the back of his head, he attempted to answer Maxine's question. "No. The cops are trying to find him, but don't have any kind of leads at this point."

"We'll just have to pray and hope for the best," Jennifer said as she glanced at Sami. Looking back down to the schedule, she focused on what they needed to do. "I am going to work on an email to send out either tomorrow or Monday morning."

"I can talk to the other board members and let you three know what's going on with that. I think it would be good if you guys could be there to let them know that this is under control." Sami looked at the other three for confirmation on her plan. The others agreed to start there and make changes as they went if needed.

* * *

><p>Will, Chad, Sonny, Dario, Kai, and Ignazio arrived at the ski lodge feeling excited and pumped about skiing. Kai took Sonny's hand making sure to watch Ignazio for a reaction. Once he saw that Ignazio didn't seem to mind, Kai quickly let go of Sonny's hand and moved over to Chad and Will. He whispered to them, "Ignazio doesn't seem to mind the fact that Sonny and I are together. Isn't that a good thing?"<p>

Chad and Will had noticed that Ignazio didn't seem to make a big deal about it either. Chad thought about how Ignazio had asked him if he was dating anyone. He had excused himself before answering, but now wondered if that was a missed opportunity to tell him the truth. Chad turned to Will and smiled. "If you're cool, we can talk about telling him when we get back."

"Sure," Will smiled trying to hide his excitement. Kai went over and grabbed Sonny's hand again causing Dario to regret coming along. Sonny looked back at Dario and though he was happy that Dario decided to join them, he felt bad because Dario looked so alone.

Ignazio turned around and spotted Chad and Will smiling at each other. It didn't phase him though because he was so lost in the fact that he was about to be on top of a mountain and ski down it. He got in-between Will and Chad and put his arms around their necks. "I am so excited and nervous at the same time! I can't believe I am about to do this because I never imagined I would do something like this."

Will and Chad laughed at Ignazio's excitement. "I'll watch the instructional video with you so we can go down together," Will offered. He didn't want to leave Ignazio alone knowing this should be a group experience for him.

Ignazio pulled Will in closer as he let go of Chad. "Thanks for wasting your time for me."

"It's no problem," Will said with a smile. Will traded a glance with Chad, who was happy to see Will getting along with Ignazio so well.

Sonny continued to look back a few times trading glances with Dario. Dario thought about what Manny said to him at the town square about not giving up on Sonny because their relationship was one of a kind. Dario told himself that he could not give up on his love.

Sonny thought about everything he and Dario had been through and realized that things always seemed to get in the way of them being able to fully commit to each other. He wondered if they would always be doomed. Sonny felt Kai squeeze his hand causing him to look down at their hands. He thought about how things were great for them before the semester ended. He knew Kai loved him and Sonny felt the same about Kai. Sonny looked up into Kai's eyes and smiled. He knew he had to tell Kai what happened with Dario if he really did love Kai.

* * *

><p>Chelsea continued to sit alone on a bench outside of the Kiriakis cabin even after everyone went inside to set up for the party. She criticized herself for her thoughts and feelings when she first saw Nathan at Bo and Hope's front door. "I'm such an idiot. I actually thought my life would change for the better." Chelsea hated her life, and the fact that the hope she gained when she saw Nathan again was false hope, made it all worse.<p>

Nathan walked out and saw Chelsea in the distance. He still felt bad for the way their conversation ended earlier. Walking over, he took a seat next to her on the bench. He looked straight ahead as he rubbed his hands together. "I am sorry for the assumptions I made and for being rude to you."

Chelsea looked down for a moment unsure of how to respond. She looked over and asked, "Do you really see me only as trouble?"

"No," Nathan shook his head. "I don't think you're a troublemaker. I just let my frustration about how you were treating Melanie get to me. She's changed so much, and I know who she used to be. I'm sorry I let that happen."

"As much as I try to deny it because it makes no sense to me, I can tell that you really love Melanie," Chelsea admitted.

"I do," Nathan said reassuringly but quietly because he didn't know what to say next.

"I'm sorry, too," Chelsea let out before admitting, "When I saw you again after all these years a lot of things came back to me and clouded my judgment."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.

Chelsea decided she needed to be upfront with Nathan so she could deal with whatever the fallout was and move on. "Ever since I've known you, I have always wanted a guy like you – a guy I could marry if I couldn't have you." Chelsea swallowed hard as she thought about the fact that she actually told him how she felt. "Do you remember what happened the last time we saw each other years ago?"

Nathan immediately remembered causing him to blush and feel guilty. "I kissed you."

Tears fell down Chelsea's face as she thought about the kiss and what never would be. She shook her head trying to shake it all off. "Like a little girl, I allowed myself to think about the 'what ifs' because that kiss was a big deal to me. It was my first kiss and at that moment I believed I would marry a good guy."

Nathan felt bad and didn't know what to say. He saw the tears forming in Chelsea's eyes and watched them as they dropped onto her lap and into the snow. He really wished he could make things better for her.

Chelsea continued, "After you left and I realized that you were most likely not coming back, I began to mess around or date the bad guys." Chelsea awkwardly laughed at herself. The laugh was one of disappointment in herself. "I should have known better with Max. I thought he could be a good guy like you."

Nathan looked at Chelsea's cold hands. "Maybe you should stop comparing guys to this perfect image you have of me. I'm not perfect. I've done stupid stuff with past relationships as well. You can definitely do better than me."

Chelsea immediately began to shake her head no. "Now I know that I was hoping for something that I can't have. I just hope that I'm lucky enough to find someone like you, Nathan. You're respectful and honorable." Chelsea wiped her face with the ends of her sleeves. "I really hope the best for you. Melanie is lucky because you'll always take care of her and treat her right."

Nathan gave Chelsea a small smile. "You'll be okay. You have been through so much worse in life and have managed to make it through every time."

Chelsea thought about Max and her mother. "Please don't tell anyone about what Max did to me."

"I won't," Nathan promised.

Melanie walked out of the cabin and spotted Nathan with Chelsea. Deciding not to make a big deal about it because Nathan had told her he needed to talk to Chelsea earlier, she yelled out, "Chelsea, are you going to make a few cream pies? Abigail told me you were."

Chelsea slightly turned her head towards Melanie and yelled back, "I'll be right there. I need a few moments alone."

Nathan caught on that Chelsea wanted him to give her some space. "I'll see you inside." Nathan stood up and walked over to Melanie so they could go back into the cabin together.

Chelsea began to cry a little more trying to get it all out. "Will I ever get my life back?" she wondered aloud.

* * *

><p>Back at the Carver house, Celeste walked down the stairs. "I'm sure Theo will have a lot of fun with Ciara. It's good that you let Hope take him off of your hands for a while so you can focus on feeling better for him." Making her way to Lexie, who sat on the couch in a daze, she placed her hand on Lexie's cheek. "Maybe you should lie down and rest, darling."<p>

"It's impossible to rest. There are so many thoughts in my head and I can't think straight." Lexie rubbed her head trying to make sense of the last twenty hours. "I feel very lost."

Celeste was about to take a seat next to Lexie, but the doorbell rang. Celeste headed to the door and opened it. EJ and Stefano walked inside without a greeting. "Lexie," EJ let out in a worried voice. He made his way to Lexie and wrapped his arms around her. "We heard what happened."

Stefano made his way over as Lexie cried in EJ's arms. "Alexandra, we are here for you and Theodore."

A thought crossed Lexie's mind. Lexie pulled herself from EJ and gave her father and brother an inquiring look. "How did you two find out? Hope told me that they are trying to keep this under wraps for now. Only a few people know what happened last night."

"You know I have my sources, Alexandra," Stefano explained. Lexie turned away and became lost in her gaze. "I know that you must feel horrible my daughter. Abraham will not be forgotten. We will be sure of that. He was a good husband and father."

"Stop!" Lexie shouted jolting out of her thoughts with her eyes closed. She opened them again to face her father feeling angry for what he had implied. "I don't buy what you're telling me. You don't even care about Abe. You have gotten better with holding back your dislike for him, but you never cared about him." Lexie put her hands up in frustration. "And don't talk about him like he's dead. He's alive."

Knowing that Lexie most likely felt lost about everything, EJ tried to help her process by asking, "Do you know of anyone who would do this to Abe?"

Lexie eyed Stefano, but digressed. "I really have no idea why anyone would want to hurt Abe like this. He's done so much for Salem."

Celeste continued to stand by the front door watching Lexie interact with EJ and Stefano. She thought about the warning she received from her tarot cards. She wished that she took the warning more serious and made Abe stay home or convinced him to be more on the look out.

Stefano looked over to Celeste surprised that she wasn't making a big deal about him being there. He noticed she was spaced out and then realized that she had some idea that something was coming with the guilt on her face. He decided not to confront her directly of what he knew, and instead decided to attack her in a different way. "You didn't see this coming, Celeste? You usually have some kind of warning when bad things are coming."

Before Celeste could answer, Lexie stood up and yelled at her father to stop once again. "I don't want to go there right now. It only adds more thoughts and confusion. For the record, my mom is not to blame for what happened with Abe."

EJ eyed his father to cool it. Turning back to Lexie, he continued to try to help Lexie process what was happening. "What do the cops think happened with Abe?"

Feeling overwhelmed, Lexie took a seat again. She looked at EJ and appreciated what he was trying to do, but did not have the energy to talk about it. There were some things she could not share. Celeste looked at the exhaustion in Lexie's eyes and decided she needed to step in. "I think you two should leave to give Lexie some space. She hasn't slept much."

The doorbell rang again. This time Maddalena and Azzura had arrived to visit with Lexie. Stefano and Celeste were both annoyed that they decided to come over. Maddalena rushed over to Lexie's side and sat on the other side of her on the couch. Celeste looked over at Lexie and tried to make everyone leave again. "Lexie needs her rest and everyone in the room is only causing Lexie's stress to multiply."

Lexie looked over to Celeste deciding to correct her, "It's not stress mother. It's heartache. It's the worst pain I have ever felt in my life."

Maddalena took Lexie's hands in hers. "Tell me, does anyone have a clue as to who would do this to your husband?"

Lexie sighed before finally admitting, "The police asked me not to tell anyone this, but they believe that whoever is responsible for taking those bodies that have been reported missing to most likely sell organs on the black market might have done this to show the police up in their investigation since the media leaked that the cops were on their trail."

EJ glanced at Stefano while Maddalena replied to Lexie, "I am sure that the police will get to the bottom of this. If not, our family is more than capable." Maddalena glanced at Azzura.

Stefano decided to change the subject. "How is little Theodore doing?"

Lexie turned her head to look to her father. "I haven't really told Theo anything." Lexie paused as she got lost in her thoughts about Theo. She began to cry again while she continued, "I don't think he can handle the news." Her tears became heavier. "I wish this didn't happy and that Abe and Theo were with me right now."

Maddalena put her arm around Lexie and pulled her close. "Alexandra, you should let your family comfort you because that's what families do when one or more are in heartache." EJ grabbed Lexie's hand and rubbed it with his thumb. Celeste and Stefano watched Maddalena. Neither knew what to say or how to react to Maddalena's comforting Lexie.

* * *

><p>At the ski lodge, Sonny and Dario arrived separately before everyone else and bumped into each other when they returned their equipment. After turning everything in, Dario looked around awkwardly before asking Sonny, "Where's Kai? You didn't come down together?"<p>

"Kai wanted to help Will and Chad with Ignazio. They were having fun, but I didn't have the patience to stand still for that long because I was craving a hot cocoa." Sonny put his hands in his pockets and saw a free table next to a wall. "We should probably take a seat and grab a drink. It's probably going to be a while before they get down here."

Dario nodded his head as he walked over to the table with Sonny after they grabbed two cups of hot cocoa. Taking a seat, both sat there sipping on their drinks in awkward silence. Both finally tried to speak at the same time. Each told the other to go first, but Dario insisted, "You can go first." Dario wanted to talk about them, but wanted to see if Sonny would do so first.

Sonny looked at his hands as he brought them together. Looking up, he began to apologize. "I am sorry for shutting you out the way I did after we had been so vulnerable with each other."

Dario looked down and took a deep breath. "It was hard," he shared, "but I know it had to be harder for you." He was really trying to be understanding even though he hated the situation they were in. Dario then admitted, "I feel bad because I put you in an awful position. I promise though, I will protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you for what we did, and I won't let you feel guilty about it."

Sonny had to look away as tears began to form in his eyes. It hurt him that Dario was being selfless because of what he was about to say. "I can't do this anymore, Dario." The truth was that Sonny could not stop feeling guilty about what happened. He also felt frustrated with Dario and Victor for how everything went down.

Dario grabbed Sonny's hand from across the table hoping Sonny would look at him again. "I can wait then. You're worth it."

Sonny felt even worse because he wanted to smile at what Dario said to him. "I am going to try to work things out with Kai," Sonny clarified. Trying to rationalize his decision to Dario, Sonny added, "You told me to move on and I did that, remember?"

Dario looked down in shame, "I remember." His hatred for the situation grew because it appeared he would lose Sonny for good.

"This isn't fair to Kai," Sonny said softly still trying to rationalize his decision to try to work things out with Kai. Sonny didn't want to delve into the guilt that he felt because he knew it would only make things worse for him and Dario.

Dario looked back up to Sonny. He needed to fight for Sonny, but also wanted to make sure he didn't cause a scene. "I love you, Sonny. I'm not giving up on us. Do you know how much you mean to…"

"Dario," Sonny let out to interrupt Dario from continuing. He removed his hand from Dario's grasp. "Please don't. This is already hard enough for me to do."

Dario didn't want to give up. "It's hard because it's not the right thing to do. You are the peace in my life. You are the joy. You are the smile that lets me know that things are going to be okay. I've never met anyone like you and I won't give up on that. I know you love me, too, because when I called you my soul mate when we were making love, you claimed that you had been waiting me to say those words to you and that you were happy."

"Maybe I was happy when I heard you say those words, but I really think I was not fully thinking everything through," Sonny rationalized to Dario becoming a bit defensive. "I know over the summer that I would have done anything to hear you say that you loved me the same way I loved you. I guess I did when we were trapped on the island, but Dario... I'm starting to believe that when you told me on my birthday that we were meant to be together, it was too late."

"Too late?" Dario asked confused. He didn't care for the change of tone in Sonny's voice.

Sonny hated having this conversation and wanted it to end. He knew he had to do this though. Not realizing that his defenses went up, he began to explain why it was too late. "Yes. I had moved on because you told me to. You told me that you couldn't give me what I wanted. You told me to move on. I did that with Kai because you couldn't love me enough and skipped town. I wasn't even important enough for you to call or write when you were up in Alaska! We didn't talk at all while you were gone!"

"You think that you're not important to me? That I can just forget what happened between us? I know that I didn't call or write while I was in Alaska, but I fucking left my dying mother behind so that I could be with you and show you that I love you." Dario spotted a tear fall down Sonny's face and realized he let his anger get the best of him in that moment. He hated seeing Sonny in such torment and digressed. "…but… I will not push you at this moment because I understand you're already feeling a lot of pressure. I don't want to add to that."

Sonny didn't know what to say because Dario's comment about his mother made him feel more guilt inside. He saw something in Dario at that moment that made him think that he was making the right decision in staying with Kai. "Well, I didn't plan for this to happen. Maybe you made the wrong decision in coming with me and leaving your mother in Salem. You volunteered, remember?" More tears began to fall down Sonny's face as he thought about Victor, Chad, and Will working together to surprise him on his birthday by flying Kai out to see him. "I didn't plan for Kai to show up that night? I didn't know that my great-uncle had planned for that to..." Sonny stopped himself from continuing knowing he needed to return to what he needed Dario to know. Wiping his face, he stated, "That's not important because what I want you to know is that I am sorry that we can't work out because I am in love with Kai."

Dario grabbed Sonny's hand again to let Sonny know that he was on his side no matter what decision Sonny made. He could tell that he upset Sonny and tried to calm things down between them. He wondered if he should let Sonny try things out with Kai as he took a deep breath to control the anger and betrayal he felt inside. In a whisper, Dario informed Sonny, "I will keep what happened between us on your birthday a secret so that it makes it easier for you if you really want to be with Kai."

At first, Sonny was caught off guard by Dario saying he would support him in his decision. After the shock wore off somewhat, he collected his thoughts on what he wanted to do next. "That won't be necessary, Dario," Sonny said as he looked into Dario's eyes. "I'm going to tell Kai what happened." Dario looked on in shock.


	41. Chapter 41 2011 2012

**Chapter 41: 2011-2012 – Saturday, December 31st, 2011 – Sunday, January 1st, 2012**

At the ski lodge, Dario gave Sonny a questioning look. "Did I just hear right? You're going to tell Kai that you and I made love? I thought you wanted things to work out with you and Kai."

"I have to tell Kai because I do love Kai, and Kai deserves to know the truth," Sonny shared knowing he had to tell Dario that his decision was final. Sonny really didn't care for the tone in Dario's voice. Sonny knew it was a risky decision to tell Kai the truth, but Sonny had to fix this. He also had to bite his tongue because he wanted to tell Dario that they did not make love since he wanted to downplay everything that happened between him and Dario. Sonny knew that would have only made things worse so he refrained.

Dario didn't say anything back immediately because he needed to process what Sonny just said in his head. Mentally, he questioned if this really meant that Sonny was indeed committed to Kai because Sonny was so willing to risk everything. Dario's questioning look turned into one of regret and sadness as a thought crossed his mind. "I am so sorry that I did this to you. I am sorry for putting this all on you and pushing myself on you." Sonny could only look away.

Tears began to fall down Dario's face as he wondered if everything that happened between him and Sonny on Sonny's birthday was all his doing. Did he let his feelings blind him so much that he wasn't able to acknowledge his own selfishness? He couldn't help but also notice that Sonny wanted to do the right thing by Kai and not keep him in the dark – causing Dario to feel even worse for how he damaged Sonny's life. "I put you in this situation, and I took advantage of you in a weak moment – a moment where you were still struggling with what Kinsey did to you – a moment when you felt so alone in the world. You're the greatest person I know, honestly. Not many people would do what you're willing to do."

Overwhelmed by Dario's response, Sonny shook his head feeling guilty for shutting Dario out like this even if he was frustrated with him. "I am not a great person, Dario, and…"

"You are great and honest," Dario interrupted. Dario began to wonder if he would always hurt Sonny in the end if he continued to pursue Sonny. Looking down for a moment, Dario decided he needed to tell Sonny that he would no longer push him into something like he did on Sonny's birthday. He needed to make sure that he did whatever it took to make Sonny feel better for all the hurt he caused. "Sonny, I really messed up. I'm the one who is at fault for everything that went down. I am the dishonest person here. If you want to blame someone blame me. I promise you from now on..." Dario paused as he thought about what he was about to promise Sonny. Looking up, Dario opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped when he spotted Will, Chad, Ignazio, and Kai walking up. "Sonny, the others are coming." Dario grabbed a napkin to clean off his face. Sonny immediately followed suit by grabbing his own napkin.

The others made it over to where Dario and Sonny sat after returning their equipment. "Do we want to rest here for a short time or do we want to head back?" Chad asked.

"Whatever is fine," Sonny answered quickly hoping no one would pick up on the fact that he and Dario had been in the middle of a serious conversation. After Chad's question really sunk in, he then realized it would be best if they headed back now. He added, "I think the others may need some help getting the party together tonight. It wouldn't be fair if we made them do everything."

"Sonny's right," Dario agreed so they could get out of there. He tried to avoid thinking about his feelings so they didn't get the best of him in front of the others.

Kai, who had previously been preoccupied with Ignazio up to this point, walked closer to Sonny thinking that Sonny looked hot in his ski get up. Putting his arm around Sonny, Kai kissed Sonny on the cheek and noticed that Dario and Sonny had ordered drinks. "How long have you two been waiting?"

"Not long," Sonny answered with a nervous smile. Deep down he dreaded having to tell Kai that he cheated on him. He knew that the sooner he told Kai the better but questioned if it would be better to do so when they returned to Salem.

Ignazio walked over to Kai and Sonny looking them over. "Kai, you're right. You and Sonny look really good together." Kai smiled and agreed as he took a sip of Sonny's hot cocoa.

Dario cringed as he watched Kai kiss Sonny on the lips but knew he needed to accept that he had his chance and that Sonny chose to remain with Kai. He made eye contact with Sonny for a second and could see that Sonny feared telling Kai the truth. Dario questioned if he should be there when Sonny told Kai like he was when Sonny was ready to tell Kai about Kinsey and the baby, but realized he might only be a burden to Sonny now.

Will picked up on the awkwardness between Dario and Sonny. He looked at the others and realized they were oblivious to the fact that something had gone down between them while they waited for them. Will's budding suspicions that something happened between Dario and Sonny when they drove up Wednesday increased exponentially.

* * *

><p>Back at the Kiriakis cabin, Josh, Melanie, and Nathan had put most of the decorations up for the New Year's Eve party when Chelsea, Abigail, and T returned from the store to get some last-minute things. Melanie and Nathan immediately rushed over to look through the bags to see what they got. Melanie pulled out the mistletoe and squealed. "Look Nathan! We got our mistletoe!"<p>

Chelsea rolled her eyes and decided to excuse herself. "I'm going to check on my pies."

As Chelsea walked away, Melanie gave Nathan an annoyed look because she was tired of Chelsea's attitude and it seemed Nathan having a talk with her didn't help. She leaned into Nathan and told him quietly so no one else would hear, "Let me confront her about this. I'm tired of it."

Nathan gave Melanie a firm look because he didn't want her to go after Chelsea. "Just let it be. She's been through a lot."

"What do you mean?" Melanie asked. She wondered if Nathan knew something she didn't.

"Just leave her alone, please." Nathan didn't want to say any more than that because he had promised Chelsea he would keep her secret.

Melanie quickly became annoyed with Nathan and threw the mistletoe back in the bag. "Fine. Stand up for your old bff. I'm going to work in the other room – alone." Melanie walked out of the room after grabbing a few decorations.

Josh patted Nathan on the back. "Looks like there is trouble in paradise, man. You need to show her who's boss."

"Really, Josh?" Abigail called him out on his comment about being boss. A lot of frustration seemed to come to the forefront when Josh made the comment as the volume of her voice grew. "Are there times you wish you could show me who is boss? I'm telling you right now that I am my own person, and no one will ever tell me what I should and shouldn't do. I'm going to be in the kitchen helping Chelsea."

"I was only joking with Nathan," Josh called out to Abigail as she walked into the kitchen. He sighed and turned back to Nathan annoyed that Abigail called him out like that when she was clearly overreacting. He thought about how things were between him and Abigail. He knew full well that Abigail really had a problem with their relationship. He wished he knew what it was though. Trying to avoid his frustration, he turned back to Nathan and asked, "So what are you going to do to fix things with Melanie?"

Nathan grabbed a few things out of the bag to set up on the table. "I'm not too worried about Melanie because we are fully committed to each other. She's my fiancé now and we love each other. She'll come around."

"Burn," T threw out laughing at Josh turning Nathan's innocent comment into something else.

Josh quickly became offensive and wondered if Nathan knew that he had proposed to Abigail when they were in New Zealand. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Nathan?"

Nathan stopped what he was doing and became confused with the hostility he heard in Josh's voice. "I didn't mean anything by that. I was just saying that Melanie and I will not let anything get in the way of our relationship. We're solid."

"So you're saying that Abigail and I aren't solid?" Josh called Nathan out knowing the truth to his question already. Nathan gave Josh an even more confused look.

T walked over to Josh and put his arm on his shoulder. "Dude, chill out. I was just joking when I said burn because Nathan doesn't really have to worry about Melanie because they're engaged. He's at an advantage because you and Abigail aren't engaged. We're here to have fun, so let's do that." T had no idea Josh had proposed and that Abigail had declined his proposal.

Josh turned to T and removed T's hand from his shoulder. "Well, that's ironic coming from you considering your girlfriend didn't even bother coming on this trip. Who's at a disadvantage now?"

T stepped back and couldn't believe Josh would make a comment like that. He had been able to finally relax on the trip without thinking about Gabi, but everything came rushing back. "I'm going to get some air." T walked out the front door to take a breather outside.

Nathan shook his head at Josh. "You sure are on a roll today, aren't you?" Josh looked at the door and felt horrible knowing that he overreacted because Nathan and T did not know about his failed proposal to Abigail.

In the kitchen, Abigail found Chelsea closing the fridge after checking on her pies. "How are they looking?"

"Good. I hope they taste good, too," Chelsea answered. She leaned on the counter to let Abigail know she didn't plan on going back into the other room. She did not want to watch Melanie and Nathan practice their kissing skills under the mistletoe. "So what's everyone doing now?"

"Well, Melanie and Nathan are in separate rooms for the first time since we got here Thursday," Abigail joked. "On the other hand, Josh and I were in the same room for too long and I had to split."

Chelsea moved closer to Abigail. "What's going on with you and Josh anyway? You guys seem to be either hot or cold – mostly cold actually now that I think about it."

Abigail became closed off as she thought about her relationship with Josh. "I guess he wants to rush things. I'm not ready to go that fast, so I have to keep him at bay when he wants things to happen now."

Chelsea thought about Abigail's situation with Josh and shook her head. "You should be happy that Josh is so into you. I can tell that he really loves you. I guess the real question is: Do you love him?"

Abigail hated that Chelsea asked her that question. "It doesn't matter because I am not going there." Chelsea gave Abigail an odd look wondering what she meant by that. Abigail gave her a look as if to hint to not ask. Chelsea took the hint deciding to drop the subject for now.

Outside of the cabin, Josh found T standing outside taking a few deep breaths. "T, I'm sorry for what I said in there. I was way out of line."

"What happened in there? I thought we were joking around and then you completely blew up at everyone." T turned around hoping Josh had an explanation for saying tearing him down like that.

Josh felt embarrassed for his actions. "There's something I haven't really told anyone, but I think I should tell you." Josh crossed his arms around his chest due to the cold and the fact that he was going to talk about something he didn't like to talk about. "When Abigail and I were in New Zealand I proposed to her. She turned me down. I thought maybe I rushed things, but now I am starting to believe she will always say no."

Josh's explanation made everything make sense to T. "Look man, if I had known that happened I never would have joked with you in there. It sucks that Abigail did that to you. Maybe you should let her go." T looked past Josh as he wondered if he would have to let Gabi go. He really didn't want to.

"It's okay, dude," Josh said to accept T's apology. He thought about T's suggestion to break things off with Abigail. "I'm not sure I can do that so easily, but I know I will have to if things don't get better between Abigail and me." Josh shook the thought out of his mind and put his hand out to T. "Are we cool at least?"

"Yeah, we're cool," T answered as he took Josh's hand. "Don't worry man. I'm sure things will work out with you and Abigail. You both have so much history."

Josh smiled hoping that T was right. "I'm sure you and Gabi will work out, too. Space can be a good thing sometimes."

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Gabi and Arianna sat at the table with their mother enjoying some freshly squeezed lemonade. Gabi took a sip from her glass. She was glad that everyone her age was out-of-town and that Caroline gave her the weekend off so she could focus on herself and her mother. "So Mama, what are we going to do for New Year's Eve tonight?"<p>

"We could go out and buy things to decorate the guesthouse and then watch the ball drop on TV," Arianna suggested.

"No, I am not going to let that happen," Isobel let out. "There is no way we are staying home. I want to at least get out for one holiday this season. I've been conserving energy for this."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Mama," Arianna cautioned. She hated denying her mother's wish to go out, but she didn't want to see Isobel faint again.

Gabi agreed with Ari. "Going out tonight is definitely a bad idea. You do remember what happened during Christmas Eve, right? You weren't even out – a you were in this house and you had to be rushed to the hospital."

Isobel quickly became frustrated that her daughters were denying her a night out to welcome in the new year. She calmed herself down so that she didn't get worked up and waste her energy with arguing. "I hate to say this to you two, but I am dying anyway," she reminded her daughters. "It doesn't matter because I want to enjoy my life while I can."

"Of course it matters, Mama," Arianna said feeling concerned for her mother's mentality. "You promised Dario you would still be here when he returned from his trip."

"I'll still be here," Isobel said calmly. She still didn't want to waste energy arguing about this with Gabi and Arianna even if everything in her told her to. "I want to at least go out one last time and enjoy a real party. I hear that the town square is going to have a big one. I want to find a nice dress, fix my hair, wear a nice pair of shoes. I want to experience feeling beautiful again. I won't get to experience that again. This is my last chance."

Gabi and Arianna traded glances. Both were still concerned about Isobel's well-being, but when they saw how much she wanted this, they could not deny her request. "Okay, we'll go," Arianna decided.

"But we won't go for the full night," Gabi told Isobel. She hoped they could all compromise.

"That's fine. I just want to be there for the countdown," Isobel shared. "I'll make sure to rest up, so I can do more tonight." Isobel finished her glass of lemonade and stood up to head to the bedroom.

Arianna stood up to help Isobel get to her bedroom. She smiled at her mother as she thought about how her mother was able to talk to them calmly. She hoped that it was a good thing in that Isobel was learning how to take it easy and not as a sign that she just didn't have the energy to argue. Deciding to keep her mother on her toes to check for that, Arianna decided to ask her mom a question. "So does looking at that picture of 'Andres' give you more energy than actually taking naps here and there?"

Isobel quickly turned her head to Arianna and saw her daughter smiling at her. Smiling back, Isobel answered with a question. "Have you been spying on me in my bedroom?"

Gabi saw her mother and Arianna smiling and decided to join in. "Well, it's hard not to, Mama, when we can hear you talking to the picture you stole from the mansion. Are you ever going to tell us how you know Tony or as you know him 'Andres'?"

Isobel stopped heading to her bedroom and turned so she could face both of her daughters. She thought about her past with Andres and smiled widely. Soon after though, her smile disappeared completely. "It was a long time ago and doesn't matter. I really should rest up for tonight."

Arianna and Gabi glanced at each other feeling the sadness that came over Isobel as she shut down on them. Arianna and Isobel turned around and headed into Isobel's bedroom. Gabi kept playing how her mother's smile faded moments ago in her mind. Taking a sip of her lemonade, she thought about how she had experienced the same thing the night before with Caroline's offer. Gabi thought about the curse she felt was on their family. Looking down to her mother's empty glass of fresh squeezed lemonade, she whispered to herself, "This pain will continue until every one of us is dead."

* * *

><p>EJ held Lexie in his arms as they sat on Lexie's living room couch. "Alexandra, we will do whatever it takes to find Abe."<p>

Lexie raised her head and asked with concern in her voice, "What do you mean by 'whatever'?"

Stefano made his way to Lexie and took her hand and patted it with his free hand. "Sweetheart, don't focus on specifics because we just need to return Abraham to you and little Theo."

Maddalena, who still sat on the other side of Lexie, decided to make an offer to let Lexie know she could count on her as well. "Lexie, I want to help you and your son out also. I think you two should stay at my mansion until everything is figured out concerning your husband's whereabouts."

Maddalena's offer surprised everyone in the room – especially Stefano, Celeste, and Azzura. Azzura wondered what Maddalena was trying to pull with her offer as they couldn't really afford any outside guests to stay with them. It was too risky.

Stefano and Celeste began to talk over each other as they thought Maddalena's offer was a bad idea. Stefano let go of Lexie's hand and turned to his sister. "That is not necessary, Maddalena."

"I am here with my daughter and grandson, so we are okay here in the house," Celeste countered questioning Maddalena's motives in her mind.

"If she needs to go anywhere it would be at my mansion," Stefano added.

As Celeste and Stefano continued to talk over each other, Lexie stood up to get everyone to calm down. "That's enough! I am standing right here and I can make my own decisions." Lexie turned to Maddalena to give her answer. "Maddalena, thank you for your offer, but too much change is not good for my son. It would be best if we stayed home for now. I have to be strong for my son as he needs me. We will be fine here. I'll be sure of it."

"Lexie, you know you're not alone because I am going to be staying here," Celeste shared wanting Lexie to know that she would be helping her around the house.

"Thanks mom," Lexie let out glad that everyone had settled down. She then took a breath and decided she needed to sit again.

EJ stood up after noting how tired Lexie looked. He glanced at everyone else in the room deciding he needed to make Lexie's current environment better for her. "I think it would be best if we gave Lexie some alone time as I believe we are keeping her from being able to rest. We should let her be." EJ bent down and kissed Lexie on the cheek. "Call us if you need anything and I mean anything." He then turned to his father to push him out the door.

"Elvis is right," Maddalena started as she squeezed Lexie's hand. "We are family and if you need anything do not hesitate to call or visit." Maddalena stood up and walked over to Azzura so they could leave. Lexie smiled at EJ and Maddalena to show her appreciation.

"I am sorry you are going through this, sweetheart," Stefano directed to Lexie as he fought EJ's pushing him towards the door. Making his way to Lexie, he grabbed her hand once again and kissed it. "We will find Abraham, Alexandra." Stefano then let go of her hand, turned around, and walked out with EJ, Maddalena, and Azzura. Celeste closed the door behind them.

With everyone except her mother gone, Lexie sat in silence for a moment. It was the first time she was allowed to be deep in thought without someone talking to her or asking questions. She turned to Celeste, who watched her in silence by the foot of the stairs. Lexie quickly turned her head to face what was in front of her. She didn't like the silence. Her thoughts only got louder in her head. They reminded her of the tragedy and heartache she felt.

Lexie grabbed the remote and turned on the TV for relief. She noted the news was on and then noticed there was no coverage about what happened to Abe at all. She flipped through the news stations to be sure. "It looks like no one has any idea about what happened last night," she said to her mother while still keeping her eyes on the TV.

Celeste knew she needed to step in. "Alexandra, I think it's best if you turn off the TV. How is this better than when everyone was here? I don't want you to get even more upset."

"More upset? I don't think that's even possible," Lexie shared as she turned up the volume of the TV. "It looks like they're talking about the New Year's Eve party at the Horton Town Square. Abe put so much hard work in tonight's events and he won't even be there to make sure everything runs smoothly."

The house phone began to ring breaking Lexie's concentration on the television. Celeste began to head for the phone so she could answer it, but Lexie got up and stopped her. Picking up the phone, Lexie let Celeste know it was from the mayor's office. Celeste whispered to Lexie, "What do they want?"

Lexie put her hand over the mouth part of the phone as she answered her mother's question, "They are trying to figure out what to do since Abe can't do the countdown tonight." Lexie put her full focus on helping them decide what to do so she could distract herself from thinking about her own problems. Celeste didn't think Lexie was in her right mind with how she was speaking as if it was no big deal.

"Well, if you need me to do it, I can do it," Lexie told the person on the other side of the phone. The person asked if she was really up to doing Abe's responsibilities for the night considering what she witnessed the night before. "Yes, I am serious. This is the last thing that Abe put together before…" Lexie paused as she realized that this was the last thing that Abe worked on as mayor. This was the last thing he did before walking out of the mayor's office. "This is his last party and he won't even make it…" Lexie began to tear up again as the reality of the situation hit her again.

Celeste knew this was too much for Lexie, so she took the phone away from Lexie. "Hello, this is Abraham's mother-in-law. If you're looking for someone to make a speech and do the countdown than I suggest you talk to Jennifer Horton. She is Tom and Alice's granddaughter and respected citizen of Salem. Just tell the press that a family emergency came up and leave it at that. The cops don't want this out to the press at the moment as I am sure they have already told you."

Lexie made her way to the couch in tears as she realized something else. Abe's side of the family had no idea what was going on. She picked up her cell debating on who she should call first.

Celeste saw what Lexie was doing and hung up the house phone after telling the person on the other side of the phone she needed to get off. She made her way to Lexie, took Lexie's cell phone away, and then turned off the TV with the remote. "I'm not letting you do any work, darling. You need to rest and that is your only option."

"I need to call Jonah, Karen, and Brandon. They deserve to know what happened," Lexie pleaded with Celeste to give her cell back.

"We need to do this carefully, Alexandra," Celeste started. "Listen, while you go and rest, I will go out and talk to Hope or Bo about the best way to go about telling the rest of the family."

"How do you expect me to rest?" Lexie asked showing frustration in her voice. "I can't clear my head. If I close my eyes all I see is last night. I'll call Hope."

Celeste didn't budge. "I'll make some of my hot tea. It will put you to sleep. If you don't sleep some, you won't be able to take care of yourself or Theo. Remember what you told Maddalena, Stefano, and me? You said that you would stay strong for Theo. If you don't rest, you won't be able to do that. Let me do this for you, Alexandra. I will take care of it. You get rest so you can do more when you wake up tomorrow."

Lexie sighed as she knew Celeste had a point. She wanted to be able to hold it together for her son and calmly responded, "Fine. I'll head upstairs."

"I'll be up in a moment, darling. Let's take advantage of this time while Theo is with his friends and not here." Celeste placed her hand on Lexie's face to wipe Lexie's tears away before heading to the kitchen.

Lexie stood up and made her way to the foot of the stairs. She grabbed a family portrait with Abe and Theo. She looked at it for a moment before holding it close to her chest. Tears fell down her face as she walked upstairs with the photo wrapped in her arms.

* * *

><p>Will looked through his clothes trying to decide what he was going to wear for the party tonight. Taking off his shirt, he placed it on the ground as he debated between two shirts he wanted to put on. Will looked up when he heard the door open. "T…"<p>

"Sorry, I wanted to come talk to you, but if you're busy, I can come back," T proposed.

"No, you're fine man." Will walked around the bed and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Patting next to him on the bed to signal T to take a seat, Will asked, "What's going on?"

T took a seat next to Will and blew out some air. "I don't know. I am trying to have fun on this trip, but I can't stop thinking about Gabi. I agreed to give her space while on this trip, so I haven't talked to her or even tried to talk to her, but a part of me wants to know now if she has changed her mind about things yet."

"You mean with the whole Kinsey situation?" Will scratched the back of his neck wondering if he really did damage Gabi.

"Yeah," T said unsure of what to say next. "I guess I want to know if she still wants to break up with me. I talked to her a couple of days ago before we headed up here, and she told me that she didn't want to be with me anymore. I convinced her to wait a few days before she finally decided on what she wanted with our relationship."

"What?" Will couldn't believe what he was hearing because he thought that T was good for Gabi. He didn't understand why Gabi shut T out like that, but then wondered if it was because she still felt hurt from when she found out that Will was gay. He knew that Gabi shifted into someone else around that time.

Meanwhile outside in the hall, Chad was about to walk into the bedroom, but Abigail stopped him before he could get to the bedroom door. "Chad, you have a moment?"

Chad turned around and nodded. "Yeah, is everything set up for tonight?"

"Yeah, I think…" Abigail answered. She didn't stop Chad to talk about the party, so she decided not to say too much about it. Moving on, she asked, "How are you and Will doing? It seems like you two have reconnected really well since our last private chat."

Chad smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I think we are understanding our relationship better." Chad thought about the last couple of days and remembered the things Will said about him at the family meeting. He also thought about how Will helped Ignazio even if he didn't have to. "How are things going with Josh?"

Abigail knew Chad only asked because he was being considerate. "Things are okay…" Abigail didn't really want to discuss her relationship with Josh. She knew that Josh still wanted a committed relationship, but she could not give that to him. Deciding she needed to put the focus back on Chad and Will – even if that made her somewhat of a hypocrite, Abigail returned, "So the last time I talked to you, there was a lot of things unsaid. You seemed to be afraid of something that was not in your control. Is that all gone now?"

Chad thought about his dreams. It had been a while since he had a dream that had anything to do with his family, Will, or the tarot cards. Chad wondered if the danger he had felt before was for nothing. Ignazio didn't seem like a threat and Maddalena seemed to be someone he could trust. "I guess it is all gone now." Even though Chad was no longer haunted by dreams, Chad knew that everything wasn't rosy with Will. There were still some insecurities he needed to deal with concerning Will. "Will and I have been able to commit to each other, so I think the trust is there."

"That's good," Abigail responded thinking back to her relationship with Josh and how trust didn't really matter in their relationship because she wanted it to remain superficial.

Chad noticed that Abigail was somewhere else mentally. "Abigail, what's going on with you? Are you sure you're okay?"

Abigail snapped out of her thoughts and looked directly at Chad. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about you and Will. You two have been through so much and I don't understand how you can just commit after all that has happened."

Chad looked Abigail over with a questioning look. "Well, I love Will and he loves me. That's what two people do when they love each other." Chad continued to question Abigail's weird response. "Is this about you and Josh?"

Abigail quickly realized that she couldn't get Josh out of her mind even when she tried to focus on something else. "No, it's not," she lied – deciding to cover her bases before continuing with questions she wondered, "I guess sometimes I wonder if love is really worth it. What if the person you love falls in love with someone else? What if the person you love has a soul mate out there that's not you? Do soul mates even exist?"

Chad wondered why Abigail wondered about these things if it had nothing to do with her and Josh. A thought crossed his mind. "Are you trying to tell me something about Will? Do you think that Will and I won't make it?" A bit of paranoia snuck into Chad's thoughts.

Abigail felt guilty for putting doubts in Chad's mind as that was not her intention. Or was it? Abigail began to wonder if she wanted all relationships to be like her current relationship with Josh. She glanced past Chad as she then considered the possibility. Abigail realized she needed to end this conversation with Chad. "You should go spend some time with Will. I'm going to check in with Chelsea to make sure our food for the party is all set."

Chad scratched the back of his head once again as he watched Abigail rush off. She never answered his question on why she asked those specific questions about relationships and soul mates. He turned back towards the door and took a deep breath as he tried to forget what just happened.

Back in the room, Will and T were in an embrace. "It's going to be okay, T. I am here for you no matter what. Whatever you need, I'll do it," Will said as Chad walked into the room.

"What's going on here?" Chad asked as all of his insecurities came forward. He thought about how he didn't like how close T and Will were – especially recently. He thought about everything Mia said to him about how his relationship with Will was doomed. Abigail's questions played in his mind. What if Will fell in love with someone else? What if he wasn't Will's soul mate?

Will and T separated. Will stood up and noted the jealousy in Chad's voice. "T is dealing with a lot. You already know." Will walked over noticing that Chad wouldn't say anything. "What's going on Chad?" he asked maneuvering his head so that he could look directly into Chad's eyes.

Chad broke from his thoughts when he realized that Will was now right in front of him. Instead of answering Will's question, Chad looked Will over commenting, "Where is your shirt? Did you suddenly get too hot for a shirt?"

Will stepped back and almost laughed. He stopped himself because he wanted to be sure that Chad was joking. "Are you making another one of your corny jokes?"

"Why are you always calling me corny?" Chad shot back, but then realized what he asked Will. He began to laugh causing his whole demeanor to change. "I can't believe I asked you about being too hot to wear a shirt. Ha!"

Will and T began to laugh as well. "You should know the answer to that question, Chad," T joked back. "I'll leave you two to do whatever it is you two do when Will's shirt is off." T looked Will up and down and bit his fist in jest. "You're one lucky guy. You better hold onto him for as long as you can."

Will blushed and smiled as he looked into Chad's eyes. "You should see Chad shirtless. It's heaven." Will winked as he continued, "I can be just as corny."

T patted Chad on the back and smiled knowing he needed to suck up his hurt in front of Chad. "I'll see you guys out there later." T walked out of the room making sure to close the door behind him so Chad and Will could have some privacy.

Will turned around and decided to put on a shirt. Grabbing one of the shirts he was contemplating over earlier, he asked Chad, "So did you want to talk about Ignazio? We have some time before the party starts."

Chad had forgotten all about Ignazio and showed that he had with the way his body shifted. "Right." Chad did plan on talking to Will about Ignazio on his way to the bedroom, but Abigail and T had made him forget. "Is T going to be okay?"

"Yeah. He just needed to vent about his situation with Gabi. Things are looking worse for him and he might be single soon," Will shared as he began to put on his shirt.

"Do you really have to put on that shirt? I could give you a massage while we talk if you want," Chad offered distracting himself from the idea that T might be single soon.

Will stopped putting on his shirt and threw it on his suitcase. "Sure, that would be great." Will noticed that Chad seemed to be all over the place as he got on the bed to lay on his stomach. As Chad mounted his back to give him a back massage, Will turned his head to the side and asked, "Are you okay, Chad?"

Chad began to rub Will's shoulders as he answered. "I'm feeling better now that I have you to myself," Chad admitted. He could feel the connection with Will as he touched Will, which helped him relax about what he walked in on. He wanted to bring up T again, but decided it would only feed into his insecurity that Will might leave him. "So Ignazio has been really great on this trip, I think."

Will smiled as he thought about skiing earlier. "Yeah. I am glad that we invited him. I feel like he's getting more comfortable with us."

"He seems to really like you," Chad smiled not feeling threatened by that fact. "Thanks for being so cool with him. You really are a good friend." Chad thought about T realizing again that T and Will were just good friends.

Will blushed again and then moaned when Chad moved to his lower back. "He likes you, too. Does that mean he's ready to know about us?"

"I think so. I've talked to him one on one a few times and he's proven to be open about a lot of things." Chad continued to rub Will's lower back as he noticed Will seemed to really like it. "I think I finally understand how you felt over the fall semester when I wanted to stay in the closet. I'm tired of not being able to fully be with you when I want. I want to be with you now, and I really believe we can trust Ignazio with our secret."

Will managed to turn his body around, while Chad remained on top of him, so that Will was now on his back. Raising his body up slightly with his arms bent at the elbow, Will smiled at Chad feeling so much better about their relationship. "It will be good that we won't have to avoid each other anymore." Even though Will thought things were better, in the back of his mind he still believed he was too boring for Chad.

Chad smiled as he began to rub Will's collar bone. "We'll get to share a bed again – of course if that's what you want."

"Why wouldn't I want that?" Will asked while his thoughts wandered at what Chad might be hinting at.

"I was joking," Chad claimed with a smile. "I guess at this point we need to figure out how we're going to let Ignazio know." Will looked to the side as he began to think on ideas. Chad continued to rub Will's body as he thought of ideas as well.

In Sonny and Kai's room, Sonny threw himself on the bed as he let out, "I really need a nap! Skiing wore me out and I want to make sure I make it to the countdown tonight."

Kai took off his shoes and socks and joined Sonny on the bed. "Are you sure you want to take a nap?" he asked in a way to give Sonny the hint that he wanted to do something else.

Sonny smiled at Kai. Even though he told Dario that he wanted to be with Kai, Sonny was not ready to sleep with Kai until Kai knew the truth. "Kai, can we just cuddle? I am completely exhausted and I just want to relax."

"Sex can be relaxing," Kai suggested. He didn't understand why Sonny had kept him at a distance whenever he mentioned the prospect of sex. The first night he arrived, Sonny claimed he was tired then. Thursday and Friday night, Sonny stayed up with Abigail or someone else while he fell asleep. Thinking about that, Kai became a bit concerned. "Sonny, is everything okay between us?"

Sonny sat up in bed as he responded, "Yeah, everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Sonny could see Kai's mind spinning by the look on his face. "What are you deliberating?" Sonny began to feel nervous that the conversation was about to happen.

"I just realized that we have been together again for three nights and we haven't even slept together once." Saying it out loud made Kai realize how ridiculous his thoughts sounded. Beginning to laugh at himself, Kai continued, "Wow. I didn't mean to make that sound so damn dramatic. I guess I am confused as to why I am getting the cold shoulder anytime I mention wanting to be with you - sexually that is."

Sonny bit his lip as he quickly debated how to respond to Kai. "I'm sorry. It's nothing against you. I guess I am just focused on making sure everyone is having a good time and like I said I'm exhausted. This trip has been more trying than I expected."

Kai maneuvered himself so that he could rub Sonny's shoulders. "Aww, babe. You know everyone is having a good time and you don't have to worry about that. Let me give you a massage, so you can relax."

Sonny smiled at how sweet Kai could be with him. He really didn't want to ruin what they had – at least not yet. "Okay. Thanks, Kai." Sonny tried to push back his fears of what might happen when he told Kai about his affair. He wanted to enjoy this moment with Kai and that's all that mattered to him.

* * *

><p>At the Salem Police Department, Bo walked into Roman's office so they could head out. "Hey Roman, are you ready to head to the pub to meet Ma and the rest of the family?"<p>

"Hold that thought, little bro," Roman responded as he kept his focus on the screen of his laptop. "The technician that has been working on Kinsey's phone just sent me an email."

Bo walked around Roman's desk so that he could see what the technician said. "He find any good information we can use?"

"Well, I'm not sure." Roman began to scroll through the information attached to the email. "We apparently have access to everything from her phone now. The technician was able to connect with her phone's data online through the phone network. The court order helped us out a lot."

"That looks like a lot of information. Maybe we should look at it later," Bo started as he looked down at his watch. "We are officially off the clock and it's a holiday."

"A pregnant girl is missing. I don't want to just leave this information here." Roman continued to sift through the information. "Besides this could possibly be a lead to finding Abe."

Knowing his brother was right, Bo grabbed a chair and took a seat next to him. He sat on the chair with the back facing forward. Leaning his head on the back of the chair, Bo asked, "Find anything interesting yet?"

"Well, so far it's everything you'd expect from a teenage girl," Roman shared. "She's made calls to Sonny and also seems to have the phone numbers of Will's group of friends. There is a number she has called and has received calls from that is unlisted. That might be something."

"We should probably make a note of that and try to find out who owns that number," Bo suggested. He saw something else and pointed to the screen. "What's that link right there?"

"It's access to the emails she received on her phone. From the technician's explanation they were actually downloaded to her phone before it went offline." Roman clicked on the link opening her email box. Once the computer finished loading, Roman and Bo leaned back and looked at each other. "It says that the last email Kinsey received on her phone came from Victor Kiriakis."

"That's the same night she supposedly disappeared." Bo moved closer to get a better look. Reading the email and the attachment, Bo shook his head. "I can't believe he sent that."

"There's no way we're getting to Victor tonight. We should probably regroup tomorrow so we can question him then." Roman sighed and decided to shut everything down. He hated that they had to wait. "I don't want to make a scene at the Horton Town Square tonight especially with everyone being in the dark about Abe. We need to tread carefully."

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Caroline sat at a table with Jennifer, Lucas, and Hope. Hope put her phone away as she announced, "Bo and Roman should be on their way now."<p>

Caroline and the others responded with a smile. Caroline turned to Lucas and asked, "Have you talked to Will since he left with his friends to go to Colorado?"

"I haven't talked to him since Thursday evening, but I plan to call him when it's the new year," Lucas answered. "I don't want to interrupt his independence too much."

Jennifer nodded as she agreed. "I completely understand what you mean." She thought about how she still had to get used to the fact that Abigail was no longer her little girl even though Abigail had started distancing herself years ago. "How many days after the kids get back will you and Allie have left in Salem?"

"It's not even a full day. They get back around the evening on Monday. Allie and I are leaving on Tuesday after lunch." Lucas looked over and watched as Allie and Ciara played at a different table.

Just then EJ and Sami walked in with Johnny, Sydney, and Theo. Johnny, Sydney, and Theo quickly made their way over to the kids' table, while EJ and Sami made their way over to the others. "Hey everyone," Sami greeted them first. After the greetings, Sami glanced over at Theo as she spoke, "Theo seems to be doing well. The other children seem to be a good distraction for him."

"Do you know if Lexie has told him anything?" Jennifer asked curiously making sure Theo could not hear her.

"My sister has decided to wait to do that," EJ responded. EJ's thoughts went to Lexie. He knew she would most likely stay in tonight because she was not ready to deal with large crowds yet.

Caroline looked down in sadness. "That poor kid is going to go through a lot if they don't find his father. Chelsea told me that he's already going through therapy for his autism, but I wonder if they can help him through this."

"I'm sure Theo is going to be okay," EJ shared not really liking the focus on Theo when he was in the same room. He didn't want to take the chance of him overhearing. Theo was curious enough as it was.

Sami could tell EJ wanted a subject change, so she volunteered to transition the conversation to someone else. "Johnny will most likely start seeing a therapist soon."

"Why?" Caroline asked wondering if something happened with Johnny.

Sami realized her mistake in that Caroline still did not remember about Chad and Will's relationship. She wasn't ready to let that cat out of the bag either. "Just behavior issues," she told her grandmother as she eyed EJ, who was not pleased that the conversation was focused on Johnny now.

Caroline shook her head at first, "Seems therapy is the answer for everything these days, which is good I suppose for Chelsea if she decides to go back into that."

"Well, sometimes I wonder if Abigail or JJ might need therapy because of how their father has pretty much vanished," Jennifer shared.

"You still haven't heard anything from Jack?" Hope asked. EJ was pleased with the subject change.

Jennifer sighed and shook her head. "Unfortunately no one has heard back from him. Not even his brother or sister."

Lucas felt bad for his sister. "I'm sure Abigail and JJ will be fine either way. They have you and you're one of the strongest people I know."

Hope smiled and squeezed Jen's hand. "I agree with Lucas. You have weathered through a lot and now you're engaged to Daniel Jonas."

"Where is Daniel by the way?" Sami asked.

"He's doing some last-minute things at the hospital. I'm meeting him later at the town square when he heads this way," Jennifer answered. She looked at the time figuring she had some time. Turning to Hope, she remembered something. "Aunt Maggie is going to drop off JJ here at the pub. Are you still okay with keeping an eye out on him while he's here?"

Hope nodded her head as her phone began to ring. After looking at her phone, Hope looked up at the others. "Please excuse me. I need to take this. It's Celeste."

EJ watched Hope stand up and head to the back. He wondered why Celeste would call Hope. "I hope everything is okay with Lexie."

Sami leaned into EJ to let him know she was there for him. "You can call and check in with her if you want. Didn't your dad send security over there to keep an eye out?" EJ nodded his head and decided to text his father's men.

* * *

><p>Back at the Kiriakis Cabin, the New Year's Party was underway. Chad and Will glanced at each other trying to decide the best way to let Ignazio know about their relationship. They had discussed it earlier, but got distracted when Will decided to give Chad a massage. Melanie and Nathan headed over and began to talk to them. Noticing that something was going on between them by just looking at them, Melanie asked, "What's going on over here?"<p>

In a somewhat louder whisper, Chad informed Melanie and Nathan, "We are going to tell Ignazio about our relationship. He might have some kind of clue I guess, but tonight he will know for sure."

Nathan gave Will and Chad a surprised look. "Oh, I did not know that Ignazio didn't know you two are together. It's a good thing I didn't let that slip." Nathan remembered how he let Will's secret slip when he told Jennifer about Will being gay. He told himself he would never make the same mistake again.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter now because Ignazio seems like a good guy and someone we can trust," Will informed Melanie and Nathan.

Melanie leaned her body into Nathan as she showed excitement in her face for Chad and Will. As Nathan wrapped his arm around her to keep both of them balanced, Melanie asked, "How are you going to tell him then – a big announcement or something more subtle?"

"Maybe something subtle - something to show him we're together without having to really make a big announcement." Chad looked down and grabbed Will's hand. "This should do it."

Will couldn't help but blush some. It felt good to be able to not hide their relationship while they were away from Salem. Will squeezed Chad's hand and kissed Chad's shoulder. "I think he'll take the hint. If not we could always use the mistletoe as an excuse."

"Melanie and I have already been using the mistletoe as an excuse to kiss all night already." Nathan patted both of them on the shoulder with his free arm. "It's crazy how much has changed this year. I left Salem, came back, and now I'm engaged to Melanie. Life couldn't be better." Turning his head towards Melanie's Nathan gave Melanie a kiss on the lips.

Will looked over to Chad and smiled. "I'm now in a romantic relationship with my best friend. No one could ask for more."

Chad beamed when he heard Will refer to him as his best friend. "I'm the one who got more out of the deal. Will is so much more than any lucky guy could ever be. I'm definitely the lucky one here."

"So cheesy, but I love you," Will said giving Chad's shoulder another kiss.

"It's okay to be cheesy or corny," Melanie responded as she continued to gaze into Nathan's eyes. "Every girl wants their boyfriend to tell them sweet things." Chad smiled at her for saying that. Will smiled only because Chad smiled.

Ignazio, who had not noticed yet that Chad and Will were holding hands, glanced over to Chelsea, who was talking to Josh and Abigail. She seemed to be trying to help Abigail and Josh with something. He then turned his head and spotted Dario talking with T. Moving a little closer so he could overhear, Dario and T were discussing Gabi.

"I know that Gabi has put space between both of you because of the baby Kinsey is carrying," Dario started knowing that this conversation was just as awkward for T as it was for him. "Honestly, Gabi hasn't been herself and may just feel overwhelmed at the moment. I'm sure she'll come around."

"I hope you're right," T shared with a sigh. "I really do care for your sister and I want things to work out."

Dario patted T on the back. "I can really tell that you feel tortured right now because you're not with her." Dario knew the main reason he could see T's struggle so clearly was because he felt the same way T felt. He felt tortured for what happened between him and Sonny. T nodded his head in agreement.

Sonny and Kai sat next to the fireplace so they could relax by the warm fire. Leaning his head on Sonny's shoulder, Kai told Sonny, "I don't know if I've told you this lately, but you really have changed my life for the better, Sonny. I'm not just talking about the sex we used to have. I feel freer and truer to myself. You brought me out, and I will never take what you did for me for granted."

Even though he felt extremely guilty inside, Sonny did not let it show. Somewhat forcing a smile, Sonny replied, "You changed my life for the better as well because I felt so lost in life when we met. You made me believe again."

Kai smiled back. "I'm so glad that we could help each other." Kai looked down feeling a bit overwhelmed with the emotions he felt for Sonny.

"What's wrong?" Sonny asked concerned.

"Nothing's wrong," Kai quickly answered before continuing, "I never thought I would be this happy with someone I love and trust more than anything. I guess I never expected it until I met you because I never felt connected to anyone in my life like I feel right now."

Sonny immediately took Kai's hand in his and squeezed it. A tear fell down his face as he tried to hold himself together. "I never want to lose you. I can't lose you." Kai pulled up Sonny's hand and kissed it sharing the same.

Chelsea walked over from Josh and Abigail wanting to ask Sonny something. "Sonny, were you expecting anyone else to show up tonight? I just saw a car pull up outside."

Sonny and Kai stood up together. "We should check it out," Sonny mentioned to Kai as he wiped his face. As they headed towards the front door, Chelsea stood by the fireplace to warm up a bit.

Dario walked over to Chelsea and asked, "What's going on?" He had been watching Sonny and Kai together and saw Chelsea walk up and say something to them causing Sonny and Kai to stop their intimate moment.

"It looks like someone decided to surprise us with their presence. I noticed a car pull up when I looked out the window, but I didn't recognize the car." Chelsea wondered who it could be.

Chad and Will became restless and noticed that Ignazio had not noticed yet. They began to feel nervous and decided to stop holding hands for the moment. Nathan and Melanie noticed that they seemed to give up on telling Ignazio and questioned them for doubting their decision to stop holding hands. Before Chad or Will could answer Melanie and Nathan, Will noticed Sonny and Kai head out of the cabin. "Where are Sonny and Kai going?" Chad and Will moved over closer to the door.

Having heard Will, Dario answered his question. "Chelsea noticed a car pull up. Maybe I should go out there to make sure everything is okay." Before Dario could head towards the door, the door opened again. Chad grabbed Will's hand to protect him as Sonny, Kai, and Eric, Will's uncle, entered the cabin.

Eric immediately gave Will a hug, but Chad kept holding onto Will's hand as he was still confused as to what just happened. "Hey buddy." Eric greeted Will. After letting Will go, Eric looked down and noticed Chad and Will were holding hands. "I guess the rumors are true then," he said with a smile.

Ignazio looked down and finally noticed that Chad and Will were holding hands. He smiled as well even though deep down he felt disgusted. He believed he finally had the proof he needed to prove that Chad and Will were in a relationship. Ignazio decided to keep himself at a distance so he could continue with his observations.

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, most of Salem gathered around to ring in the new year. As music played a few couples danced in an area designated for dancing, while others enjoyed drinks and conversations around the tables. Jennifer rested her arms on Daniel's shoulders as they danced. Looking up into his eyes, Jennifer felt weird being there because it only reminded her of Lexie and Abe. "I can't help feeling awkward being here at this celebration when we really know what's going on. I don't mind doing the countdown because I'm doing it for my friends and in honor of my grandparents, but I really wish Abe could be here so that he could do the countdown as mayor."<p>

Daniel held Jennifer close as he responded, "I assure you that Abe will be found. Everything will be fine."

Having overheard, Colin walked over as Jennifer and Daniel headed back into the crowd after they finished dancing. "What's going on with Mayor Carver?"

Daniel gave Colin a weird look because he didn't want to have this or any conversation with Colin. "I think you misheard our conversation," Daniel quickly covered but decided he couldn't let this go. "Also, it's getting weird that you keep overhearing our conversations. It's like you're spying on us and – if possible – I'd like it to stop." Daniel meant his request to be more of a demand.

Confused, Colin took a step back. "I am sorry if I am annoying you, but I just happened to be walking by when I overheard you talking about Mayor Carver."

"Maybe you should just keep walking then," Jennifer shared. She also didn't have the energy or time to deal with him.

Maggie, Victor, and Brady walked over to say hello to Jen and Daniel dismissing Colin's presence. Colin took the hint and walked back into the crowd bumping into Maddalena and Azzura. "Ms. Dimera, how have you been feeling since your last doctor's visit?" he asked trying to make fake conversation so no one picked up on their connection.

"I am feeling fine, thanks, Dr. Murphy," Maddalena replied continuing the ruse that she and Colin only knew each other as doctor and patient.

Stefano and Kate arrived and noticed the three together. Walking over to them, Stefano made sure to comment on it. "Well, what do we have here? I had no idea that you two knew each other." Kate avoided eye contact with Maddalena as she adjusted her hair.

Maddalena turned to her older brother deciding to correct any suspicion he might have. "Dr. Murphy is my new doctor here in Salem. We are talking about my health."

"I had no idea you weren't feeling well," Stefano stated before commenting, "Did you know that Colin used to be your son, André's doctor?"

Maddalena glanced at Colin, but held her calm. "I had no idea," she lied.

Colin did not want to stick around any longer. "I should go so you two can catch up on things." Colin walked away pretending he saw someone by the bar.

Maddalena gave Stefano a curious look. "What are you trying to pull, brother? I don't believe you when you say that he used to be André's doctor. How can that be when your daughter claimed he is a new at the hospital?"

Stefano wasn't sure what to make of Maddalena not believing him. "Maddalena, you need to be careful because he was indeed André's doctor. Dr. Murphy couldn't cure the crazy that was your eldest son, so you shouldn't expect him to be able to help you out either." Stefano smiled as he could tell that his comment offended his sister. He grabbed Kate and led her away from his sister and Azzura.

Confused, Kate asked, "While I did enjoy seeing the look on Maddalena's face, I have to wonder why you decided to put down your sister like that."

"I wanted to see if I could see if my sister is up to something by pushing her buttons," Stefano shared.

"Did you see anything to answer your question," Kate countered hoping he did.

Stefano glanced back at his sister before returning his gaze onto Kate. "In time I will know. I have ordered my men to keep a closer watch on her now, so I'll know if she is making some sort of move."

Maddalena glanced over at Stefano and Kate from a distance. "It appears my brother is clueless about the real connection between Colin and I. I have to admit I was worried for a moment, but I think it all played out well."

"I think so, too, signora," Azzura responded.

Maddalena turned her attention to look the people of Salem over. She needed to get to know everyone of importance better if she was going to succeed in all of her plans. Her eyes stopped wandering when she spotted Isobel, who walked into the town square with Arianna and Gabi.

Azzura noticed Maddalena watching Isobel and decided to ask her about it. "Maddalena, do you know that woman?"

Keeping her attention on Isobel, Maddalena answered, "That woman and her daughters live on Stefano's property. I know that she is really sick. I wonder how much longer she has to live."

"Do you want me to look into it?" Azzura asked. She knew whenever Maddalena mentioned someone or something she always had a reason for doing so.

Maddalena nodded her head. "I wonder if there's anything we can do to help the poor woman out."

"Yes, signora," Azzura replied as she wondered why Maddalena was so interested in Isobel.

Arianna and Gabi looked over their mother to make sure she didn't look ill. "Are you still up to being out like this, Mama?" Arianna asked.

Even though it annoyed Isobel that her daughters kept asking her if she felt okay, she understood they were just concerned. "Well, we waited until the last-minute to come so I won't have to be out here for long. I am feeling fine and we can leave shortly after the countdown into 2012."

"Okay, but if you want to leave before, just let us know," Gabi reminded her mother.

Having spotted them, Brady walked over to say hello. "Good evening."

Isobel recognized Brady and smiled. "Brady Black. It's so good to see you." Even though she knew that Brady hurt Arianna, she decided she needed to push Arianna back into his hearts orbit by literally pushing Arianna so she was physically closer to him.

Arianna wanted to glare at her mother for doing this to her, but she didn't want to ruin her mother's evening. "So did you come here with anyone else?"

"I drove up with my grandfather and Maggie," Brady answered. He noticed that Arianna seemed more civil than normal and wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that her mother was present. Brady and Arianna glanced over and spotted Maggie talking to Jennifer and Daniel. They wondered where Victor was, but then saw him walking towards Stefano and Kate. Both then wondered what was about to go down.

Victor didn't waste any time with Stefano as soon as he was close enough to talk to him. "I know the truth about Abe and I am sorry for what your daughter and grandson are going through," he started. "Do you have any leads?"

"My men are looking into it," Stefano answered first looking around to make sure no one could overhear their conversation. He went on to explain, "This really seems to have come out of nowhere as I don't think anyone has threatened Abraham's life before all of this."

Victor, who was suspicious of Stefano, shared, "I have my own men looking into it as well. I think everyone deserves to know the truth, and I hope that Abe is able to come home to Lexie and Theo."

"I want the same thing," Stefano informed Victor knowing Victor was suspicious of him.

Kate, who had remained silent while the two men exchanged words, finally spoke, "Maybe we should get some drinks." She hoped Victor would get the hint that they wanted to be alone. He did and walked away.

As Kate and Stefano made their way to grab drinks, Celeste arrived with Marco in tow. Celeste stopped Kate and Stefano, so she could give Stefano a piece of her mind. "You know that I don't really care for your part in my daughter's life, but I know for the most part you can keep her safe. You should know that Lexie's house is secure already with me there. I'm telling you this because you know our daughter will be upset when she realizes how much security you have set up around her house." Before Stefano could get in a word, she continued, "EJ and Sami are taking Theo back to the mansion to spend the night there, so Lexie and I will be the only ones at the house and that's how she wants it right now. She doesn't want all of your men standing guard."

Marco, decided to break into the conversation before Celeste could continue, "Everything is set, sir. I followed Celeste here personally to make sure she didn't get hurt or anything."

Deciding to ignore Celeste for a moment, Stefano decided to show his appreciation to Marco first. "Thank you for staying on top of things. I want to make sure no one hurts my daughter or my grandson. I am curious though, how did Celeste find out about the security detail?"

"Your son sent me a text message earlier asking me to check in with Lexie. I arrived at your daughter's house and that's when she found out. Lexie is fine. She was asleep in her bedroom when I left and followed Ms. Perrault here, sir."

Stefano turned to Celeste deciding to stop ignoring her, "You should be thankful for what I am doing to ensure our daughter is safe. You should head back to her house so you can be with her. I don't want her alone in the house" Turning back to Marco, he continued, "I want you to talk to Lexie tomorrow about placing more security for her benefit. Also ask her if there's anything else she needs from the family as we search for Abe."

Marco nodded his head. "I'll do as you ask," Marco looked behind Stefano and spotted Arianna with Brady and felt jealous with how close they seemed from where he stood.

"Please escort Celeste back to my daughter's home," Stefano said interrupting Marco's thoughts and feelings.

Marco nodded his head and led Celeste back to her car. He stopped for a moment when he spotted Azzura. He made sure to smile at her when they traded glances.

As the night continued, more people circled around the small stage where a podium stood as the end of 2011 drew closer. Jennifer and Maggie made their way up on the stage and took their places behind the mic. Maggie decided to stand next to Jennifer for moral support as Jennifer began to address everyone, "Good evening everyone. First I want to apologize that my dear friend, Mayor Carver could not be here tonight due to a family emergency. I hope that I can pull off what he would have done tonight if he could have been here." Everyone else kept their eyes on Jennifer not thinking much about Abe's absence.

Jennifer looked down at the small speech she prepared as she cleared her throat. Looking up, she began, "As we, the people of Salem, gather here in the last moments of 2011, I think it's important that we reflect on what has happened in our community." Jennifer began to talk about the good and bad things that happened in Salem over the year and how they all managed to come together as a community. Finishing, she said, "It was our hope, faith, and love for each other that we managed to make it through another year. I know deep in my heart that I want those things to remain as we venture into 2012. As Edith Lovejoy Pierce once wrote, "We will open the book. It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and it's first chapter is New Year's Day." Jennifer looked at the time and realized she had finished her speech just in time. Looking up with an excited smile, she spoke to those in attendance once again, "And now I ask my lovely Aunt Maggie Horton to help me with the countdown as we now have about 15 seconds left of 2011."

Maggie and Jen smiled at each other as they waited to start with 10. In unison, Maggie and Jen began to do the countdown. The audience joined in. "10… 9… 8… 7… 6…"

* * *

><p>The countdown continued in the Kiriakis cabin in their own time zone. "5… 4… 3… 2… 1…" The group immediately let out a "Happy New Year" before everyone either went for a kiss or a hug. Abigail turned to Josh and pulled him into a passionate kiss. She knew that he more than deserved it for being so patient with her on things. She hoped that he would be content with their superficial relationship for a while longer.<p>

Nathan and Melanie kissed each other and smiled as they thought about the fact that they were getting married this year. Sonny nervously smiled at Kai. He could not stop thinking about how much he wanted to make things up for Kai this year. He wanted them to grow stronger and support each other even more. He wanted to prove it to himself that he could do this – that he was a better man. Sonny wanted a clean slate for 2012 more than anything.

Ignazio stood back and tried to watch everyone interact. He looked over and noticed that Dario and Chelsea decided to give each other a hug - even if it was clearly awkward for them. He then looked over and Chad and Will. He wondered if they would do anything because even though they had held hands earlier, Ignazio had to admit that there could be doubt in that some male friends hold hands overseas.

Chad smiled at Will as they looked into each other's eyes for a moment before saying, "Here goes nothing." Chad pulled Will into an intense kiss that lasted for a while. Ignazio nodded his head knowing that there now was no room for any doubt in his mind. Chad rubbed Will's cheeks with both of his thumbs. "Happy New Year, Blue Eyes."

"Happy New Year!" Will softly replied to Chad with a huge grin on his face before pulling Chad into another kiss.

Chelsea and Dario watched as Melanie and Nathan began to interact with Eric. Chelsea leaned into Dario but kept her attention on Nathan and Melanie as she mentioned honestly, "When I found out that you used to date Melanie a part of me wanted to ask you for your help to break those two up, but the thought quickly left my mind because I am no longer that person. I have to just move on."

Dario looked Chelsea over and gave her an understanding look. "Moving on is the best thing you can do. Melanie and I are definitely ancient history now. It does get better."

"It appears you and I are in the same situation: in transition." Chelsea finally turned her attention away from Melanie and Nathan to look at Dario. "I think I might leave Salem again once my grandmother is fully healed."

Dario crossed his arms around his chest as he let what Chelsea told him sink in. "You don't have anything to keep you here?"

"I do," Chelsea shared, "but it seems that wherever I go, my life seems to always go into limbo."

Dario turned his head and saw Sonny and Kai holding onto each other. "I know what you mean."

Chad and Will did not want to let go of each other. They could hear each other's heart beating together. "I love you, Will."

"I love you, too, Chad," Will said.

Eric walked over and handed Chad and Will a glass of cider each. Giving Will a hug first, Eric shouted, "Happy 2012 to the both of you." After giving Chad a hug, Eric grabbed his glass of cider and smiled at Will. "I am so proud of you."

"Thanks Uncle Eric," Will smiled back. "It feels like things are finally going right. Things can only go up from here, right?"

Chad smiled and raised his glass. "To a better year for all of us," Chad toasted as they all raised their glasses before drinking the cider. They all smiled widely that they had survived another year. They hoped 2012 would be easier for all of them.


	42. Chapter 42 The Hierophant

**Chapter 42: The Hierophant - January, 1st, 2012**

Chad made his way out of the Dimera Mansion to walk over to his Aunt Maddalena's mansion. It was still very cold outside, so he wrapped his arms around his waist to keep warm. Walking onto the street in front of his father's house, Chad stopped when he spotted three tarot cards facing down on the ground. Snow surrounded the cards on the street, but no snow touched the cards. Picking the three tarot cards up without looking at them, he heard a sound up ahead.

Chad looked up and smiled when he saw Will in the distance. He immediately thought about their relationship. He finally felt like they were building a solid foundation in their relationship, which was important. Chad noticed Will heading into Maddalena's mansion causing a sudden fear to come over him. "Will, wait for me," Chad let out as he continued to - though now at a faster pace - head to his aunt's home.

As he got closer, Chad had to step back because he suddenly realized that his aunt's mansion looked different from it did before. Her mansion now looked more like a temple. Gold laced every corner and step, and tall white pillars surrounded the entrance. For a moment, Chad could only stand and stare in awe at the beautifully decorated exterior, but snapped out of it when Will disappeared into the entrance.

Chad finally made his way to the entrance of the temple and walked in. He could not believe how high the pillars towered over him. Once inside, he noticed a large crowd gathered in front of two pillars that stood in the middle of the temple. In the middle of the two pillars, he spotted Tony, who sat in an ordained throne, giving advice to people in different types of clothes. Some were in rags, while others were dressed in expensive and impressive robes. Tony, however, was dressed like a high priest. All came to him for advice and all bowed down before him.

Chad walked past the other people and asked, "Tony, what are you doing here?"

Tony turned his head to Chad but did not answer his question. Instead he asked as he raised his hands, "What are those cards in your hands?"

Chad had forgotten that he had picked up three tarot cards earlier. He turned them around so he could look at them. He found them interesting because they were the same as the ones that Celeste had, but there was one major difference in all three. In the first card, which was "the Fool" card, he saw himself standing in the place of the Fool. He then saw his mother and father in the other two cards standing in place of the Empress and the Emperor. Chad looked closely and noticed that his mother had a blue streak in her hair, but didn't understand why.

As he continued to look at the cards that contained his parents he remembered what they told him in his dream. He remembered his mom telling him to nurture his relationship with Will and then remembered Stefano asking him who was in charge of his life. Even with the sense that he felt he had a stronger foundation, fear came over Chad once again as he thought about how he still felt like he didn't have the answers on what exactly he needed to do. He looked around and realized that Tony was someone he could get advice from since everyone else came to do the same. "I feel so confused. I'm afraid that I don't have what it takes to keep things right with Will. I am afraid that I can't control my own life. What if I lose the family I have always wanted in the process of this? My father and I are so disconnected now, and I'm no longer working for the family. I want to work for the family. I don't want to lose what I have gained over the last year. I can't lose that and I can't allow these fears to continue to cripple what I have and want. How can I be free of all these fears that always seem to be around?"

Tony cleared his throat and began to speak. The crowd that once surrounded him had now disappeared leaving Chad and Tony alone. "Growing up, I had many fears. Having Stefano as a father and actually being raised by him put a lot of pressure on me. When it was revealed that he wasn't my biological father, a lot of things could have happened. Change only added more fears."

A bit annoyed that Tony was not answering his question directly, Chad asked another question to keep him on track, "Where are you going with this?"

Tony went on as if Chad never interrupted him. "When I saw the things my father and cousin were doing, I tried to stand in the way of the evil things they did. I didn't want to conform to their ideas and believed other ideas outweighed their idea of what life was about. In reality, I didn't know what would come. The uncertainty of change always brings more fears. Stefano sent me away and replaced me. Do I have regrets? No. Did I right at that moment? Yes. I had to do something with all the fear." Tony cleared his throat once again to signal that he was finally going to get to his point. "Chad, you either have to give up what you fear you will lose so that the fear doesn't have control of you, or consider what you will still have if your fears do come true."

Not liking the sound of his options, Chad replied, "I need clarification. I hope that I am misunderstanding because it seems like I will lose either way. I found out I'm a Dimera and loved finding that out. Even though I gave my father hell for a bit, I really did put my whole self into the family and their ideas. Am I not supposed to be here? Do I not fit?"

"It is important to belong to something, so do not feel as though you do not fit in with the family. There are traditions, beliefs, and ideas that will bind you together. If you lose what you have built, you will still retain the experience and knowledge from what you have worked hard on - on what you have built," Tony responded in a calm and clear voice.

"I don't want to lose Will or my family," Chad let out as many thoughts and feelings rushed over him. "I would rather have him and them than just the knowledge gained from my experience with Will and my family." Feeling a bit defeated, Chad looked down as he continued, "I feel so lost. I don't know who I am anymore. The only certainty I have in my life is that I want to be with Will, and I want to prove to my father that I am more than capable of beating all the odds that are against me." Chad took a deep breath as he thought more about what he wanted. "Not only do I want to prove it to my father, but I want to prove to the world that I am the same person even if I am in love with another man. I'm still me."

"Brother," Tony said gently trying to calm Chad. "You won't necessarily lose Will or your family as what you have built together can still exist even through separation. It's not just about you. It's about the world. Future generations can learn and live out what you have built."

Chad continued to look down as he thought about what Tony had just shared. At first, he didn't like the sound of what he had said, but even though he still felt somewhat confused, Chad suddenly felt the fear dissipate. Realization came over him as he knew what he needed to do to alleviate his fears concerning Will. At least he believed so. There was one fear he didn't consider until now and he needed to let it happen. Chad finally looked back up to Tony and thanked him. "I wish I got to know you before you died. EJ and Lexie have both shared great stories about you."

Tony smiled widely at Chad. "I am glad. I am here for you when you need to talk." Tony began to pat around his body as he remembered he had a tarot card for Chad. "It seems that I have misplaced the tarot card you require. It's not here."

"I can look for it," Chad decided. "Thanks again." Chad turned around and left the temple in search of the lost tarot card. Heading down the long stairs, Chad arrived again to the spot where he found the other three tarot cards that featured him and his parents. Once again, he found three more tarot cards with the first and second cards facing up and the third facing down. The first two were repeats of 'the Empress' and 'the Emperor' cards. Bending down to pick them up, Chad suddenly felt a rush come over him.

Waking up, Chad turned and remembered he was sharing a bed with Will at the Kiriakis cabin in Colorado. He maneuvered his head so he could look at the other bed in the room. He realized that T was sleeping alone in the other bed and wondered where Ignazio went off to. When Chad looked at the time, he became worried because it was 2:01am. Quietly getting out of bed, Chad left the bedroom in search for Ignazio.

Chad made his way to the main room, finding Ignazio on the couch. Chad whispered loud enough for Ignazio to hear him, "I thought Will's uncle was crashing on the couch. What are you doing out here?"

Ignazio looked up towards Chad to make sure he recognized Chad's voice correctly, but then back towards the fireplace. "Will's uncle decided to take the empty bed in Sonny and Kai's bedroom. Sonny insisted on it."

Chad took a seat next to Ignazio. "Are you okay?"

"I cannot sleep because I have a lot on my mind," Ignazio admitted freely, but that was all he wanted to.

Chad pulled his legs onto the couch and turned his body to rest his back on the side armrest so he could face Ignazio. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ignazio thought about Ric and what was coming. "I'd rather not because I still need to do more thinking," he answered. He knew he had to do whatever it took to protect his family even if it meant he would lose a friend.

Chad remained silent for a moment to allow Ignazio to continue to think. He really wanted to help Ignazio process whatever was on his mind and wished he could get Ignazio to talk about it. Chad decided to break the silence eventually by asking, "What about that friend you mentioned to me earlier? Is this about him?"

Ignazio sighed loudly to show Chad his questions annoyed him. "You should probably go to sleep," he let out hoping Chad would take the hint, but Chad didn't budge. Ignazio finally made eye contact with Chad. Even though he and Chad had gotten close recently, Ignazio reminded himself that Chad was only a job. Knowing that Chad was gay made that easier for him. Turning away with a disgusted look, Ignazio mumbled, "Please leave me alone now."

Chad felt rejected and wondered why Ignazio was now keeping him at a distance. He thought about his dream and his fear of losing his family. Was it coming true already with Ignazio? Trying to read the disgusted look on Ignazio's face, Chad wondered if Ignazio might be turned off by his relationship with Will. Maybe he read Ignazio wrong. "Sorry. I hope you know that I'm here for you if you need anything." Chad hoped his last words to Ignazio would ease the tension that now seemed to surround them.

Chad got up and headed back into the bedroom. Quietly getting back into bed, Chad gently wrapped his arms around Will so he could hold him. Placing his lips on the back of Will's head, Chad knew he needed to tell Will about Mia when they returned to Salem.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Melanie and Nathan decided to make biscuits and gravy for breakfast. As they waited for the biscuits to finish and the gravy to boil, Nathan decided to check his phone to see if he had any emails. Looking through his email account, Nathan saw he had a new email and opened it. "I got an email from the hospital."<p>

Melanie grabbed her phone and opened up her email app to see if the hospital emailed her as well. "I got one, too. Does it say the same thing?" Melanie moved her phone next to Nathan's so they could compare emails.

"Looks like mine is more detailed," Nathan shared noticing that his email appeared longer than the one Melanie received. Looking closer, Nathan pointed out, "Yours just says that there will be an emergency meeting. Mine actually says what it's about."

Melanie looked Nathan's email over. "It says that Lexie had to take a sudden leave of absence due to a family emergency. I wonder why they couldn't have just put that in my email as well."

Nathan let out a small smile as he commented, "It's probably because you nurses like to talk." Nathan pointed out that his email was sent to all the doctors, while Melanie's email went to all the nurses. After Melanie nudged Nathan in the gut, Nathan grunted. He realized he was now in a predicament. "Do you think I should tell Chad? The email does request that I talk to no one about this."

"Well, I know why we're having this emergency meeting and I don't think I'm supposed to know. It's up to you." Melanie decided to check on the biscuits and headed to the oven as she pledged, "I'll keep quiet now that I know the truth."

Chad, Will, and Ignazio walked into the kitchen together. Whatever tension surrounded Chad and Ignazio earlier had now dissipated. Ignazio was more friendly with Chad now, which made Chad feel better about things. "Something smells good in here!" Chad exclaimed forgetting all his troubles.

"What do you know the truth about?" Will asked Melanie.

Nathan and Melanie glanced at each other acknowledging the fact that Melanie could be the worst at keeping things to herself even if she did show improvement. Nathan stepped in, "The secret to my Grandma Maggie's famous biscuits and gravy."

"It sure smells good," Chad said again as Melanie turned off the stove so the gravy could cool off.

Ignazio walked closer to Melanie and Nathan so he could get a good look at them. "Will told me that you two are engaged." Nathan and Melanie smiled and shared that they were indeed engaged. Ignazio smiled back and shook their hands. "Not everyone is as lucky as you two."

Chad began to think about his dream as he went into a daze. He wondered if he should call Celeste because she asked him to let her know when he had another dream connected to the tarot cards. He then looked over at Will interacting with Ignazio, Melanie, and Nathan. He wondered what he would lose. Noting that Ignazio was carrying most of the conversation with the other three, Chad could tell that Ignazio had opened up for the most part again. He could not help but continue to struggle with the loss he feared was coming his way. After taking a deep breath, Chad grabbed Will's hand and asked, "So is breakfast almost ready?" In his mind, Chad continued to tell himself that things would work out in the end as Tony had encouraged him it would in his dream.

"In a minute. We have to let the biscuits cool down," Nathan answered Chad's question as Melanie pulled out the biscuits from the oven. He looked at Chad and noticed he seemed to be somewhere else. Nathan struggled with guilt for keeping Chad in the dark about the email he received. "Chad, could I talk to you alone for a moment?" Nathan's question silenced the room immediately for a second before the others responded by leaving the room.

After Chad and Nathan were alone, Chad moved closer to Nathan and carefully asked, "What do you need to talk to me about?"

Nathan still felt uneasy about his decision to tell Chad, but knew he would want to know if he were Chad. "It's about your family," Nathan shared causing Chad to fear the worst.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, Sami and EJ made their way down the stairs spotting Stefano and Kate standing in the foyer. "Theo is home now for the moment," EJ mentioned to his father.<p>

"I feel really bad for Lexie. Do you think she has the strength to be there for Theo with Abe missing?" Sami asked the group. Even though she and Lexie had their differences in the past, Sami and Lexie had come to a better understanding that they would have to be civil with each other. She did not enjoy seeing Lexie or Theo suffering this way.

"Celeste is with her," Stefano responded in trying to reassure everyone including himself that she and Theo would be fine.

"Celeste taking care of things?" Kate scoffed. "I am sure that Celeste is only making things worse for Lexie with all her messages on doom and gloom."

Not in the mood to dig on Celeste, EJ turned to Stefano, "Father, do you know anything about Abe?"

"Are you accusing me of something here, Elvis?" Stefano asked offended.

EJ tilted his head to the side as he tried to read his father's response to his simple question. "Father, I'm just asking you if you have any leads or new information on Abe's whereabouts."

"I have not," Stefano put simply trying to calm himself.

Sami tried to bite her tongue but could not help commenting on the way Stefano snapped at EJ. "Someone is struggling with a guilty conscience," she said with a little shake in her head with both hands on her hips.

Deciding to ignore Sami, Stefano took Kate's hand. "I have put security on everyone here as well," he informed them.

"Do you believe that Abe's attack and disappearance are connected to us?" EJ asked quickly wondering if he should raise his alertness on Sami and the kids.

"I honestly doubt it, but I would rather be cautious than just not doing anything at all," Stefano admitted.

With a concerned look on her face, Kate rubbed the lapel of Stefano's suit. "Do you think Abe is still alive?"

Stefano shook his head and looked down. "Abraham is gone for good. At this point, we are looking for his body."

Hearing his father's answer, EJ placed his left hand on the top of his head. "No one should have to go through this - especially Alexandra."

The doorbell interrupted the silence that followed EJ's comment. Opening the door, Stefano let Hope in. "Officer Brady, what can we do for you today? Have you any leads on my daughter's husband?"

"I'm currently working on them," Hope said with a forced smile. "I'm here to question you about your son-in-law's disappearance. I want to know more about how you knew what happened to Abe when the Salem PD made sure to keep all access to the case secure."

Stefano threw his hands at Hope. "Are you serious right now? Don't you have better things to do than to ask me how I know what's going on in my daughter's life? I don't have to answer your questions as there are more important things to do on this case. Where is your husband and his idiot brother? Are they working on finding Abe as well?"

"Of course they are interested in finding Abe, but they currently have their hands tied with another case," Hope answered.

"What kind of friends are they if they're focused on another case?" Stefano asked rhetorically obviously upset that the police did not have more man power on Lexie's case.

"You're wasting time here, Stefano," Hope countered. She knew it was a long shot with Stefano, but she knew she had to try the guilt card to get any info from him. "You can help us here, but instead you're not cooperating with our investigation. Your daughter and grandson are now without a loving husband and father."

Stefano rolled his eyes at Hope. "I did not do this to Alexandra or little Theodore," Stefano claimed.

Tired of the back and forth between Hope and Stefano, EJ stepped in. "Hope, why are you wasting your time here? You should be out there looking for any witnesses as to what happened that night with Abe. I'm sure Lexie is not the only one who saw what happened."

Hope took a step back, but did not let frustration show on her face. "Off the record, are you two doing anything to bring Abe back to Lexie and Theo?"

"Off the record?" Stefano asked to be sure. Hope nodded her head to show they had an agreement. "I have my men out there looking for him."

"This is why it's important that you cooperate with the Salem PD. We need to find Abe as soon as possible," Hope pleaded somewhat. Realizing she was not going to change their minds, Hope decided to leave. "I'll go, but all of you need to be on the look out and be careful out there. The streets are even worse now."

As Hope left, Kate patted Stefano's back. "I'll go check on the kids to make sure everything is okay upstairs."

Sami's cell phone began to ring from the other room. Sami excused herself and headed into the living room to answer. When she picked it up, Sami discovered that Azzura was on the other side. "Hey Azzura, how are you?"

With a pleasant tone, Azzura answered, "I am doing well, thanks. I know that it's a hard time for the family at the moment, but I wanted to talk to you about possibly having some time together as friends."

Sami looked out to the foyer and spotted EJ and Stefano heading to the back office to talk. "Of course. We will have to make plans soon, but as you mentioned things are hard right now to plan anything definite. Theo might have to come back over later."

"That poor little boy still doesn't know?" Azzura asked.

"No, I hope it doesn't get to the point where he has to know. I really hope this is all cleared up quickly and things can get back to normal for all of them," Sami shared. "I hope nothing else happens to the family."

Azzura softened her voice even more. "I hope Lexie can get through this no matter the outcome," she claimed.

In the back office, Stefano and EJ finally had a moment alone to talk about a few things that they had put off because of Abe's attack and disappearance. Thinking about Hope's visit, EJ gave his father an inquiring look. "I know that you had nothing to do with the attack on Abe, and I know that you have no idea where he is now. In that, I know you are innocent."

"Why do I have a feeling that there is a 'but' coming?" Stefano asked aloud before EJ could continue.

EJ knew he needed to tread carefully. "I keep thinking about what Lexie told us yesterday. She said the cops believe that Abe's attack and disappearance could be connected to some black market organization selling organs. I know what happened almost a year ago when Hope uncovered what was happening in the women's penitentiary. Are the recent missing people/bodies connected to you at all?"

Stefano remembered what happened with Warden Smith and Dr. Walters when the truth came out about his organ trafficking business. "I told you I was done with that after Hope uncovered what was happening. Why are you bringing this up?"

EJ sighed and became annoyed that his father didn't want to answer his question with a direct yes or no. "I am just making sure that this whole thing can't be connected to you. Hope came here for a reason and pretty much implied you are one of her leads. The cops have a lot on their hands, and with Abe missing, they are going to work even harder to find out who has been stealing bodies from crime scenes and the ambulance. I want a straight answer on whether you are connected to the bodies going missing."

"You shouldn't worry because I am not worried," Stefano answered firmly. "They won't be able to connect me to anything because I am not connected to anything here." Stefano paused before continuing, "Now. We should talk about something that is more important in this moment. We haven't had the chance to talk about my great-nephew, Ignazio. How was his tour of Dimera Enterprises?"

Even though EJ was not satisfied with his father's answer, he decided to go with the subject change. "I think it went well. I have to admit, I really do enjoy Ignazio as he reminds me of myself when I was younger," EJ shared. "Of course that doesn't mean I trust him wholeheartedly. I will be sure to keep my eyes open."

"I hope that Ignazio is like his father in some ways and not like his father in other ways," Stefano admitted.

Confused, EJ asked for clarification, "What do you mean?"

"Believe it or not, André had some good qualities. He was extremely intelligent and loyal for the most part, but…" Stefano paused as he thought about André. "… but his mental instability caused things to go wrong many times." Stefano crossed over to the mini bar to pour himself a drink. "I hope Ignazio is loyal to all family and that Maddalena doesn't drive him crazy in the end just as she did to his father."

EJ watched his father for a moment as he thought about the life André lived. "André lived a tormented life. I wouldn't really say the same about Ignazio. Maddalena seems to love and trust him and he appears to love and trust her in return. I know André was shunned from her house and that's what started everything."

"That is true, but sometimes things are passed down from generation to generation," Stefano said calmly deep in his thoughts. He thought about how EJ didn't really know everything about André. After a moment, Stefano turned and asked EJ, "Where is Ignazio anyway? I haven't seen him all weekend."

EJ wondered if Stefano's question was serious. He also noted that even though Stefano had poured himself a drink, Stefano had not bothered drinking it. "Father, don't you remember? He went with Chad and Will to Colorado for the new year. Chad and Will mentioned it when they left after the family meeting last Thursday."

Stefano remembered as soon as EJ jogged his memory. His focus immediately turned to Chad and how things played out during the family meeting. "Have you talked to your brother at all this weekend? Does he even know what is going on with the family?"

"No, I haven't talked to him and as far as I know he doesn't know," EJ answered shaking his head. Scratching his temple, EJ commented, "Chad is too far away to know what is happening. What would he do? He would definitely feel tormented. He comes back tomorrow evening anyways."

"Right," Stefano responded turning away from EJ to look down at the bar once again. He kept thinking about Chad. He hated that Chad seemed so distant and that there was nothing he could do about it. "We will have to do something with Chad. I'll think and get back to you about it. We'll also have to plan our next move concerning Ignazio." Stefano took a quick shot and put his glass down on the bar. He didn't like the current state of the family.

* * *

><p>From the kitchen door, Celeste watched as Lexie played with Theo on the floor in the living room. She knew Lexie was trying her best to distract herself and Theo from the current horror plaguing their family. Celeste worried about her daughter's health because she knew Lexie did not sleep well the night before. Lexie hadn't really slept or eaten much since the incident.<p>

"Mommy. Where is Daddy?" Theo asked as he continued to play with his toys on the floor. Lexie knew her mother was watching them from the kitchen door. She turned to look at Celeste as she didn't know how to answer Theo's question. Finally looking up to his mother, Theo immediately sensed that something was wrong. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Walking over to Lexie and Theo, Celeste decided she needed to step in. "Theo, everything is okay."

Lexie turned her head to Theo and pulled him into a hug knowing that she couldn't have him worried about anything. "I'm sorry I didn't answer your question right away. Your daddy can't come home now because he's busy. I promise that your father will be home soon." Lexie held onto Theo for a moment. Celeste believed that Lexie went too far by promising Theo that Abe would be home soon.

Lexie's cell phone began to ring. Lexie let go of Theo and began to get up as she hoped it was news on Abe. Unfortunately, when she picked up, she realized it wasn't news on Abe because Chad was on the other side. "Hey, Chad," she said first trying to calm her nerves so she could have a normal conversation with her youngest brother. "I thought you were in Colorado for the weekend. Why are you calling me? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Chad replied. "I'm calling because I heard that something happened and that a family emergency came up for you. Is everything okay? I haven't talked to EJ or dad in the last few days."

Lexie put her head down as she scratched the top of her head to think for a moment. She wondered how Chad heard anything if not from their father or EJ. She decided quickly that she couldn't tell Chad what happened because she didn't want to burden him with the bad news while he was away. "Things are okay here. I'll just see you when you get back from your trip. We'll have to catch up." Before Chad could counter with how he heard about her situation, Lexie continued, "Thanks for checking in with me. I am in the middle of something with your nephew, so just come see me when you get back. We both miss you very much."

Feeling as though he didn't have a choice, Chad agreed. "Will do. If you need anything let me know. I love you, sis."

"I love you, too, little brother." Lexie half smiled and hung up the phone. She felt guilty for lying to Chad and lying to others. It bothered her that she had to keep Abe's disappearance from Abe's family. Tears began to form in her eyes due to Lexie feeling overwhelmed by everything.

Keeping an eye out for Theo to make sure he did not hear her, Celeste went over to Lexie and quietly commented, "Maybe it was premature for Theo to come home."

Lexie responded at the same volume level. "Theo needs to be home, so he doesn't suspect anything."

Celeste turned her eyes away from Theo as she countered, "I think it would be best if Theo stayed the night somewhere again."

Having overheard his grandmother, Theo got up and ran over. "I want to stay the night at nonno's house again!"

A little annoyed with her mother, Lexie knelt down at Theo's level. "I'll think about it." After hearing a knock at the door, Lexie stood up straight and questioned if maybe Bo or Hope had an update. She was ready for this nightmare to be over.

"I'll answer the door," Celeste volunteered so Lexie could stay by Theo's side. Once Celeste opened the door, Marco walked in. "Marco, did Stefano send you to set us all straight on security again?"

Lexie was happy to see Marco as she wanted to talk to him. "Mom, can you take Theo into the kitchen for a snack. I'd like to talk to Marco alone." Celeste agreed, grabbed Theo's hand, and led him into the kitchen. After the coast was clear, Lexie calmly told Marco, "Please tell my father that I appreciate him looking after me and my family, but it's too much."

"Mrs. Carver, Stefano wants to make sure all of you are safe…"

"I know," Lexie interrupted Marco. "If you're going to be watching after us then I need to set some ground rules. I don't want to be followed around every where I go. I do not enjoy the feeling of having an extra shadow following me everywhere I go. I need my space and privacy, and I don't want you to keep tabs on me."

"With all due respect, Mrs. Carver, I cannot grant that to you. Your father will not allow me to back off and let you disappear," Marco informed Lexie.

"I am not debating this with you, Marco. I know you work for my father. That's why I am telling you to tell this all to my father, so it's out of your hands. This is my decision, and I need him to see that he needs to respect my decision. If he does not respect my decision, I will not accept his help! I'll tell you all to leave my property or I'll call the cops!"

"Mrs. Carver, it would be best if you just accepted our protection for your safety," Marco pleaded with her. He really didn't want to go back to Stefano with all of this if he didn't have to.

Lexie gave Marco a look of impatience. "It's Dr. Carver first off. Second, I don't even care if you call me Mrs. or Dr. Carver, I am just annoyed with everything that is going on, so back to what I really want to know. What is my father up to? Is there something I don't know? Is my father keeping me in the dark about something?"

Figuring that Lexie was implying that Stefano had something to do with Abe's attack, Marco immediately started defending Stefano. "Dr. Carver, your father had nothing to do with what happened to Abe. No connection whatsoever."

"While I appreciate you calling me doctor, I wish I could take you at your word. You work for my father and will say whatever he commands you to say." Lexie crossed her arms ready for this conversation to end. "Marco, please do me this favor and report this back to my father, so I can claim some control of my life back. I don't need my father hovering over me so he can dictate my every move as he pleases."

Marco sighed knowing Lexie had no plans to back down. "Don't go anywhere for the time being, so I can talk to your father first." Marco turned around and walked out the front door.

Lexie sighed as she let out a quiet, "Thank you." Lexie looked around the room realizing she was alone. She glanced at the door that led to the kitchen and suddenly craved solitude. Maybe her mother was right in that Theo came home too early. She wasn't in a place where she could control her emotions in front of him. She couldn't afford Theo knowing that something was indeed wrong.

* * *

><p>At the Federico Fellini Airport in Rimini, Italy, Jack and Tony took a seat at their gate after checking in to their flight. Tony put his things down in his lap making sure he had everything in order. Jack rubbed his hands together and took a deep breath. Turning to Tony, he asked with pep in his tone, "When do we arrive in good old Salem?"<p>

"We will be in Salem by evening," Tony answered.

Jack continued to rub and twist his hands together. Nerves came over his whole body as he thought about the fact that in less than twenty hours he would be back in Salem in front of his family. He began to ponder the possibilities of what might happen when Jennifer, Abigail, and JJ saw him.

The first scenario made Jack smile. He imagined all three of them coming over with joy and shock to see him again. First he gave Abigail and JJ a long hug as he apologized to them and exclaimed how much he missed them. Of course Jennifer watched with a warm smile as she waited for her turn patiently. After hugging his children, Jack went over and held Jennifer close as they began to kiss.

Jack's pessimistic mind did not allow Jack to continue with the optimism of his first fantasy. Soon the second scenario began to play in his mind. Jack found Jennifer with the kids at the Brady Pub. Jack let out a 'surprise' causing his family to turn around and spot him. Instead of making a grand gesture of his return to them, all three of them turned around and began to talk about the crazy man they didn't recognize while pointing out that Jack clearly wanted some kind of attention from anyone who would give it to him. Jack tried to remind them who he was, but all three of them still had no idea who he was.

Deciding he needed to distract himself from his thoughts, Jack turned back to Tony, who was now reading a paper. "So what are you going to do once you're in Salem?"

Tony folded the paper in his hands as he glanced over to Jack. He knew it would be an interesting trip back to Salem with Jack by his side, but Tony had hoped Jack would stick to his own business for the most part. "We will talk about that later." Tony thought about his business in Salem and how it was all a secret. He had finally fully recovered from his injuries years ago and could now do what he needed to do. Looking Jack over, Tony knew he would have to cover all his bases with the man before anyone saw them in Salem. "Just relax. Enjoy the scenery. I know it's different from that room you've been in for so long."

Jack sat back for a moment as Tony unfolded the paper once again so he could continue reading. Jack glanced around the airport almost spotting a man who worked in the castle where Jack and Tony had been held. The man called Colin and informed him that Jack was now headed back to Salem with Mr. Dimera.

Tony turned his head and glanced at the man on the phone. Tony shook his head as he knew that the man had followed them there. Tony was fully aware of why the man had followed them to the airport. He glanced over at Jack, who still seemed clueless.

* * *

><p>Maggie and Victor enjoyed each other's company at the Kiriakis Mansion as they talked about things they wanted to accomplish in the new year. "I am hoping I'll be able to take more time off from Chez Rouge and other things, so I can travel a bit more and visit family around the world. I know it's always hard for them to come back to Salem, so I might just go and visit them instead."<p>

"That sounds lovely, Maggie. I would also like to travel a lot more, so if you need company on your trips, I'd be more than willing to join you." Victor smiled hoping Maggie would take him up on his offer.

Maggie blushed. "Well, that would be a lot of fun, but it could get quite costly."

"I think you're forgetting who you're talking to," Victor reminded Maggie.

"It's impossible to forget, Victor Kiriakis," Maggie flirted back. She paused for a moment before continuing, "It won't be for a while of course because I want to make sure I am here when Nathan and Melanie get married." Maggie noticed Victor had a look on his face when she changed the subject. "Does that bother you that Melanie is getting remarried to my grandson?"

Victor shook his head. "Nathan is a good guy. I think it's great the Melanie has found happiness with him. Even though I did enjoy her as a daughter-in-law, it was my son Philip who ruined everything. I'm happy for Melanie."

"Well, I wanted to make sure because you had this disappointed look on your face when I mentioned Nathan and Melanie's upcoming wedding," Maggie shared still uncertain on if she believed Victor.

"Did I? Well, if I looked disappointed it was probably because we stopped talking about us," Victor said smoothly with a wink.

Maggie blushed again. "Oh, Victor. You're a mess sometimes," she said with a small chuckle. "We can talk more about that later." Maggie looked down and remembered seeing Victor with Stefano the night before. Maggie was always a curious person and she couldn't help mentioning what she saw last night. "I noticed last night that you had a moment with Stefano? What was that about?"

"We talked about the situation with Lexie and Abe. I wanted to see if he was doing anything to help bring Abe back. Honestly, I don't trust him. Something is definitely up with that whole situation – seems like an inside job to me," Victor informed Maggie.

Maggie thought the whole situation was sad. "I can't imagine what Lexie is going through. I really do hope they find Abe alive." Maggie thought about Victor's suspicions and decided to question them. "I know Stefano is an evil man, but do you really think he would hurt his own daughter like that?"

"You never know what an evil man will do for family," Victor cautioned Maggie.

Maggie turned her head. "What do you mean by that?"

Before Victor could say anything else, the doorbell rang. Soon after, Henderson walked in with Bo and Roman. Victor stood up looking them both over. "Seeing you two here together makes me think this isn't a friendly visit. What can I do for you two?"

Roman pulled out a paper from his coat pocket and pulled it up so it was visible to Victor. "We have a warrant to take you into custody," Roman informed him.

Maggie immediately stood up as Victor asked, "What's this about?"

Bo stepped up so he could calmly deal with his father. "We're taking you in because we believe you may be connected to the disappearance of Kinsey."

Maggie felt the need to stand up for Victor. "You have no reason to question Victor about Kinsey. He had nothing to do with that."

"We wouldn't be here unless we had something that connected Victor to Kinsey," Roman shared before saying, "Maggie, please step back so we can do our job."

Victor turned to Maggie with an assuring look. "Everything will be okay." Turning back to Bo and Roman he placed his hand on Bo's back. "I'll come down to the station voluntarily so I can clear things up." As Bo and Roman led Victor out of the mansion, Maggie quickly grabbed her purse and pulled out her phone to make some calls.

* * *

><p>Ric paced around in his room at Maddalena's mansion while on the phone with someone. "I've been put in a corner, but I think things will work out. I will have to take the chance, trust my boss, and do what he wants me to do." Ric listened as the other person spoke to him on the phone. "Well, there is one thing I need you to do if you can. I need help in getting the police to focus on something else so they will stop their search."<p>

Azzura walked into Ric's room causing Ric to quickly end the conversation on the phone. "Did you finally get in contact with Ignazio?" she asked noting that his phone was to his ear.

"I was just leaving another voicemail," Ric claimed hoping Azzura would believe his latest lie.

Azzura quickly got in Ric's face. "You are an idiot. Why would you leave a voicemail on Ignazio's phone?" Azzura wanted to slap Ric again, but refrained. She couldn't believe the mistakes Ric was making as of late. He was usually one of their best men. "You need to be careful about leaving messages," she reminded him.

To appease Azzura, Ric told her, "I have the body secure and ready. This will be over soon enough."

Azzura calmed down hoping it would all be over soon. She wished she could just take care of it now, but knew that she should allow Ignazio the opportunity to take care of his mess since he was Maddalena's grandson. "Hold tight. I'm giving Ignazio one more day to decide what he's going to do." Ric nodded his head in agreement. "Just make sure you don't leave another voicemail." Azzura shook her head at Ric and walked out of his room. Heading down the stairs, she found Maddalena talking to Colin.

"Have you started the different tests on the new solution?" Maddalena asked Colin.

Colin spotted Azzura joining them, but kept his attention on Maddalena. "I am headed down now to look over to start some tests and look over information from others," he answered her question.

Spotting Azzura as well, Maddalena put her hand on Colin's shoulder to push him to go ahead. "I'll be down there later." After Colin headed down to the basement, Maddalena greeted Azzura with a warm smile. "You have anything to report?"

"Stefano has beefed up security apparently. I believe he has men following all of us around. I recommend that we warn Colin to be more careful when coming over," Azzura answered.

Maddalena thought about Azzura's recommendation and the fact that Stefano was having them followed. "Maybe I should set it up with the hospital so that Colin makes house calls for my appointments. We could use that excuse for him coming to the house since my brother already knows that Colin is my doctor."

"I could help set that up for you," Azzura offered.

"I don't know. I need Colin to come over more than a doctor would," Maddalena thought aloud. "We just need to make sure Colin comes over unnoticed and undetected so that my brother and his men never know he's here."

"I'll see what I can do with the hospital and make sure to tighten security around the house," Azzura said to reaffirm she knew what she needed to do for Maddalena. "Signora, there is something I have been meaning to bring up with you since yesterday." Maddalena looked at the time before signaling Azzura to go ahead. "Yesterday, your niece mentioned that the cops believed that Abe's disappearance was connected to some organ trafficking. What do you think that's about?"

Maddalena placed her fingers near her mouth as she thought about it. "I have been thinking about the same thing. We need to find out more on what the cops have on this organ trafficking scheme and why they think Abe's attack and disappearance is connected to it. I want to make sure we cover all of our bases, so they have no idea what we have going on in the basement. We can't be exposed now. The family is not at its appropriate place yet."

"I will check in on that as well for you, Maddalena," Azzura replied as she continued to wonder about the cops' investigation. Changing the subject somewhat, she followed up with another question, "Do you feel the family is becoming closer like you wanted?"

Maddalena thought a moment before answering, "It's taking longer than I expected, but I believe we will be where we need to be soon enough." Maddalena got an idea on how to speed up the process. "I think I should pay Lexie a visit."

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Azzura asked ready for Maddalena to agree.

"I want you to do what you need to do. I can go alone." Maddalena grabbed her purse on the table as Azzura helped Maddalena put her coat on. "Please tell Colin I went out and will be back to talk to him later in the basement." Azzura nodded her head as she called the driver to take Maddalena out to Lexie's house.

* * *

><p>At the Kiriakis cabin, Will sat down with his Uncle Eric to catch up. It had been a while since they last talked. "So did you really know about me being gay before your arrival last night?"<p>

Eric smiled as he slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, I wondered a bit and there was a conversation I had with your grandmother on the phone one time that seemed to confirm it for me. She didn't tell me directly, but she seemed to change the topic when I asked if you were dating anyone."

Will suddenly became worried and embarrassed. "You wondered before? What tipped you off? I mean besides the conversation with Grandma Marlena?"

Eric could tell his nephew was on edge. "I thought you were in a good place about all of this. I support you and don't see you any differently," Eric shared as he squeezed Will's shoulder.

Will stopped worrying realizing that he was overreacting. "You're right. I want people to know who I am." As he grabbed the back of his neck, Will took a deep breath before asking, "So who knows and who doesn't know about me?"

"Well your grandma knows of course. Your Aunt Carrie knows as well," Eric answered first. "Those who don't know is probably the longer list. My dad doesn't know. Belle and Shawn D. don't know. Your Uncle Austin, and oh… John doesn't know. I'm not sure about your Aunt Billie or Uncle Philip though. Your Uncle Rex and Aunt Cassie definitely don't know since they stay away from your Grandma Kate and anyone else connected to her. I barely talk to them. I do know they're in Chicago."

Hearing his uncle list off most of his family members made Will realize how many people he would have to tell his sexual preference to. He didn't even list them all. It was a bit overwhelming, but he knew it would be all fine in the end because he already had support from his family and friends here. "I guess I can send out some kind of come out letter since I'm not sure when I'll see everyone again."

"I'm sure you'll find a good way to tell everyone," Eric said hoping to encourage Will. "I have to say that I'm proud of you for becoming a man and being true to yourself. It takes courage these days to love who you love."

"Thanks, Uncle Eric," Will responded. He was happy to have his uncle there to talk to. "So what's been going on with you? How is life here in Colorado?"

"It's going okay. Work has been kind of slow, so I've been looking for business outside of Colorado actually. Your mom told you about my photography business, right?" Eric pulled out his wallet to show Will his business card.

Will looked the business card over. "Yeah, I think we actually talked about that when you came down for mom and EJ's wedding. Are you thinking about moving out of Colorado?"

Eric scratched his chin while answering, "Well, you know when your great-grandparents passed away, they left their estate in my name. It's all very nice, but I'm not sure I want to continue to live there by myself for the rest of my life. I'm tempted to put the estate up for sale, but then I think about how they worked so hard to build it."

"What does Grandma Marlena think about it?" Will asked.

"I talked to mom about it and she shared that if I decide I want to leave, she and John will move in and take over. I guess they're interested in moving to Colorado so they can be closer to the family," Eric informed Will.

Will got excited. "That would be great! I really do miss them. Where would you move if they took over the estate?"

"Not sure. I guess I'll have to look more into that." Eric decided to change the subject as he felt there was nothing more to say about that. "So back to your mom and EJ. How are they doing?" Eric felt bad for having to go to his nephew about his twin sister's life. He and Sami weren't as close as they used to be.

"Well, things are going better than expected," Will said with a laugh.

Eric laughed as well. "Let's just hope Sami sticks with something and continues to be happy," he joked as well before getting serious. "You know, I'd like to get to know EJ better. I hate that I don't know my twin sister's husband that much. I knew Lucas and Brandon pretty well, but all I know about EJ is what others have told me. He seemed like a nice guy when I came down for the wedding."

"You need to visit Salem more then," Will suggested.

"I'll definitely take you up on that," Eric said with a smile. "I need to spend more time with my awesome nephew … Johnny." Eric laughed and winked at Will. "You're an awesome nephew, too," he added as he messed with Will's hair.

Nathan, Josh, T, Abigail, Melanie, Chelsea, Sonny and Kai walked into the room as they were about to head out to go skiing. Nathan walked over to Chad, Ignazio, and Dario, who were sitting at the table playing a card game. "Are you guys sure you don't want to go?"

"I think we're just going to stick around. You all have fun," Chad answered. Dario and Ignazio said the same.

Sonny walked over to Eric and Will and asked them the same question. Both answered they were going to stay as well. Sonny glanced over to Dario realizing it was best that Dario wasn't joining them. Even though he wished the others would come, he thought it was good Dario wouldn't be alone.

"Well, I guess we should head out then," Melanie said so everyone would walk out of the cabin. She wanted to make sure they capitalized on their time.

As everyone who was going skiing headed out, T made sure to stop and tell Will, "Hey, I'd like to talk to you later if that's okay."

Chad happened to spot T talking to Will and tried his best not to let it get to him. He noticed Will agreed to talk to T later. Chad turned away and began to think about his dream earlier and what Tony told him. His fears were definitely still getting to him. He really wanted to get over them, but wondered what or who he would lose in the process. He also remembered Abigail talking about the possibility of Will having another soul mate. Will and T grew up together and had all this history between them. T was a possibility in Chad's mind even if he showed no signs of being gay.

"So what did your sister say when you called?" Ignazio asked causing Chad to look up with a questioning and confused look. Chad didn't respond. "Did Lexie tell you anything when you called her?" Ignazio repeated the question in a different way.

"She told me everything was fine, but I'm still worried about her," Chad answered after he cleared his head from his thoughts about Will and T.

Ignazio thought about his grandmother's plans for Lexie. He wondered if Maddalena already did something to separate Lexie from Abe. As he thought about that he realized how out of the loop he was on the plans his grandmother and Azzura had in place for the others he was told not to worry about. He also realized he was having a good time with Chad and Chad's friends and that bothered him somewhat. Ignazio told himself to focus on what he needed to do to make sure he didn't get too attached.

Dario began to think about his mother. "I'm really worried about my mom. I've talked to her on the phone, too, but I can't help but feel somewhat guilty for leaving her to be here."

"I lost my mother at a young age," Ignazio told Dario. "If you ever need to talk I'm here for you." Ignazio felt as though Dario could be the exception. Even though Dario was Chad and Will's friend, it appeared as though they weren't as close.

"Thanks Ignazio," Dario said. He found it interesting how he had no idea who Ignazio was before this trip and now they seemed so close.

Chad smiled as he thought Dario and Ignazio's new friendship seemed to happen fast too. It felt great that Ignazio was quickly becoming one of the guys in his group of friends. Chad's phone suddenly went off. Chad looked at his phone and saw he got a text from Mia. "I'll be back. I need to make a call." Chad got up and walked up the stairs to call Mia. Dario and Ignazio both wondered if the text had anything to do with Lexie.

Once he was in his room and knew the coast was clear, Chad dialed Mia's number. When she picked up, he spoke, "I got your text. Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to you, too, Tiger," Mia said with a flirtatious tone.

Hearing Mia say the word 'tiger' reminded Chad that Will called him that the first time they made love. The fact that Mia said it caused him to remember the decision he made after his dream about Tony. "I'm glad you texted me. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Oh?" Mia said. Her tone made Chad believe she was excited he wanted to talk to her about something. "It can't wait until you get back? Not that I don't mind that you called me ... I'... rather ... you ..."

Chad removed his phone from his ear to look at it because Mia was starting to cut out. Placing his phone back to his face, he asked, "Can you hear me? You're cutting out." Mia's voice kept coming in and out as she responded to his question. "Where are you?"

"Walki...'round. I'll ...'ext y' ...'ter." was all Chad got from Mia before the call ended. Chad looked over his phone realizing he would have to tell Mia his decision later. He hated that he was keeping her presence in Salem a secret from Will. Chad took a deep breath and told himself that everything would work out.

* * *

><p>Celeste walked in from the kitchen as she heard a knock on the door. Letting Hope in, she informed her after their greetings, "Alexandra is lying down in her room. I actually just got back from dropping Theo off at the Dimera Mansion for the night."<p>

"Does Lexie trust having Theo there?" Hope asked concerned and curious.

"I think it's safe to say that Alexandra trusts Elvis. I'm not so sure about her father, Stefano," Celeste clarified. She had picked up on that when Stefano was over the day before.

Hope walked over to the couch and turned around to ask Celeste more questions. "I came over because I wanted to check in with Lexie, but since I have a moment alone with you, there are a few questions I would like to ask." Celeste nodded her head prompting Hope to start asking her questions. "What do you think about all of this? Do you think Stefano did this?"

"Honestly, I am not sure what happened, but it did seem like Stefano's style in some ways while in other ways it did not," Celeste answered as she motioned for Hope to take a seat.

Taking a seat with Celeste on the couch, Hope asked for more clarification. "What do you mean?"

Celeste adjusted so she could sit more comfortably. "Yes, Stefano would hire men to do his dirty work so that there could be less of a connection to him being responsible, but when I heard that the men who attacked Abraham shot at my Alexandra as well, I strongly believe Stefano would have never allowed that to happen. He would have left clear instructions that our daughter not be harmed or put in danger."

Hope wondered how much she believed that. She decided to hold onto that bit of information just in case it came in handy. "Can you think of a motive on why Stefano would do this to Abe if he is the one responsible?"

"I can't think of a legitimate motive. Of course Stefano and Abe only got along for Alexandra's sake, but I don't think there was any danger or threats there," Celeste answered. "It just would not make sense. Why would Stefano eliminate Abraham now? They were civil with each other. Everything in the family was going well."

Hope decided she got what she needed for now. "Thanks for answering my questions. I'll go ahead and let you get back to Lexie. Please tell Lexie to call me if she needs anything. I need to head out as I am going to interview some of the people who worked with Abe." Hope stood up from the couch so she could leave.

Celeste stood up as well as she remembered she needed to ask Hope something. "Alexandra has continued to ask about calling Abraham's family to let them know what is going on even though we talked about this yesterday on the phone. What should I tell her?"

Hope remained silent for a moment so she could think of the best course of action. "Tell Lexie that we should hold off on telling them what has happened because we need to see what the reality of this situation is. The less people who know, the better. We also have to hope for the best."

Celeste nodded her head and agreed. Walking Hope to the door, Celeste thanked her for stopping by. When Hope opened the door, Maddalena appeared on the other side. "Maddalena, what are you doing here?" Celeste questioned not pleased to see her. She then realized Hope had no idea who Maddalena was. "Hope, this is Stefano's sister, Maddalena. She recently migrated here from Italy."

Hope shook Maddalena's hand curious at the fact that she was Stefano's sister. She looked at Maddalena and had a feeling of familiarity rush over her, but didn't know why. "I should head out," Hope let out deciding she would have to find out more about Maddalena later.

After Hope was gone, Maddalena showed Celeste she had a brown bag in her hand. "I brought Lexie some soup."

"Is it poisoned?" Celeste asked up front. She was clearly still bothered by Maddalena's presence.

Maddalena scoffed at Celeste's suggestion. "Why would you say that?" Maddalena didn't bother waiting for Celeste to answer and headed up the stairs to find Lexie personally. "Is she in her bedroom?"

"Where do you think you're going? Lexie is asleep!" Celeste was clearly annoyed and followed Maddalena up the stairs. She continued to tell Maddalena to leave Lexie alone until they reached Lexie's bedroom. When they walked inside both realized Lexie was not there.

Maddalena turned to Celeste. "Where is your daughter?"

"I don't know." Celeste answered quietly to herself.

* * *

><p>Back at the cabin, Chad and Will cuddled on a couch by the fireplace. They were alone. Will maneuvered his body so that the back of Chad's head rested on his chest. Running his fingers through Chad's hair, Will was on a high from his conversation with his uncle earlier. "I'm so glad that we could have some time alone."<p>

Chad smiled as he really wanted to believe he and Will were in a really good place. His thoughts kept wandering to the warnings and cautions he received from Abigail, Tony, and Mia. He remembered Mia bringing up the fact that he and Will could never share a child biologically. Because Will continued to massage his head, Chad was able to look past the negative thoughts and ask, "Do you think that we're finally finding our way in this relationship?" Chad was curious about what Will thought about everything.

Will smiled as his right hand moved down to play with Chad's bottom lip. "Yeah. I think things are finally coming together."

"What are you doing?" Chad asked moving his head so Will would stop playing with his lip. Chad turned around so he could face Will and gave Will a questioning smile.

"Thanks for ruining my fun," Will playfully whined. "Just when I thought we were coming together as a couple." Will noticed Chad seemed disappointed. Will pulled Chad close enough so that their lips almost touched. "I was joking. Sure there are a few kinks we need to work out, but I think we're on our way to better days."

Chad could feel every word Will spoke on his lips. He gazed into Will's eyes and couldn't hold back anymore. "I want to taste your lips so much right now." Chad pulled Will into a kiss by pulling Will on top of him. After a short time, Chad stopped the kiss. "Are things going to change back when we go back to Salem?"

Will got off of Chad and sat up on the couch. Pulling up Chad so he could do the same, Will responded, "I don't want it to." He grabbed the back of his neck as he thought of the possibility that going home might put them right back in the closet. "I talked to my uncle before he left about coming out completely - at least with all of my family."

Chad thought about doing the same thing. He had to take a deep breath as he found the thought terrifying. "I know I need to be where you are at some point soon, but the truth is I'm not. There's still so much that I need to do before I am completely there."

Will tried to hide his disappointment in hearing Chad say he wasn't ready to be completely out. He struggled with not taking it personal. "Most of your family already knows now. All of your friends know." Will stopped himself as he realized he didn't want to attack Chad for being honest with him. Even if he didn't understand why Chad seemed so adamant in keeping something that wasn't much of a secret a secret, Will decided he needed to be more supportive of Chad. "So what does that mean? Do you want us to regress when we go home?"

"No … no." Chad responded. "I still think we should be cautious, but I think we can be more open about our relationship."

Chad planned on saying more to explain his response, but Will cut in. "I'm happy to hear that." Will gave Chad a small peck on the lips.

Chad had planned on explaining that he still needed time to show his family that he was still the same guy even if he was involved with Will, but he decided not to push the subject since Will seemed pleased. "Yeah. I'm glad we can agree on that."

Will smiled and moved closer to Chad. He placed his legs on Chad's lap and began to play with Chad's hair once again. "I have to say that I'm so glad that we can talk about these things now. Christmas was horrible, but now we are able to communicate with each other in a more effective way. Crazy what a difference a week makes!"

"New Year's is definitely our better holiday," Chad shared with a smile before adding, "Maybe Valentine's Day will be even greater!" Chad grabbed Will's hand and kissed it. Returning their conversation to what happened on Christmas, Chad gave Will a sad look. "I'm so sorry for the way I cut you out of my life. There's something…"

Once again Will interrupted Chad. "Chad, I didn't bring up Christmas for another apology. You already apologized and you're clearly opening up with me more. I just hope I am doing the same with you." Will suddenly got nervous as he had things he wanted to talk to Chad about.

Chad looked into Will's eyes and stroked Will's cheek. "You are."

Ignazio walked into the room and spotted how close Chad and Will were. Knowing he couldn't let them know their relationship made him feel uncomfortable, Ignazio walked over with a smile. "Am I interrupting?"

Chad and Will separated when they heard Ignazio's voice. Will shook his head as Chad responded, "No, you're fine. Where's Dario?"

"Dario is in his room. He decided to call and check in with his family." Ignazio walked over and took a seat on the couch. "Will, where's your uncle?"

"Eric headed home. He had some things to take care of," Will shared. "I wish he could have stayed longer."

Ignazio moved a little closer to Chad and Will. "It's always good to spend time with family as family is important." Looking directly to Chad, he continued, "We should always be close because blood is always thicker."

Chad put his arm around Will. "Will is pretty much family now."

"You're definitely Italian," Ignazio said with a laugh. "You are definitely a romantic. I hope Will always makes you happy." Thoughts of Chad and Will always being together caused Ignazio to grow sick. He then thought about Ric.

Will noticed Ignazio had a look of worry on his face. "Are you okay?"

Ignazio kept quiet as he didn't know what to say. "Yeah, I think I might just need to get some fresh air." Ignazio got up, clearly shutting down on Chad and Will, and left the cabin to go outside.

Chad and Will traded glances about how Ignazio left so abruptly. "I'm a bit worried about Ignazio because I can tell he's hiding something. I thought it had to do with us, but now I think it's something else because Ignazio seems more than okay with our relationship."

"What do you think it could be?" Will asked.

Chad shrugged his shoulders as he scratched the back of his head. "I don't know. I wish Ignazio would just confide in me."

"I'm sure Ignazio will come around," Will told Chad as he rubbed Chad's back.

"Yeah." Chad thought about the friend Ignazio mentioned before. He wondered if it was possible that Ignazio was in the same boat with his friend as Chad and Will were in over the summer.


	43. Chapter 43 Hide

**Chapter 43: Hide - Sunday, January 1st, 2012**

At the ski lodge, everyone who went skiing gathered around to turn in their equipment. After Josh and T turned in their equipment, they moved over to the side to talk about how much fun they had. "I'm so glad we decided to do the hardest slope here. That was exhilarating," T shared. "I really needed that."

Josh smiled and agreed. "Yeah. That was crazy man." Josh turned when he noticed Abigail had turned in her equipment. As she made her way over to them, he smiled as he shared, "You really missed out Abby. You should have joined T and me. We had so much fun!"

Abigail walked over to the guys to respond. "I'm okay with the fact that I didn't join you. I was in great company anyway. Probably the best actually." Abigail glanced over at the others and smiled. In all honesty, she didn't know why she told Josh that, but she wanted to make sure he knew they didn't have to be attached at the hip, and that she was more than capable of being happy without him.

Josh became annoyed with Abigail's response. He wondered why she would even say that, but then thought maybe she said it to keep him at a distance as it was her MO to do that a lot more. He wondered if she would always try to do that as long as they were together.

Chelsea, who was the last person to turn in her equipment, got everyone else's attention. "Can we rest a bit here before heading back to the cabin? I'm in the mood for a snack." Everyone else looked at each other and agreed. Chelsea smiled at Abigail, but then noticed Josh and T grabbing their own small table separate from the group. "What's that about?" she asked Abigail.

Abigail noticed as well. "I think Josh is upset with me," she hypothesized to Chelsea even though she already knew she was right. Abigail thought about her conversation with Chad and wondered if she would always feel this way about relationships. Deciding not to focus too much attention on it, she took Chelsea's arm, so they could sit with the others. She didn't want anyone to know that Josh's decision to be distant bothered her.

Nathan and Melanie found a bigger table for the rest of them to sit. After they took a seat, Kai noticed the same thing with Josh and T. "Why are T and Josh sitting alone?" Abigail shrugged it off continuing to pretend it wasn't a big deal to her.

Everyone else's attention continued to focus on T and Josh. Sonny turned toward the group as he thought about T. "I hope T is having a good time even though Gabi couldn't be here." Sonny figured the reason Gabi didn't come was because of how much she hated him.

Kai immediately turned to Sonny surprised and confused by the mention of Gabi. "Why would the bitch's absence affect whether T is having a good time or not?"

Melanie and Abigail became offended with Kai calling Gabi a bitch. "What? Why would you say something like that?" Melanie asked.

"The 'bitch' you're referring to is one of our best friends, and she's T's girlfriend," Abigail said deciding to answer Kai's idiotic question. For the most part, she liked Kai as Sonny's boyfriend, but with the sudden attack on Gabi, he definitely lost a few points in her book.

Kai immediately felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry for offending you." He couldn't believe he was apologizing for calling Gabi a bitch, so he decided to make things clear as to why he did so. "Gabi has been nothing but nasty to Sonny for no-good reason. That's been my only interaction with her, so I just assumed..."

Sonny thought about his history with Gabi and the things that happened between them. He thought about his complicated relationship with Dario and his using Manny to escape that. He also thought about how Gabi found him making out with Will on the pier. Even though he understood why she would be angry with him, he didn't understand why she hated him so much.

Nathan stepped in as a voice of caution. "Kai, I understand you have a problem with Gabi, but you should be careful with what you say because Dario is Gabi's brother. He's very protective of his family – as he should be. Salem has a lot of people, but you'd be amazed at how everyone is connected."

Kai remembered finding out the truth about Dario and knew a reason Gabi would be upset with Sonny. Turning to his boyfriend, without thinking, he asked Sonny aloud, "She was mad because you had a thing with Dario over the summer, right?"

"Wait, what?" Chelsea asked confused, which she had been through most of the conversation because she was still trying to figure out everyone's story.

"Kai, you've got that all wrong," Abigail informed Kai. To clarify, she continued, "It was Gabi's brother, Manny, who Sonny had a fling with over the summer. Though Manny only dated Sonny to get all of us caught up in some scheme that Gabi's other brother, Rafe, had concocted." Sonny looked over to Abigail feeling bad because he had never told her or anyone else, for that matter, exactly how Dario saved him from Manny's grasp.

Kai knew he wasn't wrong. "No, it was both Manny and Dario. Gabi was really upset because of that."

Up to this point, Sonny had remained silent because he couldn't believe Kai brought up his involvement with Dario in front of everyone. He knew he needed to step in for Dario's sake. "That's not true," was all he could get out. Unfortunately, for Sonny (and Dario), the truth was written all over Sonny's face. Sonny couldn't stop thinking about what he and Dario did on his birthday now.

Surprised by the new development, Melanie looked around at the others and noticed that other people were still questioning the possibility in their heads. For Sonny's sake, she decided she needed to change the subject. "Did everyone turn on their phones? I just realized I have missed calls from my mom, dad, and brother, Nicholas." Everyone pulled out their phone to check if they had any missed messages. Melanie accomplished her mission. She looked at Sonny, who seemed to still be deep in thought.

* * *

><p>Celeste headed down the stairs as she tried to call Lexie to find out where she was. Maddalena, who still had the bag of soup in her hand, followed Celeste down the stairs making her own calls. After Lexie's voicemail picked up, Celeste left a message and opened the front door. Celeste dialed Lexie's number again, but still didn't get a response. Worried, Celeste began to wave her hands at Stefano's men, who were sitting in a car out front. She hoped they would know something about Lexie's whereabouts.<p>

Celeste put her phone in her pocket and began to look around the house for clues. Maddalena put her phone in her purse after placing the bag of soup on the end table by the couch. Making her way to Celeste, Maddalena asked, "What are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for a letter or clues that will let me know where my daughter went." Celeste continued to look through the room for something. "It's possible Lexie left a note or something to let me know where she went since I was out taking Theo to the Dimera mansion." Celeste became frustrated when she couldn't find anything and headed into the kitchen to continue her search in there.

Maddalena remained in the living room and grabbed her phone once again. She wondered how Lexie could go missing when Stefano's men were sitting outside. Glancing out the window, she noticed the men were now standing in the lawn talking to a third. Looking at her phone, she wondered what was taking Azzura so long to arrive. It had been more than ten minutes since she called her. Eventually, she heard a car pull up and saw that it was Azzura when she looked through the window once again.

Outside, Marco was talking to the men when he saw Azzura walk out of her car. With Azzura there, he realized that Maddalena had to be there too. Something was up. He told the men that they would have a talk later. Catching up with Azzura, Marco nodded his head at her as they both made their way into the Carver house.

Azzura spoke to Maddalena first, "Signora, what's going on?"

"Where's Celeste? My men said that she waved her hands at them earlier." Marco looked around to see if he could figure out what the problem was.

Having heard voices that did not sound like her daughter, Celeste came out of the kitchen clearly upset. Laying into Marco, she pointed her finger at him. "Were you and your men not doing your job? Alexandra is missing!"

Maddalena decided to take her turn at laying into Marco. "You are pathetic. Are you the best my brother can do? You lost his daughter. She was able to slip out of the house undetected – at least I hope for her sake, and yours, that she left on her own accord."

Marco wanted to roll his eyes and ridicule Celeste because she had stated earlier that she didn't want Stefano's men hanging around, but he refrained. He looked over to Azzura and noticed she was giving him a flirtatious look. Shaking it off because he didn't have time for that, he decided to calm Celeste down first so he could focus on finding Lexie. "I will get to the bottom of this and find Lexie. I don't understand how she could disappear when the men out there claimed that they were watching her the whole time."

Maddalena didn't want to leave Lexie's life in Marco's hands as it seemed that so far he didn't seem trustworthy. Turning to Azzura, she requested, "Please go to Stefano and tell him that Lexie is missing." Maddalena also hoped that by sending Azzura, it would prove to Stefano that she wanted to work with him as family. "While you're there you can check to see if Lexie decided to go over there."

"I doubt that because I dropped Theo off there while she disappeared. I would have seen her if she decided to head to her father's mansion," Celeste shared reminding Maddalena that she had mentioned going there earlier.

Marco quickly realized how Lexie got away, but didn't have time to get into that with Celeste and his boss's sister because he knew Maddalena was up to something. He turned to Azzura. "I'm heading to the mansion as well. You can follow me there or come with me." Marco led Azzura out the door leaving Celeste and Maddalena alone in the house.

Celeste and Maddalena stood there in silence for a time. Celeste struggled with keeping her suspicions of Maddalena in check because she still didn't trust her. Maddalena had given her good reason not to trust her from what Maddalena did in the past. Trying to focus all her energy in finding Lexie instead of giving into her possible paranoia, she hoped that Marco would find Lexie.

Maddalena thought about how Celeste could be a problem with her plan, but knew she couldn't do anything about her yet. She had to make sure that she could keep Celeste at bay, for the time being. Maddalena broke the silence, "Celeste, do you have any idea where Lexie would go?"

"I have no idea," Celeste answered honestly. Celeste saw her bag by the couch and wondered if she should look to her cards for possible answers. "I have my cards. Maybe they can give me something."

Maddalena shook her head at Celeste for wanting to just sit and play with her cards. Even if Celeste did have the talent in reading them, Maddalena believed she had a more productive idea. "I think we should check the hospital instead," she suggested.

"I think you may be on to something," Celeste said as she grabbed her purse. "Knowing my daughter, she would put all her energy on work to help keep her mind off of things." Celeste and Maddalena headed out both hoping that they would find Lexie at the hospital safe and sound.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera guesthouse, Isobel sat at the table with Gabi, while Arianna put things away in the kitchen. Isobel thought about the night before and smiled. "2011 was another hard year for all of us, but we have managed to make it to 2012. I think it's a good sign that I made it through last night without an incident."<p>

Gabi watched as her mother reflected on being able to go out without overextending herself. She could see hope in Isobel's eyes and that worried her. Gabi struggled with the hope she saw in her mother and questioned if it was false. "Mama, is it healthy for you to believe things will get better for you – health wise?" she asked trying to caution her mother.

Arianna immediately rushed over and scolded Gabi for her question. She was clearly upset with Gabi because she feared her question would only cause their mother to feel more distressed. "What is wrong with you? Why on earth are you arguing with Mama about having hope and faith?"

Isobel stepped in. "It's alright, Arianna. Gabriella is right." Isobel motioned for Arianna to take a seat at the table, so she could talk to the both of them. After Arianna took a seat, Isobel continued, "I was not trying to say I believed I would recover. With how things went last night, I believe I will not suffer too much when it's my time to go." Grabbing both her daughters' hands, she made sure she glanced at both of them. "I promise you that I will be here with you mentally until I die. I won't let the sickness take over my mind because I want to be able to continue to talk to you while I still have the chance."

Gabi and Arianna began to tear up. They didn't like hearing their mother talk about her death. "I'm sorry for leading the conversation in this direction," Gabi apologized to both her mother and sister.

"It needs to be discussed," Isobel allowed. "I want to make sure you two and your brothers will be okay when I am gone. I want to make sure all of you can smile when I'm gone."

Arianna grabbed a tissue and began to dry her face. "Mama, we don't know what it's going to be like, and we don't want you to worry about us."

There was a sudden knock on the door. Gabi decided to answer the door since she was the closest. After opening the door, she invited the person in, so he wouldn't have to stand out in the cold.

Brady walked in a bit nervous about being there. "I hope I am not intruding."

Isobel smiled widely. "No. Welcome Brady. Take a seat at the table with us. Are you hungry? Arianna could make you something to eat if you are."

Arianna looked at her mother wondering what she was up to. As Brady moved over to the table stating that he was fine, Arianna decided to find out why he decided to show up. "So why are you here, Brady?"

Not taking a seat yet, Brady scratched the front of his neck. "I wanted to check in on you guys. Make sure everything is still good."

Isobel smiled again. "Your care for this family is greatly appreciated, Brady. I hope that you will continue to check in on Arianna after I'm gone."

Annoyed with what was happening in front of her, Arianna had to put a stop to it. Standing up from her chair, she looked over to Brady. "Brady please follow me outside. Mama, please excuse Brady and me. We need to talk."

As Arianna grabbed her coat and walked outside with Brady, Isobel turned to Gabi, "Can you start something for dinner?" Gabi nodded her head, stood up, and headed to the kitchen.

Outside, Arianna didn't waste time with Brady. "What are you trying to pull here?"

"Are you really so put off by me that you would think I have an ulterior motive in coming to visit?" Brady asked.

Arianna decided to respond by asking Brady point blank, "Did you come by because you want to start things up again between us?"

Brady looked down and stepped backwards for a moment before looking back up. "I want your friendship only at this point," he claimed.

"At this point…" Arianna loudly noted. "Brady, a friendship is all I can offer you and that is never going to change for me. Please don't give my mom ideas. It's already hard enough as it is."

Brady lowered his head somewhat and nodded. Even though it hurt him a little to hear Arianna say that, he was glad that Arianna was honest about it. "Friendship can be good."

Back inside, Isobel turned around so she could watch Gabi as she got things ready to make dinner. "I talked to your brother, Dario, earlier. He didn't sound very good." Isobel remembered the conversation with Dario. He sounded so sad even though he tried to hide it. She hoped that her worry was for nothing and just heard wrong.

Gabi thought about Dario and Sonny figuring that Dario must have made a play for Sonny only to get screwed over again. She knew Dario was just chasing pavements with Sonny. As Gabi thought about everything going on in their lives, she quickly became frustrated and stopped what she was doing. She turned to her mom and headed towards her as she spoke, "I understand you want us to be happy, but if you want things to be real between all of us, you need to know you cannot make us be in love or make sure that we are all smiles before you die." Gabi made her way to the table. "In reality, life sucks and is cruel to all of us."

Isobel tried to remain calm, but became upset with Gabi and couldn't hold back. "Stop being so negative. Do I need to remind you that I am the one dying here? You're not! You still have time to live your life after I am gone."

"But Mama," Gabi started as she began to break. Taking Isobel's hand and bending onto her knees at the table, Gabi paused so she wouldn't break down completely. "I don't want to live a life if you can't be there with me."

Isobel patted Gabi's hand having softened a bit. "It's life, hija."

Gabi let go of Isobel's hand and headed back into the kitchen. She grabbed the pot of water on the stove and tossed it in the sink. "I can't do this!" she screeched. Gabi then disappeared into her bedroom.

Isobel took a deep breath feeling overwhelmed by what happened. She continued to take deep breaths to calm herself down as her concern for her family increased. Isobel looked up when Arianna walked back into the guesthouse alone. "Where's Brady?" she questioned.

"Brady had something come up with his family and had to leave," Arianna explained without looking at her mother.

Isobel wasn't sure she bought Arianna's excuse. "Was there really a call or did you scare him off?"

Continuing to not look at her mother, Arianna froze as she wondered what got into her mother. She then looked over to her mother and could tell something was up. "Mama. You don't look well. Are you okay?"

Isobel raised her hand into Arianna's hand realizing she was on edge. "Please help me to my room because I am not feeling well. Things aren't good."

Arianna helped Isobel stand up. "Mama, you need to think more positive." Arianna and Isobel began to make their way to Isobel's bedroom.

Isobel stopped Arianna for a moment, so she could speak. "I want all of my children to be happy and to love whoever they love. I understand that you once loved Brady, and that he hurt you, but I do wonder if you can love him again."

Arianna knew she needed to kill the idea of her and Brady in her mom's mind. "That's impossible because I have fallen for someone else."

Isobel smiled when she heard that. She felt better knowing there was someone in Arianna's life. "I'm glad. I want you and your siblings to find love with anyone as long as you are happy."

Arianna helped Isobel into her room and then helped her mother to her bed. Tucking her in, Arianna asked, "How are you feeling now?"

Isobel's gaze moved past Arianna. "I'm fine." Deep down, Isobel knew that her illness was taking its toll on her even more. She didn't want to share what she knew though. Isobel knew her time on earth was coming to an end.

* * *

><p>Chad, Will, Dario, and Ignazio enjoyed a snack as they wondered what was taking the others so long. Ignazio placed his hand on Dario's shoulder and shook him as he asked, "How is your mother, Dario?"<p>

"She is doing okay. She actually went out last night to ring in the new year," Dario shared.

"Is that a good thing for her to be out like that?" Will asked.

Dario thought about it for a moment before responding, "I'm not sure, but I think it is."

Will felt bad for what Dario and Gabi were going through. "Even though my mom is probably the most complicated woman I know, I cannot imagine what my life would be like without her."

"It's tough," Dario admitted trying not to think about it.

Changing the subject somewhat, Ignazio asked Will randomly, "How did your mother take the news that you and Chad love each other?"

Chad glanced over to Will. He wondered if Ignazio asked Will that question because Ignazio was questioning his own sexuality. He decided not to share his thoughts out loud though.

"She was really supportive. I actually think it made the bond between my mom and me stronger because her reaction allowed me to be completely open about things with her," Will shared.

Dario's thoughts wandered to how Isobel had no clue about his feelings for Sonny. He wanted to make sure to keep it that way. He didn't even want to imagine what she would say or do if she ever found out.

"I think if I had known what I know now before my mother died, I would have told her. It probably would have brought us closer as well," Chad admitted.

Even though Dario didn't want to imagine it, his thoughts explored the possibility of telling Isobel. Lost in his thoughts, Dario shared aloud, "If I ever told my mother, she would most likely disown me."

Surprised to hear the possibility that Dario was also gay, Ignazio questioned him. "Are you coming out to us?"

"I'm not gay. I was just sharing that my mother would not be open and welcoming like Sami or Chad's mom," Dario covered. He couldn't believe he slipped like that.

Will watched Dario, but looked away knowing he couldn't call Dario out on his feelings for Sonny. Instead, he said, "You can never know for sure how your mom would react to the news – if you were gay."

"Well, it doesn't matter because I'm not," Dario quickly countered so that they would stop focusing on him.

Chad looked over to Ignazio and remembered the conversations they had about Ignazio's friend. "What about you, Ignazio?"

Chad's question caught Ignazio by surprise. "I'm not gay either."

"No, I was just asking what Maddalena would say if she found out you were gay," Chad clarified figuring his previous question might have been a bit invasive.

Ignazio thought about the question knowing full well that Maddalena would probably have a worse reaction than Isobel. He was going to share the truth, but stopped himself because he knew Chad needed to be able to trust Maddalena. "If I were gay – which I am not – I am sure she would accept me with open arms."

Ignazio's phone began to ring ending the conversation. Ignazio noticed that Ric was calling him, and he knew he had to take it since he had ignored Ric's calls all weekend. "Please excuse me. I really need to take this."

As Ignazio headed outside, Chad wondered if Ignazio's friend was on the other side. He also wondered, even though Ignazio kept claiming he wasn't gay, if truthfully Ignazio loved the friend he feared he would lose. Dario, who was still lost in his own thoughts, came to the realization that once Sonny told Kai what happened between him and Sonny, his secret of being attracted to guys would be out. People would know that he is gay.

"What's going on?" Ignazio asked Ric once he knew the coast was clear.

"Finalemente!" Ric exclaimed. "You answered!" Ric decided not to waste his time with Ignazio while he had him on the phone. "I've had the body ready for you. A picture of the girl appeared on the news and her name is Kinsey. Azzura is trying to take control on what should be done with it. I'm so sorry for my mistake, and I want to make it up to you! I trust you, and I hope that I can rebuild the trust we once shared."

"I want the same thing," Ignazio shared. "You are important to me, Ric." The situation killed Ignazio inside.

"You are important to me, too, Nazio."

"Tell Azzura I will take care of it tomorrow when I return. She does not need to concern herself with this," Ignazio said to return their conversation to business. "Make sure the body is ready tomorrow evening at the earliest. I've got to go." After Ric confirmed he would do what Ignazio requested, they hung up. Ignazio put his phone in his pocket as a tear fell down his face.

* * *

><p>Bo and Roman questioned Victor at the police station in Roman's office since he volunteered to come down without a fight. Roman pulled a piece of paper from a folder and handed it to Victor to look at. "As you can see here, this is a copy of an email you apparently sent to Kinsey the last time anyone saw or heard from her."<p>

As Victor looked the email over, Bo reminded Victor what he wrote in the email. "In the email that has your name attached to it, you pretty much tell Kinsey to stay away from Sonny because you have proof that she lied about him being the father of her baby. The words you used were considerably more threatening. Was this email purposely used to threaten Kinsey?"

Victor put the piece of paper down as he shook his head. He knew he made a careless mistake when he decided to email Kinsey the proof. "That's not all the contents in the email that I sent," he answered. He knew that he didn't give Bo a real answer, but he wanted everything to be out so he could quickly clear himself.

"I guess you are referring to the attachment to the email," Roman said as he pulled out another piece of paper. "So are you confirming you sent this email with the attachment that shows Kinsey's baby was further along than she told Sonny?"

Victor looked over at the attachment and nodded his head confirming he had sent it. After Roman asked for a verbal confirmation, Victor spoke, "Yes, I sent that, but I had nothing to do with her disappearance."

"But you asked her to disappear in the email," Bo reminded Victor. "You stated that she should disappear on her own, or you would make her disappear."

"Well, I guess she disappeared on her own then because I did not lay a hand on her. It's obvious to me that she skipped town because she knew she wouldn't be able to get away with the scam she was trying to pull. That little bitch wanted more money." Victor gave Roman both sheets of paper. "I don't have Kinsey."

"Look, we believe that. You wouldn't be down here voluntarily cooperating with the investigation if you did have Kinsey. You would have covered your bases more clearly if you had Kinsey." Bo took the sheets from Roman and made Victor look at them again. "Do you realize how bad this looks though?"

Victor knew that the email made him the prime suspect in Kinsey's disappearance. "Kinsey never responded to my email. As I mentioned earlier, it's possible she just left town after I sent her the proof I had on her."

"I heard that you've had your men looking for Kinsey. If that's true, have your men been able to track her down anywhere?" Roman asked.

Just then, Justin walked into the room. "Uncle Victor, don't answer any more of their questions." Justin then turned to Bo and Roman and asked them, "Are you charging my uncle with anything?"

"What are you doing here?" Victor asked Justin.

"Maggie called me," Justin told Victor. Back to Roman and Bo, "Well?"

Bo and Roman glanced at each other before Roman confirmed, "We aren't, but D.A. Woods might when he sees the evidence we have."

Justin took a seat, so he could look over the email and the attachment. He looked at Victor and shook his head. "Really?" Justin put the two sheets of paper in front of him before asking Bo and Roman, "Why are you guys so sure that my uncle is innocent of being involved in Kinsey's disappearance?" Bo and Roman glanced at each other and then back to Justin and Victor.

Back in the waiting room in the police station, Brady walked in and found Maggie sitting alone. "What's going on?"

"Your grandfather was brought here because Bo and Roman want to question him about Kinsey's disappearance. He's in there with them now," Maggie updated Brady.

Brady stepped back in shock. He remembered the day Victor had Nico bring in Kinsey. He then remembered when Sonny stormed in and out of the mansion on Christmas Day to give Victor hell for ruining his life. Finally, he thought about how Victor went out-of-town and stayed to himself, for the most part, after Sonny's meltdown.

Seeing the fear on Brady's face, Maggie asked, "Do you think Victor did something to Kinsey?"

Brady could see that he caused Maggie to worry even more, but he knew he couldn't lie to her either. "I'm not sure," he admitted. Hearing the uncertainty in Brady's voice only made things worse for Maggie. She hoped that whatever made Brady think that Victor could be guilty was just a misunderstanding. She glanced at the clock on the wall and wondered what was taking so long.

* * *

><p>As Stefano and EJ were talking in the foyer in the Dimera mansion, Sami made her way down the stairs. Stefano looked up. "How are Theodore and the others?"<p>

"They are cleaning up before dinner," Sami answered as she rested her head on EJ.

EJ gave Sami a kiss on the forehead. "Maybe we should invite Lexie over for dinner," he suggested, but then scratched his temple with his index finger reconsidering the thought. "Though she still might want time alone."

Sami could tell EJ felt lost in what they should do for Lexie during this difficult time. "Well, it can't hurt to check in with her either way."

Suddenly, Azzura walked in with Marco on her tail. Before Marco could say anything, Stefano gave Marco a disappointed look, "Why is Azzura here and why are you chasing after her as if you want to stop her from talking to me?"

"I can speak, Signore," Azzura started. "Your sister sent me here to let you know that Lexie has gone missing."

Stefano turned to Marco as EJ and Sami glanced at each other. "Is this true, Marco?" After Marco nodded his head, Stefano became furious. "How in god's name could this happen?"

Marco knew he needed to calm Stefano as much as possible. "Mr. Dimera, I arrived after the men on duty called me to tell me Celeste needed to talk to me. They informed me that they saw a car leave the house and followed it thinking Lexie was inside. It turns out it was Celeste dropping Theo off here at the mansion, so it's possible she snuck out when they were following Celeste around."

Stefano was still furious. "Where were you? I thought you were going to be there all day."

Marco knew he needed to tread carefully when answering this question because he didn't want to offend Stefano in any way. "Sir, I was here earlier to tell you that Lexie was upset about the security detail and wanted to set her conditions on what she wanted and didn't want. If I had to guess I would say that she knew what she was doing when she sent me back to talk to you." Stefano nodded his head to let Marco know he understood.

Not wanting to remain silent on the matter, EJ walked over to Marco brushing against Azzura as he did so. "Do you or the other men have any idea where she could be?"

"No, sir," Marco admitted.

Annoyed, Stefano threw his hands up and walked a few steps away from everyone. "Find her then! Don't waste anymore of your time here!"

"I'll go look as well," EJ volunteered not wanting to just stand and wait around for news about Lexie. Heading back over to Sami, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Please keep an eye on the kids and make sure Theo is safe."

Azzura saw this as an opportunity. "Sami, I could help you with the kids if you want."

"What an interesting offer," Stefano stated as if to imply Azzura possibly having an agenda in helping Sami with the kids.

Azzura decided to take Stefano's statement head on. "… Unless you think I should be doing something else, Mr. Dimera."

Stefano smiled at Azzura for her boldness. "I just think it's interesting that… well as far as I know… you don't have children, but you want to help Samantha with the kids. I don't have a problem with you remaining here." Stefano didn't want to say it in front of the others, but he wanted Azzura to stick around so he could talk to her about Maddalena.

EJ put his arm around Marco's shoulder as he mentally shook his head at his father and Azzura. "We should head out so we can find Lexie quickly." As EJ led Marco outside, Marco was sure to glance at Azzura to make eye contact with her. Azzura gladly looked into Marco's eyes.

After EJ and Marco left, Sami headed up the stairs to check on the kids again. Before Azzura could follow suit, Stefano made sure to stop her. "I would like a moment with you before you go up and spend time with my nipoti."

"Of course," Azzura said politely to keep the peace between them.

Stefano knew Azzura was trying to get under his skin by responding with clearly fake kindness and respect. "I don't want to waste my time or yours, so I am going to come out with it. What is my sister trying to pull here? Why did she really send you over to my home to tell me that my daughter is missing when Marco could have done it without you?"

Azzura knew she could not show weakness when talking to Stefano. She also knew she had to convince him that her signora had good intentions. "Signore, I promise you that my signora only had the best of intentions when she sent me to you. Maddalena sent me here because she knew you would be the one to find Alexandra since she is your daughter. She wants to do whatever she can to help you in your search."

Stefano decided to accept Azzura's answer, for the moment, so he could move on. "Your last name is Sarto, correct?" Azzura confirmed it. "Sarto – the name sounds so familiar."

Azzura wondered what made Stefano decide to bring her last name up, but didn't show it in her face or body. "It's possible you knew my mother, Antonella."

Stefano raised his hand. "Ah, yes. I remember Antonella very well." Stefano thought about Antonella and her relationship with Maddalena. "Your mother died too young."

Azzura's defenses began to weaken as Stefano talked about her mother. Part of her wanted to ask him about her mother, but she was able to raise her defenses again. "Is there anything else you would like to know?"

"No, you can join Samantha and the kids upstairs." Stefano answered dismissing Azzura. Stefano turned around and smirked as Azzura walked up the stairs.

* * *

><p>Maxine, Daniel, and Jennifer stood outside of Daniel's office talking about the meeting they planned for tomorrow with the doctors, nurses, and staff concerning Lexie's sudden leave of absence. "Everything is in place and we should have almost everyone in attendance," Maxine shared.<p>

Jennifer looked at both Daniel and Maxine appreciatively. "I want to thank you both for helping me put this together and for not sharing too much information on what is going on with Lexie. It really does help things run more smoothly in the hospital."

"Well, I hope that everything can come together as we adjust to Lexie's absence," Daniel responded.

"I'm sure it will," Maxine said encouragingly. "I should get back to work." Maxine smiled at both and walked away down the hall.

Daniel walked into his office to grab his things. "Don't worry we will be out here in a jiffy."

Jennifer smiled as she remained outside of Daniel's office. "Most of my stuff is already in the car. I have everything else in my purse." Jennifer watched Daniel as he came back out and locked his office door. "Do you need to stop by anywhere before we head to my place, so we can cook dinner for three?"

"No, you said you had everything we needed at the house already, right?" Daniel stopped as he looked to Jennifer for confirmation. After she gave him physical confirmation, he gave her a questioning look. "So you said three? Does that mean…"

Jennifer smiled once again. "Yes. JJ has agreed to join us for dinner tonight. I think he has finally come around just like I told you he would." Daniel was glad to hear that. Both continued to walk down the hall, so they could use the elevator.

Before they could make it to the elevator, Celeste and Maddalena walked up with Maxine following close behind them. "Dr. Jonas, Jennifer, have either of you seen my daughter?" Celeste asked with worry in her voice.

Daniel checked with Jennifer before he answered for the both of them. "We haven't seen her. Why would she be here?"

Celeste knew she could explain to Daniel, Jennifer, and Maxine because they knew the truth about Lexie and Abe. "I left the house for a moment to drop Theo off with his uncle and cousins. During that time, Lexie snuck out, and I am worried she may not be safe by herself."

"We are hoping she just came here to clear her head by doing work," Maddalena added.

"I'll look around for Lexie," Maxine offered. She looked at the time and headed off once again.

Jennifer hated thinking it, but she needed to know more about Celeste's concerns. "Are you worried that Lexie might do something or that something has happened to her?"

Celeste knew her thoughts and feelings were getting ahead of her in the possibilities of what happened to Lexie, so she took a deep breath to get a true feeling on the situation. "I want to find my daughter, but I am not overly worried at this time. I do not believe she is in any grave danger, but that could change at any point."

Daniel grabbed Jen's hand and thought about how they were supposed to have dinner with JJ. "If you need our help, Jen and I can help you look for Lexie around Salem if she's not here at the hospital."

Before Celeste could accept their help, Maddalena stepped in. "That will not be necessary. The family has it all covered." Maddalena didn't divulge, but she secretly wanted to be the one to find Lexie, so any outsider help – in her opinion – would have only gotten in the way. She believed if she could find Lexie, then it would bring the family closer the way she wanted it to.

Jennifer didn't like just leaving Lexie out there alone if they could help. She knew that she and Daniel would have to change their dinner plans. "Daniel and I are headed out to buy dinner for us and my son anyway," she began giving Daniel a look, so he would go with it. "We can look for Lexie while we go grab dinner and then after as we head back to my home just in case." Jennifer didn't want to intrude on the search for Lexie because of the way Maddalena responded, but figured if she explained it as something she and Daniel could do as they were out, their help would be more accepted and appreciated.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Celeste told Jennifer. "I will help the nurse look for my daughter here and hope that either of us can find her."

Maddalena figured it was a lost cause staying put. "I'll have my driver come and get me, so I can look elsewhere in Salem. We can cover more ground if we split up."

Maddalena figured it was a lost cause staying put in the hospital because someone would have seen Lexie there by now. "I'll have my driver come and get me, so I can look elsewhere in Salem. We can cover more ground if we split up."

Maddalena walked away as she pulled out her cell phone. "I'm sure she is fine," Daniel stated as encouragement to both Celeste and Jennifer.

"I am sure as well," Celeste agreed. Celeste turned around and headed for Lexie's office to check there first as Daniel and Jennifer headed to the elevator.

* * *

><p>On a plane headed overseas back to the USA, Tony and Jack sat next to each other. Jack, who was full of nerves, would not stop talking. "It's so weird being around people again. Regular people. Average Joes - and Janes." Jack smiled and waved at a woman sitting on the other side of the aisle from them. "No one trying to corner me in a corner trying to make me fall back to sleep. It's nice…" Jack paused as his smile disappeared to be replaced by a look of realization. "...except for the fact that I just realized that I am in a confined space in the air above the Atlantic Ocean. Suddenly, I am not feeling so great about being here."<p>

Tony shook his head because Jack's constant talking and inability to keep still in his seat (even if they were in first class) kept him from relaxing on the flight back to Salem. "Jack. Everything is good. Don't think too much. I know it's a long flight, but we will be back in Salem soon enough. Just close your eyes and sleep."

Jack gave Tony a confused glare. "Sleep? Did you really just tell me to sleep? I've pretty much slept a year of my life away. How can I sleep now?"

Tony rolled his eyes. He wondered if he made the right decision in bringing Jack along. "Do me a favor then. Can you just stop talking, so I can sleep the rest of this flight away?" Jack nodded his head realizing he was annoying Tony. Tony thanked him and turned his head. Closing his eyes he thought about how much more time he missed because of his close call to death and the treatments he received. He wondered how he would fix things back to how they were before his accident on the pier.

Jack tried to remain still and quiet. He looked out the airplane window and decided he didn't have the stomach to look down into the ocean. He turned his head and watched Tony settle more into his seat. He couldn't take it. "Tony, I'm sorry. I do have a question. Answer it and I'll leave you alone – well I'll try."

Tony opened his eyes, sat up in his seat, and sighed. "Fine. Go ahead."

"What are you going to do once you're in Salem?"

Tony realized he really needed to have a conversation with Jack. "This is important. You cannot tell anyone that I'm the one who brought you back to Salem as I have some business to do. It's more behind the scenes as there are some things I need to put in order before anyone knows I am still alive."

Jack found Tony's answer intriguing, but quickly began to worry for himself. "What am I supposed to tell Jen and the kids once I see them, then?" he asked in a panic.

Tony tried to help calm Jack once again. "Just tell her part of the truth. Tell her you were held at a hospital until you could be released. The people there nursed you back to health and then let you go."

Jack looked at the seat in front of him as he imagined what really happened. "That's not exactly how it all went down. Those people in that facility kept sedating me until you told them to release me."

Realizing Jack wasn't going to let up, Tony caved a bit. "Sure, tell her that if you want. Just don't tell her that I was the one who ordered your release." Tony watched Jack for a moment hoping he would be content. "Conversation over? May I rest now?"

"Yeah," Jack said at first, but then curiosity took control again. "Wait. What kind of business do you have to get in order?"

Tony stopped trying to feel comfortable in his seat again. He really needed to get Jack to rest. "Just don't ask. Enjoy the rest of the flight while you can. I am sure you won't have the peace and quiet this flight has to offer when you face everyone back in Salem."

The thought shut Jack right up as he cowered in his seat. Feeling a bit guilty for bringing Jack down, Tony tried to encourage him. "I am sure everything will work out fine. What happened to the Jack that used to be able to hold himself together and appear to be a man of power? I am sure he's in you somewhere."

Jack turned his head as he attempted to relax in his seat. "I am going to get some sleep now."

Tony smiled as he finally had the peace and quiet he wanted. "Sleep well." Tony got comfortable in his seat and gladly closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Back at the Kiriakis Cabin, Chelsea, Abigail, Josh, T, Melanie, Nathan, Kai, and Sonny returned from the ski lodge. Sonny had a few boxes of pizza from the lodge for the others who did not go since those who went already ate. Chad and Will walked up and grabbed the boxes from Sonny thanking him for bringing food back for them. Ignazio and Dario joined Chad and Will at the table, so they could eat.<p>

As the four guys began to chow down, Sonny looked around and asked Will, "Where's your uncle Eric?"

After finishing a bite of pizza, Will explained, "My uncle had to head back home, so he could get ready for an event tonight."

Kai immediately jumped on Sonny in excitement. "That means we'll have the bedroom all to ourselves tonight!"

Dario dropped the pizza in his hand onto the table. He lost his appetite. "I think I am done eating. I'm going to go out and look at the stars since the sky is clear tonight." Chelsea and Melanie watched Dario as he grabbed his coat to head outside as both thought about what they had discussed earlier at the ski lodge.

Sonny slowly unwrapped Kai from him. He still felt uncomfortable with the idea of doing anything intimate with Kai in bed. Needing an escape, Sonny excused himself. He didn't want to make a scene in front of everyone. "I'm going to head to the room and clean up. I'll be back." Sonny forced a smile as he rubbed Kai's shoulders.

Kai smiled back as he watched Sonny walk away. "Don't be too long," he called out. Chad and Will traded glances because both picked up on the tension from Sonny. T took Dario's seat, so he could talk to Will and Chad.

Abigail noticed Josh stood away from the others. She thought about how he seemed upset with her earlier. She knew she needed to do something to keep the peace with Josh even though a part of her feared being too close to him. Treading carefully and guarding her heart, Abigail walked over to Josh and gave him a warm hug as she whispered in his ear, "Maybe I can finally give you that gift I've been wanting to give you."

Frustrated with how his relationship with Abigail felt like the game tug-of-war, Josh removed Abigail from his bubble. "Maybe you should keep the gift to yourself," he loudly whispered back. "I'm going to shower."

Mortified, Abigail watched as Josh walked away. She could tell he was upset with her, and now everyone else pretty much knew it, too. Chelsea walked over to Abigail to make sure she was okay. "You want to go somewhere and talk about it?" Chelsea whispered to Abigail as they made eye contact. Abigail shook her head no. She wanted to pretend it didn't happen.

Feeling a bit restless, Nathan realized that there was a lot of awkwardness in the air. "We should watch a movie or something," he suggested. "It is our last night here." Melanie and the others thought it was a good idea.

"I brought some movies with me, just in case we got bored," Chad said as he finished his last bite of pizza. "I'll grab them right quick."

Chad headed to the bedroom to look through his stuff. While he was looking for his movies, he received a text from Mia that read: "What do you know about Victor and Sonny Kiriakis?"

Chad wondered why Mia would ask him this question. Becoming a bit concerned, he decided to call her. After she picked up, Chad asked, "Are you okay? Why do you want to know about Victor Kiriakis?"

"I'm at the pier alone," Mia admitted.

Chad's concern grew for Mia. "I don't think that's a very good idea. Why are you out there in the first place?"

"I'm looking for a friend," Mia claimed. She loved hearing the concern in Chad's voice. "I'm fine at the moment. I wish I had someone with me though."

"Well, yeah. You should have someone with you if you're going to walk along the pier. It's definitely not safe for anyone to be on the pier alone. Anything could happen. You could walk into a bad situation." Chad couldn't believe Mia would take the chance and do something so dangerously stupid.

As Chad continued to lecture Mia, Josh poked his head in from the bathroom door. "Who are you talking to Chad?"

* * *

><p>On the pier back in Salem, Mia heard someone's voice in the background asking Chad who he was talking to and quickly hung up her phone fearing it was Will. After putting her phone away, she told herself she had nothing to worry about because Chad wasn't going to tell Will about her. Returning to what she was doing before Chad called her, she began to look around the pier with a flashlight. "I found a piece of Kinsey's phone here. Maybe I can find something else that will tell me what happened to Kinsey."<p>

Mia made her way over to a crate and began to kneel when she thought she spotted something on the ground. Before she could get a good look at what she spotted, she heard a noise behind her and jumped. "Who's there?" she asked as she turned around.

EJ walked up with his hands up in the air, so she could see he was not a threat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." At first, EJ didn't recognize Mia because she was someone EJ thought he would never see again. "I'm out here looking for my sister, Dr. Lexie Carver."

Mia recognized EJ's face and voice immediately and lowered her head, so he would not recognize her. "I haven't seen Dr. Carver," Mia answered without really thinking. She wanted to get rid of EJ before he recognized her, but then remembered she did see Lexie on the pier earlier.

EJ found Mia's voice familiar and when he maneuvered his head to get a closer look, he realized he had startled Mia. He automatically thought about everything that happened with Sydney and Grace. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he asked, "Does Will or Chad know you're back in town?"

Before Mia could say anything, Marco called EJ. "Mr. Dimera," Marco greeted EJ. "I'm calling you to let you know that I am on my way to pick up your father because he wants to be out looking for Lexie as well. Any luck on your end?"

"I am at the pier now, and so far I've had no luck," EJ answered. "After you pick up my father, you two should check out the Horton Town Square. I'll call you if I find out anything. Call me if you do." EJ hung up and turned his attention back to Mia. "I think it would be best if I take you home as it's not safe for you to be out here."

"I can take care of myself," Mia countered. She hated that EJ knew she was back in town. She really wanted to get away from the situation.

"I insist. How did you get out here anyway? It's not good for you to be out on the pier alone," EJ persisted.

Mia thought about what Chad said to her before she abruptly hung up on him. "Fine. I'm staying at Maggie Horton's place," she caved. Mia followed EJ back to his car fearing that her cover was now completely blown.


	44. Chapter 44 Seek

**Chapter 44: Seek - Sunday, January 1st, 2012**

Bo arrived at the Brady Pub to find Ciara sitting with Caroline folding napkins at the table clueless to the fact that he had walked in. Folding his arms across his chest, he watched silently as Hope walked out from the back announcing to his mother that she put everything where it belonged. Caroline thanked Hope for helping her clean up, as she was sure they would have an extremely busy day when they opened up tomorrow since the holiday would be over. Bo loved watching his family in Salem working together and appreciated that his mother looked healthier than she did almost half a year ago. She was definitely more relaxed. To make his presence known, Bo cleared his throat and asked his mother, "What about Gabi? Is she around?"

Ciara immediately ran to hug Bo when she heard his voice. With Ciara in his arms, Hope walked over to him and greeted him with a kiss. Bo put Ciara down and walked over with Hope and Ciara. All three took a seat at the table as Caroline answered, "Gabi was originally scheduled to work more this weekend since Chelsea is out-of-town with her friends, but I decided to give Gabi the weekend off because she really needed it."

"Why didn't Gabi go with her friends? She is close to Abigail and Will, right?" Hope asked curiously.

"I think it had to do with her mother," Caroline informed them. "She didn't want to leave her mother since she's so ill. I hear she doesn't have much time left."

Bo shook his head as he thought about how much the Hernandez family had been through. Moving his seat closer to Ciara, he began to tickle her neck as he spoke, "I hope Chelsea is having fun. I know Ciara would like to talk to her older sister when she gets back." Ciara smiled and nodded her head after Bo stopping tickling her.

"Chelsea called earlier to check on me," Caroline shared as she stood up to make sure everything was done and in order.

Bo placed his cell on the table as he thought about his oldest daughter. "Chelsea and I keep playing phone tag, but I am sure she is having a good time with Abigail. Those two seemed to pick back up with their friendship as if they hadn't lived far apart."

"I hope so," Caroline said under her breath. Taking a seat again, she thought about her recent conversations with Chelsea and realized she still had questions about Chelsea's reasons for coming back to Salem. "I really do hope she is having a good time with her friends," she repeated.

Hope picked up that Caroline was worried about something. "Is there something going on with Chelsea that we don't know about, Caroline?"

"Have either of you talked to Chelsea about why she was so ready to leave London when you asked her to come and help me?" Caroline asked Bo and Hope. She couldn't believe they hadn't picked up on anything yet.

Bo gave his mother a questioning look. "Ma, are you saying that she had a reason for wanting to leave London besides just wanting to help you out? Why would she have another reason? Things were going great in London, right?"

"Have you talked to Billie or Max recently?" Caroline asked deciding not to answer Bo's question directly. She wanted to make sure they weren't completely clueless before she clued them in on the fact that Chelsea was keeping secrets.

Bo wondered why Caroline would ask him about Billie and Max. "No," he shared honestly. Trying not to get annoyed with his mother's lack of direct answers, he continued, "I haven't because I've been busy with work. Are you worried about Chelsea because of something Billie and Max said to you?"

Caroline nodded her head. "I'm afraid that something might have happened to Chelsea in London before she came back to Salem because she's not talking to Max or Billie at the moment. As a matter of fact, remember when Kate showed up at your house for Christmas. Chelsea is not too keen on talking to Kate either and seems to shut down any time she's around."

"Well, that makes sense, I guess," Hope commented after helping Ciara with the last napkin. She had tried to keep Ciara distracted with the napkins while they talked about Chelsea. She was able to hear what Caroline had to say though. "Anytime I've asked Chelsea about her mother or Max, she keeps her answers short and then changes the subject."

Caroline nodded her head once again and opened her mouth to speak again, but there was a sudden knock on the door. Without looking at the door, Caroline quickly shouted, "We're closed for the holiday. We'll be open tomorrow."

Hope looked over so she could see who was at the door. She quickly stood up when she saw who it was. "Celeste is at the door," she noted to the others as she made her way to the door. After opening the door, she motioned Celeste in.

"I am sorry to bother you, but I need your help," Celeste told the others. "We cannot get a hold of or find Alexandra. Have any of you seen her or talked to her?"

Hope, Bo, and Caroline told Celeste they had not heard from or seen Lexie. Bo grabbed his cell from the table as he stood up to join Celeste and Hope by the door. "Do we need to get the police force involved?"

"I am not sure," Celeste admitted. Trying to remain in control of her nerves, she shared, "I do believe that she is fine as I have not experienced any ill feelings telling me that something terrible has happened."

"If anything, we could ask the officers on duty to look out for her," Hope offered. She hoped that Lexie was okay and thought that it was better to be cautious than to do nothing at all.

Celeste really liked Hope's idea. "That would be greatly appreciated. We should be able to find her in no time with more eyes out there looking for her."

"I'll make the call," Bo offered. Caroline and Ciara continued to sit at the table as Bo made the call. Ciara looked around the room and wondered what was going on with Theo's mother. She wondered if Theo knew his mother was missing.

* * *

><p>In his room at the Kiriakis Cabin, Chad quickly realized that Mia hung up on him and put his phone in his pocket. He looked to Josh to answer Josh's question about who he was talking to on the phone. "It was an old friend." Chad quickly made his way to his bag to find his movies.<p>

"Is everything okay with your friend?" Josh asked as he walked out from the bathroom in only a towel. "You sounded worried."

Chad looked up from his bag and noticed how unclothed Josh was. Chad found himself staring at Josh's abs and pecs and looked away so he could focus on what he was looking for in his bag. "I... I think so," Chad answered finally feeling a bit flustered from everything. As he continued to look away, he asked, "Are you going to join us? We're going to watch a movie."

Josh placed his hands just below his hips. "I'll probably join everyone after I shower. I really need a hot one after today."

Chad looked back up at Josh and watched as Josh began to stretch his arms up. His eyes wandered over Josh's body and couldn't help noticing that Josh must have spent a lot of time at the gym. Every part of his body seemed to be in perfect order. "Well," Chad started as he finally placed his hands on his case of movies in his bag, "I guess I'll see you in there." Chad looked away from Josh as he rushed out of the room to escape the strange feelings that came over him.

Back in the main room, Will and T were by the table picking up trash from the pizza that Sonny brought. "Are you doing okay?" Will asked T. They could talk more now since they were somewhat secluded from the others.

"I am feeling alright. I really enjoyed skiing today. I needed that," T answered. T thought about how it was a nice escape for him, but he knew reality would hit him soon. "No matter how much fun I am having right now, I dread what waits for me when I get back to Salem."

Will walked over to T after they finished cleaning. "I am sure it's all going to work out," he said in an attempt to encourage T, but as soon as he said that, he looked T over. He could tell T did not feel all that comforted or encouraged. "I get that you have your doubts, but I hope you know that you have me in your corner. Nothing can change that – I promise."

T smiled at Will appreciating that he got to spend so much time with him again. "Thanks, Will. I really have missed this. You've always been a good friend."

Chad walked into the room in time to see Will give T a side hug. He tried his best not to let it bother him, but the more it lingered the more he felt that something was going on. Stepping between Will and T to break their hug, Chad asked, "Have you guys seen Ignazio?"

"I think I saw him go outside," T answered noticing that Chad seemed annoyed with him. He wondered if Chad even liked him at all.

Melanie saw that Chad had his movies and became ecstatic. "Chad, bring your movies over here so we can pick one out!"

Kai, who was talking to Nathan, watched as Chad walked over with the movies. "Maybe we should wait for Josh and Sonny to come back out to start the movie," he commented to the others.

Abigail wondered if Josh would be in a better mood after his shower. Trying to pretend that Josh didn't make a scene earlier, she and Chelsea intercepted the case of DVDs from Chad and began to look through them. Melanie came over and joined them to look through them as well since she was the one who asked Chad to bring them over.

Kai watched as the others looked through the movies and grew impatient with Sonny not coming back out. Excusing himself from the conversation he was having with Nathan about his upcoming internship with Victor, he declared, "I'm going to check on Sonny to see what's taking him so long." Kai got up and headed to the room where he and Sonny were sleeping. Nathan moved over next to the girls to look through the movies as well.

Outside, Ignazio found Dario sitting alone looking out at the stars. "How's the fresh air?" he asked as he looked up at the clear sky.

Dario continued to look up as he answered Ignazio's question, "It's amazing actually. It seems so peaceful up there. I could really use some peace in my life more than ever."

Ignazio took a seat next to Dario as he continued looking up at the stars. "I think we are both similar in that we were not made for large crowds."

Dario turned his head to Ignazio. "I'm surprised to hear you say that. I think you handle large crowds well. You don't seem uncomfortable when you're with all of them in there."

"That's because I don't ever show my true self around most people. I let others do all the talking. I don't like to show weakness or vulnerability because I don't want to give others the opportunity to take advantage of me," Ignazio admitted. "It's all about feeling in control and not letting them have that control over me."

Dario thought about how he allowed himself to be vulnerable recently only to get hurt in the end. Keeping his eyes on Ignazio, he asked, "So is it all a façade when we talk?"

"Sure, some of it is," Ignazio told Dario, but cautioned, "Don't take it personally."

"I won't." Dario looked down as he thought about how similar he was to Ignazio. Even though he had allowed himself to be vulnerable with Sonny when they were alone, he had trained himself to shut himself off when the others were around – which was similar to the way he was with his family. "Lately, I feel like all I share with people is just a façade and not who I really am as a person."

Ignazio finally looked over to Dario. "So who do you think you are then?"

Not too keen on answering the question, Dario decided to answer vaguely. "Someone who isn't what I was brought up to be."

Ignazio picked up on Dario's vagueness. He could tell Dario didn't really want to answer his question. "Dario, it's okay if you don't want to share your deepest thoughts right at this moment. If you're not willing, you're not ready."

"Thanks," Dario replied slowly looking up to Ignazio. "I really enjoy talking to you. I don't feel pressure when we talk and that's something I can really value."

"I feel the same," Ignazio shared feeling somewhat surprised that he seemed to connect so well with someone he just met. He felt this draw to Dario for some reason and couldn't explain it. "We should hang out when we get back to Salem." Ignazio thought over the possibility of Dario replacing Ric as his best friend since Ric's days in Salem were most likely numbered.

Dario nodded his head. "Yeah. Maybe we'll get to know each other better when we're not out in this secluded place away from our real contexts."

Ignazio nodded in agreement with Dario's statement. He wondered if their dynamic would change once they were back in Salem. Maybe he felt connected to Dario because he missed Ric.

Back inside the cabin, Kai found Sonny laying in bed with the lights out. Feeling concerned, Kai asked, "Babe, is something wrong? Are you feeling depressed or something?" Sonny didn't answer right away, so he continued, "We never talked about the stress you were feeling while I was back home in Canada."

Sonny laid in bed and thought about Kinsey and the baby. He wondered if he should even tell Kai about that whole situation because it was gone and over. He decided not to say anything or turn around to even acknowledge Kai.

Still standing at the doorway, Kai quickly became frustrated because he didn't understand what was happening. He had picked up feelings of depression from Sonny from their phone conversations previously, but the sadness seemed more prevalent when he surprised him on his birthday. Kai really wanted answers as to why Sonny was not the same Sonny he left behind when he left to visit his parents for Christmas. "Sonny, tell me what happened! I don't like that I am in the dark about this, and that you won't even turn around and look at me." Kai walked all the way into the bedroom so he could take a seat on the bed next to Sonny.

Sonny finally made eye contact with Kai. He felt horrible for shutting down on him and wanting to keep distance between them. He hoped that Kai hadn't noticed, but deep down he knew better than to believe he could hide his feelings from Kai because they truly had a connection from the first time they saw each other. Deciding he should sit up so he could tell Kai what happened, Sonny grabbed Kai's hand as he explained, "You know that I was in a bad place with my great-uncle because of something that happened over the summer. He set me up with this girl named Kinsey in an attempt to make me straight. She drugged me, and I barely remember anything from that night past dinner."

Kai sat in silence as he waited for Sonny to continue. Sonny took a deep breath as he thought about the next part that happened. He remembered turning to Will and Dario after Kai was gone. He tried to block the Dario part out as he continued, "After you headed back home, Kinsey returned to Salem pregnant. She claimed the baby was mine, but it turns out she was lying to me. I guess she wanted money or something. I'm still not sure what happened that night she drugged me, but it's still possible that I slept with Kinsey."

Kai couldn't believe that Sonny went through all of this while he was gone. Hearing it all overwhelmed him for a moment, but Kai realized this wasn't about him. It was about what Sonny went through. Kai then thought of how this must have impacted Sonny. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about this sooner. This whole time I kept asking myself if you had lost interest in me sexually, when the truth is that you're most likely afraid to have sex because you're confused by the idea that you might have had sex with a chick. I wouldn't have pressured you if I had known that you're just confused as hell right now."

Sonny's thoughts immediately went to memories of having sex with Dario and how that cured him of any confusion, but he decided not to share that. He did decide to go with Kai's excuse on why he was holding him at bay sexually. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I guess I was embarrassed – but now you know. I just need to get my mind set, so we can be together and move on." Sonny looked down feeling guilty for not telling Kai the truth about Dario yet, but he needed to buy himself some more time, so he could tell Kai when they were back in Salem. Telling Kai here, in his family's cabin, wouldn't allow them the room they needed to breathe when it all came out. Sonny believed Kai would feel stuck and alienated in having to keep the peace with everyone else in the cabin.

"I'm just glad that I know now." Kai softly kissed Sonny on the top of his head thinking about the hell Sonny must have gone through without him by his side. As Kai continued to hold Sonny, he whispered, "Dario."

Sonny separated himself from Kai worried that maybe Kai figured out that Dario was the one to comfort him during this time. "What? Why did you say Dario's name?"

Kai gave Sonny a confused look. "When we were at the ski lodge earlier, and I told everyone that you and Dario had a fling over the summer, you came out and denied it. Why?"

Sonny had hoped that Kai forgot about that. Luckily, he had a simple answer to Kai's question – at least he believed it was simple until he started rambling. "It wasn't even a legitimate fling really. Besides Dario is very secretive about what happened over the summer. Dario had some attraction to me, but decided to leave Salem because he couldn't handle it. He would never want his family to know." A thought came to Sonny about Dario and his family, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.

"Oh," Kai responded to let Sonny's answer sink in. "What a closet case. I guess his loss is my gain." Kai smiled as he squeezed Sonny's hand.

Sonny rubbed Kai's hand wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible. "Maybe we should go back out there. I am feeling better now."

Kai agreed, stood up from the bed, and helped Sonny off as well. Before they left, Kai pulled Sonny into a long hug. "If there's anything you ever want to talk to me about, don't hold back. I want to hear it so I can support you and be there for you."

Sonny's heart sank as he continued to hold back his confession. His eyes watered, but he managed to wipe his eyes before separating from Kai. He couldn't wait until they returned to Salem, but at the same time he feared what he would lose.

* * *

><p>Sami and Azzura had finished putting the kids to sleep at the Dimera Mansion after dinner and their nightly baths. Sami quietly closed the door to Sydney's bedroom door and turned around to give Azzura a smile. "Thanks for helping me out with the kids. I know Mary appreciated having the night off."<p>

Azzura smiled sweetly. "It's not a problem. Your children are wonderful, and I loved watching their little eyes when you read them that story. They were so focused."

Sami thought about how receptive Johnny, Allie, and Sydney were to Azzura. "You seem to have a natural talent with children. Do you want to have children of your own?" Sami motioned Azzura to head down the hall with her so they could continue talking away from the kids' bedrooms.

Azzura walked next to Sami as they arrived near the top of the stairs. She was happy to have alone time with Sami. "I need to find the right man first," she joked. "I can't dream of children until I find a good man."

Sami laughed and nodded her head in agreement. "That is important. It took me a few tries, but I finally got it right."

Azzura smiled as Sami had set up a perfect opportunity for her. As they headed down the stairs, she watched Sami for a moment before saying, "I hope I am not being rude for bringing this up, but I am curious how you handle having kids with two different men. Is that hard for you to handle?"

Sami stopped walking down the stairs and looked at Azzura in an attempt to read her because the question surprised her. She decided not to make the question a big deal since it appeared to her that Azzura was in no way trying to judge her. "I am the one who made that snarky comment about myself, so it's not like you were the one who brought up my baggage," she commented first. She then went on to answer Azzura's question, "It's not what I dreamed my life would be like when I was younger, but I think I manage it well because my parents have children with different people. Divorce and step-families are both common in my family history. It also helps that EJ is a great father to all my children."

"What happened with you and Lucas?" Azzura asked. She was convincing in showing Sami that she was equally curious and nervous with how she asked Sami her question.

Sami was about to start walking down the stairs again but remained still when she heard Azzura's next question. She reminded herself that even though she seemed to have a good time with Azzura, she needed to be cautious with Azzura because she worked for Maddalena. "Lucas and I have a history that is complicated. We really do care about each other, but we are better as friends. We made great teammates when we were teens, but when we tried to have a romantic relationship that complicated things. It's definitely better this way."

Azzura didn't want Sami to get away with her simple answer. "You say that you two have a lot of history and that it is complicated. Does that mean there is a possibility that you and Lucas still have feelings for each other?" She realized she couldn't just leave the question there as she knew Sami would wonder why she had so many questions about her relationship with Lucas. "I am sorry for my curiosity. I am interested because I don't think I have ever experienced love. How does one find love with someone and then lose it? Do soul mates not exist? I think I could learn a lot from you."

Sami thought about how Azzura came off as very innocent and inexperienced when it came to men. She found it kind of endearing as if Azzura was a younger sister. She had always wanted this type of relationship with Belle, but that never happened for obvious reasons. She decided to ignore Azzura's question because she really had nothing else to say about her relationship with Lucas. "I'm sure you'll experience it one day. I'd rather not spoil anything. Although, it doesn't really matter because it's different for everyone."

Sami and Azzura made it down to the foot of the stairs in time for Lucas to walk in. Lucas immediately started talking as soon as he spotted Sami. "I called my mom and she told me you were actually here putting the kids to bed for once. Mary have the night off?"

Sami immediately rolled her eyes. "Why are you here so late, Lucas? Allie and the others are already asleep. I'm not waking her up if you are wanting to take her back home with you."

"I need to talk to you about my last two days in Salem," Lucas informed Sami as he continued to ignore Azzura's presence. "Allie and I don't have much time before we head back to Hong Kong."

Azzura watched as Sami walked over to Lucas to talk to him. She watched them closely to see if they still had a spark between them. She noticed that they seemed to get under each other's skin even when they agreed on something. "It's really too bad that you're leaving already, Lucas," Azzura shared interrupting Sami and Lucas's conversation.

Caught off guard, Lucas wasn't sure he understood why Azzura cared because they didn't really know each other. Trying to make conversation and not let the awkwardness show, Lucas responded without thinking, "That's not what my girlfriend thinks. She's definitely ready for me to get back to Hong Kong."

"Wait, what?" Sami's eyes bugged out as she gave Lucas a surprising look. "This is the first I am hearing anything about a girlfriend. You're dating?"

Lucas smiled uncomfortably as he realized he had just put his foot in his mouth as he hadn't told Sami anything about his dating again. A part of him figured Will would have told her for him by now. He adjusted his position and voice to look and sound unashamed by the fact. "Yes, I am dating." He gave Sami a look as if to ask her why it mattered to her.

Azzura loved watching Lucas and Sami interacting with each other. She saw Sami's bewilderment as jealousy. She saw Lucas's dating someone only as a temporary road block. "Who is the lucky girl?" she asked with a smile.

Sami eyed Azzura wondering why she was so nice to everyone. Just like a little sister she could be annoying now, too. Turning back to Lucas, she seconded Azzura's question, "Yeah, who are you dating?"

"I think you mean, 'Who am I dating again?'," Lucas informed Sami as he put his hands on his hips. "Not sure if you remember Sophie. I dated her here in Salem years ago. We reconnected in Hong Kong."

As Lucas went on to explain how he and Sophie reconnected in Hong Kong, Azzura realized she had found her key in breaking up Sami and EJ in the form of Lucas. Deciding she should go and contemplate what her next move should be, Azzura interrupted Sami and Lucas again. "I'm sorry, but I think I should head home as there are some things I need to set in order for Maddalena. Sami, I had so much fun with you. I will call you soon so we can spend more time together." Azzura and Sami hugged each other goodbye as Sami agreed.

Azzura left, leaving Lucas and Sami to talk about Lucas's relationship with Sophie. Sami gave Lucas a look as she admitted, "I'm surprised Sophie even gave you another chance after what happened last time."

Lucas was not amused as he knew what Sami was getting at. "Well, she actually told me that she knew that you and I were doomed when I broke things off with her to be with you, but she didn't want to be the one to tell me because that would ruin any chance of Sophie and I reconnecting afterwards. She thought I needed to see it for myself, and I am thankful I saw the light."

"I saw the light, too, Lucas," Sami commented slightly offended. Trying to ease the tension, Sami shared, "I am glad you found someone. Even if I was stupid and extremely jealous the first time you were with Sophie, I am glad that she is the one that you're with. All the other women in your life would have been horrible choices."

Lucas rolled his eyes and responded sarcastically, "Thanks Sami. That really makes me feel better about myself and the choices I make." Sami shook her head at Lucas as she crossed her arms under her chest.

* * *

><p>Outside of Maggie's house, EJ walked Mia to the door that led to Maggie's kitchen. Mia still couldn't believe that EJ had found her on the pier and wanted this all over as soon as possible. "Thanks for making sure I got to Maggie's safely," she remarked with a forced smile.<p>

EJ looked at the time as he thought about Lexie. "Salem isn't so safe at the moment, so it's not a problem. You never told me why you're back in Salem. Last I heard you were in New York going to school."

Mia had been able to avoid answering the question and didn't plan on having to answer it now. She thought about how EJ had asked her if she had seen Lexie earlier and decided to share she had lied about seeing Lexie instead. "EJ, when I told you before that I hadn't seen Dr. Carver, I lied. I did see her at the pier wandering around."

"Why would you lie about seeing my sister?" EJ asked. Mia's plan worked as EJ no longer cared why she was back in town.

"I was too frightened when you surprised me out there. I couldn't think straight," Mia explained.

EJ decided not to question her reason as all he cared about was finding Lexie. "I need details. I need to know anything you can tell me about my sister."

Mia thought back to when she ran into Lexie. "Well, she was crying. It appeared as though she was looking for something or someone. I didn't really talk to her, so I don't …"

EJ stopped listening to what Mia had to say as he realized that Lexie left the house to look for Abe. Trying to think about the places she would go to look for Abe, his first instinct was to worry as it was not safe for her to be out alone looking for her husband.

Mia stopped talking when she spotted a car start to pull into Maggie's back driveway. Quickly noting that it was the Kiriakis limo, she unlocked the back door. "Goodnight. I should head in." Mia didn't leave any time for EJ to respond as she disappeared into the house.

Inside the limo, Victor turned his head to Brady. "You can wait in here while I walk Maggie to her door."

When the limo stopped, Maggie looked out the window and spotted EJ walking away from her back door. "That's strange. EJ Dimera is here."

Victor and Brady looked out the window as well. "What the hell is he doing here?" Victor was clearly suspicious.

Brady ignored Victor's instruction and exited the limo with his grandfather and Maggie. "Is there something we can help you with?" he asked EJ rudely.

Maggie tried to change the tone that Brady set with his question. "Sorry, I was away EJ. Did you need something?" she asked in her sweetest tone.

"Oh, I didn't come here to visit with you, Maggie. I am here because I dropped off Mia McCormick after finding her alone out on the pier," EJ explained. Brady was stunned to hear Mia's name again. EJ carried on, "If you'll excuse me, I need to get out of here." EJ gave Maggie a side hug and rushed out deciding he couldn't waste any more time. He needed to find Lexie.

With EJ now gone, Maggie decided to turn the subject to what happened with Victor at the police station. "I'm so glad that Justin could get you out of having to spend more time at the police station."

"I assure you that everything will be okay as I had nothing to do with Kinsey's disappearance," Victor told Maggie as he placed his arm around her back. "The cops just want me to help them in their search for her. They know that I am not responsible for Kinsey disappearing."

Maggie could not help worrying. "Does that mean that your men have not been able to find her yet?"

Victor nodded his head confirming Maggie's fears. "There has been no word yet."

"Sonny won't be happy to hear that," Brady commented.

Maggie looked to her door as she shared, "Mia won't be either." Before Brady could ask about Mia, she continued, "It's getting late. I should get inside. Victor please call me if something happens. I hate it when things are still up in the air."

Victor blocked Brady as he put his full attention on Maggie. "I will talk to you later." Victor grabbed Maggie's hand and kissed it. "Goodnight Maggie."

Maggie smiled widely as she loved when Victor turned up the charm. "Goodnight Victor." Maggie shifted her head so she could acknowledge Brady. "Goodnight Brady."

Victor and Brady watched as Maggie walked into her home. "Let's go home so I can tell you what Bo and Roman told Justin and me." Victor and Brady got into their limo and drove off.

* * *

><p>Jack and Tony finally arrived at the Salem airport preparing to go their separate ways. They had what they brought back with them and just needed to walk out the airport doors to be done with their mini-adventure together. "Well, I guess this is it," Jack said a bit awkwardly. "I go my way - you go yours." Jack smiled as he patted his pockets as a thought finally crossed his mind. "I just realized I don't know how I'm getting home. I don't have my wallet, and I definitely don't have any money."<p>

Tony put his hand in his coat pocket as he remembered he was holding onto Jack's wallet. "I'm glad you said something because I have it right here." After handing Jack his wallet, Tony informed Jack, "Everything you had in your wallet before your accident should be there. I added some cash for you to use in case your accounts and assets were frozen when you went missing."

Jack looked through the wallet to be sure and saw a large sum of money in his wallet that wasn't there before. Putting his wallet in his back pocket, Jack smiled widely. "Thanks. That should get me home and then some."

"Well, I wish you the best with your family and remember our conversation from earlier. We never saw each other, and you don't know I am in Salem – let alone that I am alive." Tony was ready to get out of there. Jack nodded his head in agreement. "Goodbye Jack, and enjoy Salem once again." With that, Tony walked away and headed into a bathroom.

Jack turned around trying to figure out what form of transportation he was going to use to get back to Alice's old house since Tony told him that Jen was living there now. Spotting a rental-car agency, Jack decided to try there first. As he headed over, Jack questioned whether he should make an appearance to his family tonight or wait in the morning so he was more presentable. He didn't know if he could hold off any longer on seeing his wife and kids.

Back in the airport bathroom, Tony looked around to make sure he was alone. He pulled out his phone and speed dialed a number. When the other side went to voicemail and beeped, Tony spoke, "I thought you should know that I have arrived in Salem. I'll see you in a couple days."

* * *

><p>Taking a seat in the Horton Town Square, Maddalena continued to talk to Colin on the phone as she looked around for Lexie. "I am sorry I have been out, but I promise I will be there to look at your progress and the results once Lexie is found safe and sound."<p>

"I understand. I can wait here for a while longer," Colin let Maddalena know.

Maddalena spotted Stefano and Marco walking under the small bridge and decided to end her phone conversation. "Excellent. I promise I will be there before you have to leave, but I must let you go now. Addio, mio figlio."

Stefano and Marco walked up in time to see Maddalena put her phone away. "Sorella. Who were you talking to before you spotted Marco and I walking up?"

Maddalena pulled her purse to her chest as she stood up noting Stefano's suspicious questioning. Innocently, she answered, "I was talking to my doctor about setting up house visitation, so I won't have to go to the hospital for my future appointments."

Stefano thought about how Maddalena's health was an ongoing conversation – one he never took seriously in the past. "Are you feeling ill?" he asked with a bit of concern in his voice.

"That does not matter at the moment because we should remain focused on finding your daughter," Maddalena replied. She really didn't want to get sentimental with her brother concerning her health.

Stefano sighed to calm himself down from the thought that Lexie was out there alone, but it did not work. Turning to Marco, he unleashed his frustration, "I still don't understand how my daughter was able to disappear from her house without anyone noticing her."

"Mr. Dimera, I explained to you the situation. Part of me wonders if she used us to her advantage." Before Marco could continue with the excuses, his phone made a sound. Looking at it, Marco announced, "Mr. Dimera. I just received a text from EJ." He opened the text and summarized it as he read it. "EJ said he thinks he knows where to find Lexie, and that she's most likely looking for Abe."

Maddalena watched Stefano as he responded, "Call my son and find out where he's headed. I want to see my daughter for myself before I go home to relax."

Marco dialed EJ's number and waited for EJ to respond. "Where are you headed? Your father wants to meet you there in case Lexie is there."

"Tell my father, I'm going alone. I need to so that Lexie is not overwhelmed if I do find her," EJ replied before hanging up.

Stefano watched as Marco lowered his phone. "Well, what did Elvis say?"

"He hung up after telling me that he needs to go alone so that Lexie doesn't feel overwhelmed," Marco answered. He looked at his phone wondering if he should try to call EJ again.

"I guess I can go home since EJ has everything under control," Maddalena announced. She figured if anyone besides her was to find Lexie, EJ was the better choice. "Someone should call Celeste and let her know that Alexandra may have been found. That woman will raise the spirits from the dead if no one tells her the good news." Maddalena adjusted herself, patted Stefano on the back, and walked away in search of her driver.

Marco turned to Stefano. "I will let Ms. Perrault know about Lexie after I get you back home, Mr. Dimera."

Stefano was not having that as he wanted to be sure Lexie was safe. "I am not ready to head home. Did I not just tell you that I want to make sure Lexie is safe? If EJ doesn't want us there, the least he can do is let us know she is okay. We will wait for his confirmation here." Marco nodded his head in agreement. He tried to get in contact with EJ again as Stefano took a seat at the table Maddalena once sat at.

* * *

><p>Outside of the cabin in Colorado, Dario and Ignazio continued to enjoy the stars. Chad made his way over to the guys and interrupted the quiet, "I came out here to check on you guys because we're about to start a movie inside. You guys coming?"<p>

"What movie?" Dario asked as he continued to look up. He doubted he would be interested in watching a movie with the group, but figured he would ask anyway.

"Dumb and Dumber," Chad answered. He wondered if Dario and Ignazio had sat out here in silence the whole time, or if they had actually said something to each other before he walked up. Chad then decided to take the opportunity to talk to Ignazio alone since Ignazio seemed to be in a good place. "Hey, Dario. Do you mind if I have a moment alone with my cousin?"

Dario looked over to Ignazio and stood up. He figured he had enough fresh air as it was only getting colder. "Yeah, sure." Dario ran his hand across Ignazio's back, turned, and headed back to the cabin.

While Ignazio remained silent, Chad took a seat where Dario had been. "I know that we just barely found out we're family, but I think you would agree when I say family should trust each other." Chad glanced over to Ignazio to see if he would say anything, but Ignazio kept quiet. "I know that you're not in a good place because you're worried about what you should do about your friend. I want to help you. Let me help you."

Ignazio finally looked over to Chad. He wasn't so sure he should tell Chad about Ric even though he truly believed Chad would do anything for him. The fact that he felt that way towards Chad caused Ignazio to feel nervous about how close they were getting. He decided to open up some, so that he didn't ruin the rapport he had built with Chad for the task his grandmother had set up for him. "My friend hurt me, and I'm not sure if I can trust him anymore because he has hurt my family and me."

Chad smiled inside because Ignazio was actually talking and talking about what was on his mind. "What did your friend do to you and your family?"

Ignazio looked at the snow on the ground. He did not think it would be wise to tell Chad the details of what Ric did, so he continued with the vague answers. "He did something illegal against my family," he responded causing Chad to become more curious.

Chad could see the hurt in Ignazio's eyes and felt bad for him. He tried to picture Will doing something against his family, but he couldn't. "Do you love him – your friend I mean?"

"Yes, I do," Ignazio admitted without thinking. Ignazio really wished that Ric never made the mistake because things would be so different at this point.

Chad moved over and gave Ignazio a side hug. "We can be there for each other as we both come out to the family," he suggested believing that Ignazio had just come out of the closet to him.

Ignazio immediately separated himself from Chad. "What? I'm not gay." Every part of Ignazio's face and body showed that Chad's assumption offended him.

Chad quickly realized he had understood the situation wrong and felt regretful. "I am so sorry for assuming. I thought…"

Ignazio shook his head in disbelief. He knew he needed to calm himself down before the situation escalated. He couldn't let his insult get the best of him and ruin everything. Ignazio wanted to remain in control. "Yes, I love my friend, but not in that way. It's more brotherly. That's why it hurts so much." He hoped Chad understood now what he meant when he said he loved Ric.

"I am so sorry that I made a big assumption like that, and I'm sorry you have to go through this," Chad quickly apologized again. He looked down as the embarrassment of the situation seemed to overcome his ability to play off his mistake.

Ignazio took a deep breath and put his arm around Chad to let him know they were fine. "It's okay. I forgive you." Ignazio smiled at Chad, but then frowned a bit for show. "I think you only made that assumption so that you wouldn't be alone in your struggle of being gay and a Dimera in your father's world. I understand that is something that usually doesn't mix with your father and his business."

Chad tried to shake off the suggestion at first by denying it in his head, but then wondered if Ignazio was right. Did he really feel that alone in this even though he was in a relationship with Will? Chad looked down as his thoughts began to wander on the possible truth that Ignazio just shared with him.

Back inside the cabin, Dario walked in to spot Sonny and Kai cuddling on the couch. He promptly decided to head directly to his room, so he could avoid having to watch the two together. It caused him to feel so many things at once and he couldn't handle being vulnerable again – especially in front of everyone. Once he arrived in his room, he grabbed his phone and decided to call his family.

Gabi picked up from the Dimera guesthouse. "Dario, why are you calling again? Is it about Sonny? Did he break your heart again?" She was clearly still thinking about what her mother had said about Dario earlier.

Dario suddenly felt uncomfortable. Even if he had been away from Gabi for a few days, he still remembered their fight before he headed out with Sonny. He had hoped his mother would have answered, so he could avoid talking to Gabi. "What are you doing? Is mom around?"

"No, she's resting in her room," Gabi answered before returning to her question. "Well, did Sonny do something to hurt you? Mama said you sounded upset earlier when you called her."

Dario threw himself on his bed as he answered, "Let's just say you won't have to worry about Sonny anymore." He really hoped Gabi would just let it go so they could both move on.

Knowing that Dario's response meant that Sonny had indeed done something to hurt her brother, Gabi apologized. She had already blown up at her mother before and didn't want to continue with her brother – especially after the way she blew up at him for even going to Colorado with Sonny in the first place. "I love you, hermano. I hope you know that. If I could, I would send Sonny off far away somewhere so that you wouldn't have to see him ever again."

Dario sighed as he kept the phone close. He couldn't believe that Gabi actually apologized to him even if it was for Sonny. "You don't have to worry about that. Sonny and I are already worlds apart even when we're in the same room."

Will had noticed Dario walk to his room and decided to follow him after telling the others he would be back. He overheard Dario's comment about him and Sonny being disconnected. He knew for certain now that something happened before he and the others arrived, but he wasn't sure what caused the rift between the two yet.

After Dario hung up with Gabi, Will walked into the room to make his presence known. "Hey, you want to talk about Sonny? I know that things have been hard on you with Kai being here. Sonny seems a little distracted."

Dario sat up on his bed and threw his phone over to his pillow. "Will, you should probably keep your focus on you and Chad. There's nothing going on between Sonny and me."

Will ignored what Dario had to say about his relationship with Chad because he wanted to know what happened between Dario and Sonny. "What happened when you and Sonny arrived at the cabin alone? Did you two kiss or something?"

The thought of kissing Sonny crossed Dario's mind as he remembered what happened that night he and Sonny arrived at the Kiriakis cabin alone. It was so much more than a kiss. They made love. Dario felt a pain in his heart again as the guilt tried to take over. Even though he still felt guilty for what happened, he looked to Will as he claimed, "Nothing happened that I regret now. There's no reason to talk about anything, so please just drop this."

Will could tell Dario didn't want to talk about it and decided to let it go. He could live with the fact that Dario seemed to acknowledge that something did happen, but that it was over now because a rift separated Sonny and Dario from each other. "I'll stop asking questions about Sonny, but I hate that you're in here alone. We're about to start a movie once Chad and Ignazio get back inside. You should join us."

The image of Sonny and Kai cuddling on the couch plagued Dario's mind. He knew joining the others to watch a movie was a bad idea. "Thanks for the invite, but I'm going to sleep now. It's probably best if I go to sleep early, so I can help get everything ready before we leave tomorrow." Dario took off his shirt as he went over to his bag to put it up.

Will hated that Dario always shut himself away from everyone. He wished he could do something to help him. "Okay," he caved, but added, "If you need to talk, I'm your friend, too. I'm serious about that. Everyone needs someone to talk to."

Dario zipped up his bag and scratched his chest as he thought about his conversations with Ignazio. Will was right, but maybe Ignazio was that someone he could talk to now. "Thanks, I appreciate it, but don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Will looked away and headed back to the main room. When he arrived, Chad and Ignazio were walking in from outside. Chelsea looked over to Will and asked, "Is Dario going to join us?" Will shook his head no.

Chad walked over to Will and grabbed his hand. Talking about his journey with Ignazio outside, Chad couldn't fight the feeling of loneliness. Just holding Will's hand made him feel so much better. Leading him to take a seat in front of the couch, Chad continued to think about what Ignazio said to him. Chad wondered if he would ever be free of having to prove who he knew he was to those around him. After he and Will took a seat, Chad's eyes followed T as T moved over to sit on the other side of Will. Chad wrapped his arm around Will's neck and pulled him closer, so T wouldn't crowd them. He gave Will a kiss on the top of his head as the movie started.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, Jennifer, Daniel, and JJ enjoyed playing a card game while eating a few light snacks. Jennifer raised her hands in victory as she announced, "I won!"<p>

Daniel and JJ looked at each other annoyed that she had won again. "I can't believe this. How does she keep beating us? Can you believe this JJ?"

JJ shook his head. "No, I definitely think she's cheating or something."

"I think you're right," Daniel smiled and winked at JJ.

Jennifer gave them a shocked look due to the accusation, but quickly laughed. "Well, we will have to see about that another time. It's time to get ready for bed."

Daniel stood up as he began to clean up the mess they made, while Jennifer and JJ picked up the game. After placing all the trash in a trash bag, Daniel told them, "I'll take out the trash."

"I can take out the trash," JJ volunteered.

Daniel quickly became shocked and impressed. "I'm in awe, JJ. I hated having to take the trash out as a kid."

Jennifer gave Daniel a scandalized but playful look. "Your parents made you take out the trash?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders as he understood why Jennifer would be shocked. "What can I say? My parents loved to torture me. Even if they had hired someone to do all of that, they said they wanted to teach me something about cleanliness and responsibility – who cares about those things, right?"

JJ laughed at Daniel and grabbed the trash bag Daniel filled up along with the trash in the kitchen from dinner. "I'll be back," he yelled as he walked out the back door. Making his way to the trash bin outside, JJ froze when he thought he heard a noise. He quickly turned around only to see the moonlight reflecting off of the snow. JJ shrugged it off and put the trash in the bin, but then heard a noise again. This time when he turned around, he stepped back when he saw his father, Jack, standing in front of him. Surprised and confused, JJ asked Jack, "What's going on?"

"Hey to you, too. Are your mom and sister around?" Jack replied. He had decided he couldn't stay away from his family without checking in on them. He had arrived a bit before to see if he could look at them through a window, but JJ came out with the trash and foiled his plan of going unnoticed.

"Abigail is in Colorado with her friends for the weekend, and mom is inside with Daniel," JJ answered still in shock that he was actually looking at his father.

Jack gave JJ a confused look. "Who is Daniel?"

"Daniel is mom's new fiancé," JJ informed his father. "Are you going to do something about that?" he asked as soon as he told Jack who Daniel was. JJ knew his father. If Jack was back in Salem, he came to win Jennifer over so they could be together again.

Jack immediately began to panic at the thought of Jennifer having a fiance. How was that even possible if they were still married? Jack's thoughts began to spin out of control, but he looked to his son and realized he needed to play it cool. Managing to calm himself down, he said, "Son, I need you to help me out here. Don't tell anyone I'm back yet. I promise I will see you tomorrow if possible."

JJ became confused by Jack's sudden request. "Dad, don't go." As soon as he asked his father not to leave, JJ remembered what Jack did to his mom causing his whole body to shift. "Actually, I changed my mind. Maybe you should leave."

Jack could tell that JJ had become upset. He gave JJ a look of care and concern causing JJ to soften a bit. "I'm going. I'm sorry." Jack noticed JJ's body shift again and even though JJ still seemed upset, Jack could tell JJ wanted to give him a hug. Jack walked over to JJ and gave him a hug.

JJ returned the hug and held his father tight as Jack spoke, "I will be back tomorrow to talk to you and the others."

JJ looked up to his dad. "Promise?"

"I promise," Jack said with a smile and nod. As he looked into his son's eyes, Jack struggled with the disappointment JJ must have felt while he was stuck in that evil facility for all that time.

Back inside, Daniel and Jennifer conversed about Lexie. "I hope that Lexie is okay. I feel bad that we have not gone over to visit her yet," Jennifer shared. Just then Jennifer's phone received a text. Jennifer read it and looked up to Daniel and shared, "Celeste sent me a text saying that Lexie might have been found."

JJ walked in as Daniel and Jennifer smiled at the news. "What are you two so happy about? All this happy stuff gets annoying sometimes." JJ didn't bother making eye contact with Jennifer or Daniel because he knew he couldn't give any hint as to what just happened outside.

Jennifer gave her son a questioning look. "You seem like a different person from when you walked out with the trash before."

"Did something happen?" Daniel asked just as confused as Jen.

JJ still denied eye contact with the two adults in the house. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." JJ rushed up the stairs. Jennifer and Daniel glanced at each other as they heard JJ's bedroom door close. They didn't understand the shift in JJ's temperament.

* * *

><p>Outside of the mayor's office, Lexie sat on the stairs as she stared a hole into her phone as it booted up. She remembered that Brandon had tried to call her earlier setting her off on a journey to get answers on finding her husband. She didn't want to have to tell Brandon, Jonah, or Karen the bad news that seemed to stare her down in every corner of Salem. Now she sat at the same place where it all started. Instead of answers of hope, she was left with even more confusion and the fear of having to really accept her worst fears.<p>

After her phone finished booting up, she quickly dialed a number after debating whether she should call Abe's family even though the cops told her not to. Placing the phone to her ear, Lexie prepared herself to hear Brandon's voice on the other side, but when she heard a familiar female voice pick up, she quickly hung up. "What am I doing?" she asked herself mentally before completely turning off her phone once again.

EJ had spotted Lexie sitting on the steps and slowly made his way over to her. He feared that one wrong move would set her off and make her decide to run off again. He couldn't believe that he had actually found her, but figured this was the one place Lexie might have the best chance of finding answers. Sitting next to her, EJ remained silent as he thought about what to say to her. His eyes looked her over and he felt relieved to know she was fine and breathing. He watched as she tried to ignore him, but he knew she knew he was there. He hated that she was hurting so much inside. EJ maneuvered his head towards Lexie even though she was looking down. "Lexie," he said softly.

Lexie wiped the dried tears off of her face knowing that her solitude and search were over. She took a deep breath to acknowledge her brother. She took another moment of silence before finally saying, "I am sorry if I frightened all of you by going MIA."

EJ refrained from holding or touching Lexie so that he didn't completely break the space she had created. He wanted her to make that call if that's what she needed. He hoped that he could help make sense of what happened just two nights prior. "You don't need to apologize. You needed to find your own space so you could deal with everything going on in your life."

Lexie looked up ahead at the parking lot. Her mind replayed everything that happened late Friday night. "I told Abe to come out because I was pulling in. All he had to do was walk to the car, get in, and then we would have headed home. Instead, he was attacked, shot, and left for dead as I drove away. Now he's missing, and I don't even know if I will ever see his face again." Lexie could feel the darkness and shock of that night all over again. She tried really hard not to start crying as her eyes were so tired. She decided to let EJ in on why she ran off in the first place. "Brandon called as I stood in our living room. I had to get out of our house because I don't want those bad memories connected to our family home. I couldn't pick up because I would have been forced to tell Brandon what happened to his father. I want the good memories to remain there and not be overshadowed or tainted by what happened this weekend. We are so much more than an end."

EJ finally took Lexie's hand in his to comfort her as he could not stand to see her suffer so much. He heard and understood where she was coming from, but before he could say anything, EJ received a text. He planned on turning off his phone, but saw that it had an urgent warning connected to it. Opening the text with his free hand, he read it to himself and decided to share with his sister what it said, "Got a text from Marco. Father is wondering if I found you so they can call off the search. He's been really worried."

Lexie took her free hand and stopped EJ from replying to Marco's text. "Please, don't respond yet. I don't want father to know where I am." Lexie removed her hand from EJ's phone and began to sob as she continued, "I am struggling so much right now with everything. I'm not sure if I can trust father in this. Deep down, I have this gut feeling that this is his fault, and that he knows something he's not telling me."

EJ tried to calm Lexie as he could tell she was overwhelmed, and the fact that he brought up their father made it worse. He felt that he needed to set things straight though, so Lexie didn't drive herself crazy in thinking their father had anything to do with what happened to Abe. "I really have a hard time believing that father has any connection to this," he shared calmly so Lexie didn't take his words as some kind of lecture.

"What if Abe is in father's basement?" Lexie asked throwing out the possibility that Stefano was now holding Abe captive.

EJ gave Lexie a look to see if she was serious about the possibility. "I would know if that were the case, and there's no way I would allow for that to happen. That is a huge line to cross and father would not do that to any of us."

Lexie wiped her face once again and looked to the side away from EJ. She wondered if she was the one seeing something that was not there or if EJ was just blind - unable to see the things that their father was more than capable of doing. "I'm not so sure you would know. There are so many secrets below that mansion, and I've roamed through those tunnels down there before thanks to André." Lexie wiped her face as she thought about André. "Father turned André into that monster. Don't tell me that father wouldn't cross a line after what he did to our cousin and our brother Tony. He has more influence than you know."

EJ grabbed Lexie's arm and gently guided her to look at him. He really struggled with keeping his eyes dry as he pleaded with his sister, "Alexandra, I assure you that father had nothing to do with Abe's disappearance." As Lexie began to cry again, EJ pulled her in and held her. Placing his chin on top of her head, he decided that it would be best if he just shared love with her, so he could be supportive and encouraging. "Lexie, don't let the negativity bring you down. We will find Abe alive." EJ immediately thought about how Stefano said they were now looking for Abe's lifeless body. Was he wrong for giving Lexie hope if it was all false? EJ held Lexie tight as he suggested, "Maybe you should talk to father about this. I know that might not change your mind, but at least you would get it out there with him."

Lexie stopped sobbing for a moment as she thought about finding Abe alive. Removing her head from under his, she slowly pulled her body from EJ's grasp as well. "I wish I could believe that, but coming here has made me realize that Abe might be gone to Theo and me for good." Glancing in EJ's eyes she admitted, "I'm afraid to talk to father not only because I think he may be guilty, but because I fear he already knows what I'm not ready to fully accept: Abe is dead."

Hearing the cracks and wavering in Lexie's tone as she said those last three words broke EJ's heart. EJ pulled Lexie back into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Everything will be fine, Lexie. You will smile again. I promise you."

* * *

><p>Down in a secret part of Maddalena's basement, Colin looked at a few monitors as he took notes. The sounds of construction could be heard in the background, but Colin was now used to them as he worked hard on the required tests. He had been waiting patiently for Maddalena, but really had to leave soon if he was going to make it to the hospital on time for an overnight shift. Colin looked up when he heard someone walking down into the room. "Maddalena, is that you?"<p>

Azzura showed her face. "No, Maddalena's not here? She told me to meet her down here."

"As far as I know, she's not home yet. I've been waiting for her so I can show her the progress I've made." Colin put his notes on the desk as he continued, "I don't think anyone else can explain what I've written down to her, and I know this can't wait until I am free again."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that because I have arrived," Maddalena's voice sounded as she made her way into the room. Noting the sounds of pounding and drills in the background, Maddalena turned to Azzura first though. "Azzura, how is construction coming? I hope we will be done soon."

Azzura nodded her head to Maddalena as she answered, "Yes, signora. We are almost finished. We will need to set something up soon so we can complete the last step of construction. Maddalena smiled as she was pleased to hear that. Azzura continued, "Maddalena, I believe I have stumbled on something to break EJ and Sami apart. I…"

"That can wait," Maddalena interrupted Azzura. "We will talk about it soon; I promise. For now, focus on the other things you need to do such as looking into the Salem Police Department's case on those missing bodies and getting Colin set up for house visits. Report to me later."

Azzura nodded again. "Right, signora."

Before Azzura could walk away, Maddalena stopped her. "Don't go yet. I want you with me as I talk to Colin about the progress made on the slower solution." Azzura nodded her head.

As Azzura pulled out her phone, Maddalena finally turned to Colin. "I apologize that I have kept you waiting so long. Lexie has been found – I am sure – and now you have my fully attention. Tell me about our guinea pig."

"We have administered some of the slow solution to see how it works before giving him the full dosage," Colin shared as he lifted his notes from the desk to show Maddalena.

Maddalena looked at Colin's notes for a moment and then raised her head. "May I see the patient? You can explain what all this means there."

"Of course," Colin agreed. He put his notes under his arm as he took Maddalena and Azzura to a new secured room. After opening the door, Colin, Maddalena, and Azzura walked in to see through a one way mirror Abe laying on a metallic bed hooked up to different machines.

"Thus far the tests have been positive. Abe's wounds are healing at a slow rate. I believe if Abe was given the full dosage of the solution things would happen in an even slower pace causing Abe to remain in this catatonic state even longer."

Maddalena smiled even wider as she was delighted to hear the news. She turned to Colin, who seemed impressed with his work as well, and shared, "I want you to administer the full dosage as soon as possible."

"Maddalena, please don't take this the wrong way, but I really think we should wait," Colin recommended. "There could be complications or side-effects we don't know about."

Maddalena didn't want to back down. "There haven't been any complications or side-effects thus far, have there?" she asked rhetorically. "There is no time and we need to do this now!"

Colin decided to back down as he knew Maddalena wanted this to happen. "I will do as you ask, but it will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Fine," Maddalena replied. She knew Colin didn't have the time as he needed to show up for his second job. She and Azzura watched as Colin put things in order so he could give Abe the full solution the next day. Azzura turned away as she looked over to see Abe's lifeless body. She wondered if Abe had any idea what he was going through.


	45. Chapter 45 Time To Tell You, Pt 1

**Chapter 45: Time to Tell You, Pt. 1 - Monday, January 2nd, 2012**

The next morning at the Kiriakis cabin, everyone worked together as they cleaned, packed, and ate breakfast. Taking a bite of her toast and placing it back on the plate, Abigail announced, "I want to take pictures of everyone before we leave. It can be the last thing we do after everything is done and we're ready to go."

"Sounds good to me," Nathan replied as he made his way to the table. He then pointed to Josh and T, who had just finished eating, and asked, "Can you two help me take these bags out to their respective vehicles? The faster we do this, the faster we can get out of this place and return home." Josh and T agreed to help and began to grab people's luggage to take them outside with Nathan.

Will, Dario, and Sonny were doing a sweep of all the rooms and closets on the bottom floor of the cabin to make sure nothing was left behind. Will opened the closet by the stairs and found a disheveled rug in the corner. "Is this rug supposed to be in here like this?"

Dario walked to Will first and immediately recognized the rug. He traded a glance with Sonny as Sonny made his way over, too. Dario had no idea how the rug got in the closet and hadn't even realized that it wasn't laying out by the fireplace.

Sonny quickly realized he had completely forgotten about putting the rug in the closet when Kai arrived unexpectedly on his birthday. He had planned to clean it and replace it but didn't have time. He forgot all about it because he was so focused on making sure Kai didn't pick up on Sonny's guilt or awkwardness with Dario. Sonny traded another glance with Dario as both were now nervous. He knew he needed to give Will a quick answer, so they could move on, "That's actually an old rug I threw in there because it didn't look good out here on the floor. I'm going to have it cleaned after we leave, so we can just leave it in there for now. I'll make a note for the maids."

Dario tried to not let Sonny's cover bother him, but a part of him felt like the old rug that Sonny didn't feel was presentable for everyone. He looked away from everyone else as he feared what he might do if he looked into Sonny or Will's eyes. He decided to walk away to do another sweep of the first floor.

Sonny watched as Dario walked away. He felt bad for Dario, but knew he really needed to close the door on what they did on that rug. He didn't want anyone to know the truth because it only made him feel ashamed at this point.

Will decided to shrug it off and closed the closet door after noting Dario and Sonny's facial expressions. "Okay. I think everything is cleared down here. We're one step closer to getting out of this place!"

Chelsea and Abigail began to take the plates back to the kitchen. Chelsea made sure Josh was not around before asking, "Did you ever give Josh his gift?"

"No," Abigail answered as she looked around to make sure Josh wasn't around either. When they arrived in the kitchen, she let out a sigh. "I'm not sure what's going to happen now. I've been trying to stay positive and focus on other things, but he really hasn't said much to me. I don't want to even think about it, really."

Chelsea could tell Abigail didn't want to talk too much about it as it only seemed to frustrate her more. She decided to focus on getting out of there instead. "Sonny said that we could just leave the dishes here as someone is coming in to go through the cabin and clean everything when we're gone." Placing her hand on Abigail's arm, she suggested, "Maybe we can set up your camera for an awesome group photo."

"Sure," Abigail agreed. She knew Chelsea was trying to distract her from thinking about Josh. Abigail and Chelsea headed out of the kitchen, grabbed Abigail's camera, and headed outside.

Chad and Ignazio walked down the stairs after doing a sweep of the top level. "Everything is clear up there," Chad announced. As much fun as he had on the trip, he was ready to get out of there as well.

Dario walked over to Chad and asked, "Can I ride with you guys back to Salem?" He had no idea that Sonny was in hearing distance. He stood there waiting for Chad to respond as he realized he should have done this sooner. He knew it would be a bad idea to ride with Sonny and Kai back to Salem considering any form of relationship between him and Sonny was now forbidden.

Sonny overheard as Chad questioned, "I am not sure if we'll have room. We already have four in the car: Me, Will, Ignazio, and T. If we add a fifth, you guys would most likely be cramped in the back."

Sonny figured Dario didn't want to ride back to Salem with him and Kai and decided to step in. "I can talk to T and ask if he wants to ride with Kai and me," he suggested as he kept his eyes on Chad.

"If T is okay with it, then you are more than welcome to ride with us, Dario," Chad affirmed. He looked around for Will and spotted him helping Melanie with something.

Dario tried to avoid looking at Sonny as his thoughts kept bringing him back to what they did in the very room they were standing in. When T walked in with Nathan and Josh, Dario rushed over with Sonny in tow. "Hey, T. Are you cool with trading with me with who you ride with on the way back to Salem? I want to ride with Ignazio, Chad, and Will."

"You'll have to ride with Kai and me if you trade," Sonny added to clarify things.

Dario didn't want to admit it to himself, but the fact that Sonny sounded so cavalier with him during this whole exchange really bothered him. It was like Dario really meant nothing to Sonny. Dario hated it and once again felt like the old rug that didn't fit Sonny's life anymore.

T shrugged his shoulders as he didn't really care either way. He looked over to Chad and wondered if maybe it would be best if he stayed away from Will on the way back to Salem. "I guess. I'm probably going to sleep all the way back anyway. That means more room for me in the back, right?" Sonny nodded his head as Dario thanked T and went over to Chad to tell him.

Sonny walked over to the couch where Kai had been sitting while everyone worked on getting out of there. "T is riding down with us now, and Dario is riding with Chad," he shared as he took a seat next to Kai and felt his forehead. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I still feel a little off," Kai shared. "The medicine seems to be helping some. I don't know what it could be."

Sonny kissed Kai's forehead. He couldn't believe they would be heading back to Salem soon enough. "Just rest and relax. I'm going to help the others with everything so we can get out of this place."

After everything was done, Abigail gathered everyone outside to take pictures. Everyone stood in front of the cabin and posed for the camera. Ignazio stood in between Chad and Dario. Will had his arm around Chad's back as he stood next to T, who was next to Josh. Abigail and Chelsea were on the opposite side next to Sonny and a still ailing Kai. Nathan and Melanie stood in between Sonny and Dario. Everyone gave their best smile for a few pictures. After they finished, they got in their respective vehicles and began their trek to Salem.

* * *

><p>Daniel, Jennifer, and Maxine gathered in the hall outside the room where the meeting about Lexie's leave of absence would be held. "I don't think everyone is here yet, Dr. Jonas and Ms. Horton," Maxine shared as she looked down at her watch.<p>

"I received a few emails from some of the doctors, nurses, and other staff informing they could not make it to the meeting for various reasons," Jennifer explained. "We will just have to tell those who could make it today."

Sami arrived for the meeting, but stopped before going in so she could give the others some important news, "I talked to the other board members already and will be representing them in this meeting today." Turning to Daniel, she shared, "We also discussed who should take Lexie's post temporarily and decided that person should be you, Daniel."

Daniel stepped back shaking his head in protest. "I'm not sure that was a wise decision. I don't think I would be good in the role of chief-of-staff. I'm a surgeon and a doctor; not a manager. I can barely managed my own life," he cracked.

"Don't say that. You'll be a perfect fill in as chief-of-staff," Jennifer encouraged Daniel. It made sense to have Daniel on as Lexie's temporary replacement since he knew everything about Lexie's situation and could keep a handle on it.

"I agree," Colin said as he joined the others by the door. Ignoring the annoyed glances from Daniel and Jennifer, Colin also shared, "I really hope that Lexie and her family are okay. Whatever they are going through must be something big for her to step down like this." Colin watched Jennifer, Daniel, Maxine, and Sami to see if they would give anything away. He was curious if they were still under orders to keep everything that happened to Abe and Lexie Friday night on a need to know basis.

Maxine perched her lips together as she was ready to get back to business. "So we need to figure out who is going to say what."

"I guess I should talk since I am the temporary chief-of-staff until Lexie returns," Daniel said. He still wasn't sure of taking over the responsibility, but knew someone had to. He glanced over to Colin knowing he didn't want Colin to take the position.

Keeping an eye on Colin, Jennifer rested her hand on Daniel's shoulder as she whispered to him, "Yeah, you should be the one to tell them what we're allowed to tell them. If you want I can help you." Daniel nodded his head because he figured Jennifer knew how to handle these types of things.

"I should probably speak first and give a small introduction to let the doctors, nurses, and other workers know you're our new go-to guy," Sami decided. She thought about how she was now on the board for the hospital and found it funny considering her past scandals. Things had changed so much since those days.

Colin noticed that Jennifer and Daniel were keeping him at bay. He decided to make the others squirm by asking, "Do any of you have any idea when Lexie might be back to work?"

Still annoyed that Colin was hanging around, Daniel answered, "We don't have a clue at this point. Maybe you should save the questions for after the meeting." Colin nodded his head and walked inside. Jennifer rubbed Daniel's back to make him feel better about being the new chief-of-staff.

Maxine looked at her watch once again. "We should head in so we can start the meeting. We have patients to see – work to do," she commented with urgency. The others agreed and walked into the room to begin the meeting.

* * *

><p>Maddalena made her way down the stairs as fast as she could in search of Azzura. Luckily, she didn't have to go far as Azzura walked into the mansion as Maddalena made it to the bottom of the stairs. "Azzura, we must change the menu for tonight because Lexie has agreed to join us for dinner. It will only be her as her mother and son will not be joining us."<p>

Even though Maddalena said 'we', Azzura knew Maddalena actually wanted her to change it. "What do you want me to change the menu to?" she asked to make sure she got everything perfect for Maddalena.

Maddalena clasped her hands together as she looked up in thought. "I don't care what you choose, but I want you to make a dish that is custom to our region and culture in a time of death and mourning. Be sure to get lots of fruit and a good bottle of wine."

Azzura began to mess with her phone to see what they had in stock and what she would most likely need to get for dinner tonight. "I'll be right on it, signora."

Maddalena stopped Azzura before she could walk away. "Come back when you're done. I want to talk to you about security, Abraham, EJ, and Ignazio's return."

"I will return when everything is set on the menu for tonight," Azzura said with a slight bow.

Maddalena watched as Azzura left to head into the kitchen. She walked into the dining room and took a seat at the table to wait for Azzura hoping that everything would be perfect for Lexie when she arrived for dinner. As she sat there, she thought about EJ being the one to find Lexie the night before. She truly believed that was a sign she had her faith in the right person.

As Maddalena continued to think her plans over, Ric walked into the dining room in haste hoping to find Azzura. Surprised to see Maddalena in the room, he quickly lowered his head to show respect. "Signora, I hope I am not disturbing you. I am looking for Azzura."

"It's quite alright," Maddalena said with a forced smile. "How are things for you?"

Ric raised his head and quickly became nervous even though Maddalena had asked him a simple question. He had talked to Maddalena one on one before, but a part of him wondered if she knew of the Kinsey situation. "I am doing well, thank you. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Maddalena continued to smile as she patted the table and looked to the chair straight across from her. "Could you please take a seat? I want to talk to you about my nipote, Ignazio." Ric took a seat across from Maddalena and tried his best to keep a straight poker face, as she asked him, "How do you think Ignazio is doing with his tasks?"

Ric wondered why Maddalena would question Ignazio's ability to keep on top of things. His fear that she knew about Kinsey increased exponentially. "Ignazio seems to be focused, but I haven't talked to him since he went on that trip with Stefano's son," he answered. He hoped that his noncommunication with Ignazio would help excuse his lack of an answer.

Maddalena sat back in her chair. "I haven't really heard from him either now that I think about it," she thought aloud. "Why do you think he hasn't been in contact with either of us?"

Ric froze for a second believing that Maddalena had a motive for all these questions. He tried to think of an answer that would not get him or Ignazio into trouble. "I am not sure, signora. He might be busy working on the Chad front and may need to remain focused on that."

"Ah," Maddalena let out making Ric even more nervous. "So Ignazio has told you what I want him to do with Chad." Maddalena looked deep into Ric's eyes and sensed his nervousness. She wondered if more was going on.

"Is that a question?" Ric asked wanting to be sure. "Am I not supposed to know that you want Chad out of the picture?"

Before Maddalena could respond, Azzura walked out announcing, "The menu is set. We…" Azzura stopped talking when she spotted Ric sitting across from Maddalena. Giving him a puzzled look first, she then turned to Maddalena as she continued, "We will have a traditional meal that is proper during Lexie's time of mourning. Do you want to know the specifics?"

"I'll leave you two to talk alone," Ric said as he stood up at the table.

Maddalena kept her eyes on Ric. "Didn't you need to speak to Azzura? It seemed rather important with the way you rushed in here."

Azzura wondered what Ric and Maddalena were talking about before she arrived. "Signora, I can talk to Ric later. I have news to report, and we need to talk alone." Ric looked over to Maddalena before making another move, and she finally dismissed him. After Ric left, Azzura began to report on her various tasks. "I went to the hospital earlier to set up house visits so Colin can come see you here. I also downloaded Isobel Hernandez's patient file from the hospital records onto a USB drive." Azzura pulled out a small USB drive from her pocket to show Maddalena. "I will look through the file and print out the important information."

"Excellent," Maddalena praised Azzura. She had forgotten about wanting to know more about Isobel.

"May I ask why you're so interested in Isobel?" Azzura questioned.

Maddalena thought about Isobel as she looked up to Azzura. "Not now. You will know soon enough." She was ready to move on. " Tell me about your progress in your other tasks."

Azzura's curiosity increased about Isobel, but knew her place. She also wanted to keep Maddalena distracted with other things as she didn't want Maddalena asking her about why Ric wanted to talk to her. "I still need to look at what the police have on that case they are working on about Abe and the missing bodies."

Maddalena became annoyed that Azzura hadn't done that yet. "What's taking so long? We really need to know where the cops are digging their noses and how we can make sure they don't discover any of the things we're doing."

"I'm sorry, signora," Azzura responded as she took a seat across from her. "I am working diligently on a way to sneak in and find what you're looking for." Azzura decided to try to move onto another topic, so Maddalena would stop feeling annoyed. "I think I may have found a way to get rid of Samantha. Her ex-husband, Lucas, is still in town, but will be leaving soon. If I could get him to remain in Salem, I could possibly get Sami to leave EJ for him."

"I don't like it. If he's leaving town, you need to find another way to get in between Elvis and Samantha." Maddalena stood up deciding she was tired of hearing Azzura's lack of progress. "I know you can do better than this, Azzura. I really hope you can show me your best. For now, I am going to head back to my room to relax before dinner tonight."

Azzura watched as Maddalena stood up and headed out. She couldn't believe the way Maddalena chewed her out when she had done a lot for her. She knew that Lucas had to be the key, but decided she would heed Maddalena's request and think of an alternate plan just in case she couldn't get Lucas to stay in Salem. She stood up from the table and headed back to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>In the presence of her father and brother, EJ, Lexie sat on her couch thinking about what she had lost. She had better control of her feelings and thoughts from what she experienced the day before when she ran off from everyone in search of Abe, but her heart and body still ached from the possibility that she would never see her husband again. She doubted the pain would ever really go away.<p>

Celeste made her way down the stairs noticing the solemn expression on her daughter's face. She was glad to have her daughter back home, but knew her torment wasn't over. "Darling, if you want I can make us something to eat for lunch. It's about that time." She didn't bother with acknowledging the others in the room. Lexie slowly moved her head to look at her mother. "Thanks mom," she responded before turning to EJ. "How is Theo?"

Stefano had received the silent treatment from Lexie since he arrived and was tired of it. He knew Lexie had addressed the question to EJ, but wanted Lexie to finally say something to him. "Kate took the kids to an ice show with Mary and Lucas," he answered causing Lexie to give him a blank stare. She still wouldn't say anything to him. "Alexandra, I know that you have your mother here, but I think it would be a good idea if you joined us for dinner at the family home tonight."

"I can't," she stated simply. Lexie turned away from her father as she explained, "I already have dinner plans. I'm having dinner with your sister, Maddalena."

Even thought Lexie had finally shared a few words with him, the thought of Lexie eating with his sister quickly annoyed Stefano. He made for damn sure Lexie know it, too. "I think that is a horrible idea. You should be with us, not her."

Lexie rolled her head in an attempt to bite her tongue. She had remained silent long enough and decided she needed to finally have it out with her father. "EJ and mom, can you give my father and me a moment alone?"

EJ and Celeste looked at each other and agreed. Making their way into the kitchen, Celeste began to pull out sandwich meat and bread from the fridge for lunch. EJ took the opportunity to discover where Celeste stood in all of this. "You have been quiet when it comes to your thoughts on Abe. Tell me, do you think or know if Abe is dead?"

Celeste grabbed a few plates as she contemplated EJ's question. "It's really hard to tell right now. Everything is foggy, and I can't get a direct answer from anything for some reason. I have not felt his spirit, and that can either be a good thing or a bad thing."

"I really hope for Lexie's sake that it's a good thing," EJ commented. He knew Lexie was doing her best to live for Theo's sake, but he wondered what would happen if they ever got complete confirmation that Abe was indeed dead. If Abe was dead, EJ wanted to be the one to break the news to her, so he could help her through it.

Out in the living room, Lexie decided she couldn't hold back anymore and needed to have this conversation with her father. "We have a very complicated relationship father. Our relationship is not a normal father-daughter relationship because while I do care about and love you, I have a hard time trusting you completely because of the things you have done in the past."

Stefano tried to lighten the mood by throwing his hands up in the air innocently while saying, "What things?" He wanted to know where all the animosity was coming from as he believed that he and Lexie were in a good place before Abe's attack. He hoped it was just her grief causing her to respond irrationally towards him.

"I'm not in the mood to joke around about this," Lexie cautioned Stefano. "You know full well what I am talking about. Do I have to remind you of the hand you played in which you helped create the monster who took over my cousin's body?"

Stefano gave Lexie an annoyed look. He could only take so much of her irrational outbursts and tried his best to keep a cool head. "What does André have to do with anything? You know that I love you, and what André did has nothing to do with that."

"Influence," Lexie let out sternly. "You have this power to influence everyone around you. Friend, family, or foe – they all react, respond, and retreat to your every word or action." Lexie thought about her own life and the mistakes that she made. Turning away and looking to the ground as she walked around the couch, she shared her thoughts with Stefano, "I remember a time when I became this unrecognizable person. I was selfish. I ignored all the feelings of my friends and allowed your influence to overpower any moral and ethical guidance I once had. I almost lost Abe because of that. I promise you that was not me before I found out you were my father. There's no way I am going to let that happen again."

Stefano rushed to Lexie's side and attempted to place his hands on her shoulders to make her understand that she was accusing him of something he was not trying to do. "Alexandra, you know that I love you either way – whether you're good or bad. I am not trying to change you."

Lexie pushed Stefano's hands off of her in frustration. "Please do not touch me – at least for now. I am tired of people telling me what I should believe and what I should know. Why can't people see that I am a complete mess? Why can't others accept that I am questioning everything? Am I not allowed to feel this way or struggle? I've gained some control in my life, but I can't even make decisions like I used to. Karen and Jonah both sent holiday cards. Thankfully, Abe talked to them on Christmas, but Brandon actually called yesterday to wish us a happy new year. I'm sure that's why he called, but I didn't take the call because I can't even hint that something happened to Abe. He could be dead, and I am keeping that from his family!" Lexie looked down and sighed with despair. Feeling somewhat defeated, she added, "Everyone is trying to influence me, and I can't find me anymore."

Stefano began to tear up as he could see and hear the agony in Lexie. He tried to comfort her again, but Lexie kept her distance. "Alexandra, I know that this has been hard on you, but I am speaking truth when I say I did not do this to Abe to bring you back into the Dimera fold. I know that you love him and wouldn't interfere in that way."

"But you would get rid of Abe for another reason?" Lexie called her father out.

Stefano quickly realized Lexie misunderstood what he was trying to say. "That's not what I meant. I did not pay anyone to bring harm to Abe."

"Forgive me… wait. Don't forgive me! I don't care, but I don't believe you!" Lexie yelled at her father feeling the anger-filled resolve in her spirit again. "How many times in the past have we actually discussed the fact that you believed that I was too good for Abe – that Abe was going to get in the way?" She began to shake her head as she crossed her arms in disbelief. "Even if you didn't have a direct hand in what happened to Abe, it's still possible that you had an indirect influence in causing it. Everything that has gone wrong has always pointed back to you!"

"So either way, it's still my fault?" Stefano asked giving Lexie a confused look. He couldn't believe that she was so set on blaming this on him.

Lexie noticed that Stefano seemed shocked with her accusations. "Don't you dare act surprised that I would even think this! You know the kind of man you are – even to the ones you claim to love!"

As Lexie continued to remind and berate her father on his faults, Stefano had to do something as he could no longer stand and take her attacks anymore. "ENOUGH!" he boomed with anger in his voice. "I didn't come over here for you to tear me down – to tell me that when I say I love you, it's just an empty claim. I came here to help you through this because you are my daughter and I do love you very much. That has never been a lie!"

Lexie continued to feel frustrated and flustered. "Well, I don't feel it. You want to know why?"

"Please tell me," Stefano requested firmly but not without some annoyance.

Lexie tried her best not to let all of her emotions get the best of her as she explained, "You claim that you are here for me, but all I see is that you're here for yourself. You can't be real or honest with me. You're hiding something – something that you either don't want to tell me or you don't want me to hear. I want to know what you're not telling me!"

Stefano looked Lexie over unsure of what she wanted to hear. "I am not hiding anything from you. There's nothing to share."

Lexie had enough and didn't want to continue the conversation anymore. "Well, we have nothing to say to each other. We are done here. You can go back to your corner and observe, while I sit on my couch and ignore you!"

"You are acting tremendously preposterous and irrational. I won't stand for this. If you don't want me around, I won't be. It's simple as that." Stefano grabbed his coat and headed for the door. "Call me when you've realized your mistake in trying to put this all on me. Your grief does not give you the excuse to treat me, your supportive father, this way!"

As Stefano walked outside, EJ walked in from the kitchen. "Where is father going?"

"He's leaving," Lexie answered before deciding, "Please tell my mother that I am heading upstairs to relax so I can get rid of this headache. I'll eat later." EJ watched as Lexie headed up the stairs. He had heard some of the screaming from the kitchen, but didn't think things would have ended this way. He second guessed his decision to leave Lexie and his father alone. They obviously needed mediating if they were going to make peace at this point.

* * *

><p>After the meeting at the hospital, Daniel, Jennifer, and Sami gathered in the hall to discuss how they thought it went. "I think that went well. They seemed to accept that we couldn't give any specifics on Lexie's reasons for taking a leave of absence."<p>

Jennifer and Sami agreed with Daniel. "I guess we do have the best doctors and staff because they believe in the job that they are doing," Jen commented before turning to Sami to ask her, "Have you seen Lexie at all since last night? I really want to visit her. I feel bad that I haven't stopped by yet."

"I haven't seen Lexie, but I know about Lexie going AWOL yesterday," Sami shared.

Daniel remembered Celeste letting Jennifer and him know that Lexie had been found. "Is she okay now?" he asked wondering if he knew anything about her current state and what exactly happened when Lexie decided to disappear.

Sami nodded her head slightly. "I think so. EJ was the one who found her and took her home late last night. He said that she needed to get away from everyone and that's why she pulled the disappearing act."

Colin walked up spotting the three together. "What are you three talking about? Grading how you think the meeting went?" he asked cluelessly. Colin knew very well what they were talking about, but didn't want the others to know.

"Actually, we're having a personal conversation about our kids," Jennifer covered. "Abigail, Melanie, Will, and their friends are returning from Colorado tonight."

Sami's face lit up as she remembered she needed to tell Jen and Daniel something. "Some of us are having a small get together at the pub to welcome them back and wish them a happy new year," she shared. "I already told Will about that this morning, and he promised that he would tell the others."

Colin wondered if Maddalena knew about the small gathering that Sami mentioned. He decided to excuse himself. "Well, I'll let you three continue with your personal conversation. I have patients I need to speak with."

Sami gave Jennifer and Daniel a questioning look after Colin was gone. "Is there something going on with Colin? I notice that every time he shows his face, you two tense up and try to change the subject."

"We just don't trust him," Daniel explained. "Not that he's really up to something, but he just always seems to be around sticking his nose in our business."

Sami understood what Daniel meant and decided to share her own thoughts about Colin, "Colin's always been a shady character. I wouldn't trust him either." Sami looked at the time and jumped a bit when she saw what time it was. "I should head out so I can help my grandmother with setting things up at the pub. I hope I see you both there." Sami adjusted her purse around her shoulder and headed off.

Jennifer and Daniel decided to head for Jennifer's office. "Are you going to be able to go to the pub tonight for the small party?"

Daniel shook his head. "I have to work another shift after this one unfortunately. Please tell Melanie that I will talk to her late tonight or early tomorrow. She might be exhausted when she gets back in."

Jennifer agreed as they continued to walk. "I really think we should visit Lexie. I don't think she has any idea what's going on at the hospital. The least we could do is tell her about it."

"Yeah," Daniel responded clearly thinking about something else. "Lexie said she believes that Colin may have changed. Sami said we shouldn't ever trust Colin. What are the chances that Lexie is right about Colin?"

Jennifer wanted to laugh at the thought, but knew Lexie wouldn't have said what she said if she didn't believe it. "Well, with him being on that island for years and finally being rescued, I guess it is possible."

Daniel stopped walking causing Jennifer to stop as well. "You claimed that you once had feelings for Colin and saw good in him."

Jennifer looked down and put her hand through her hair as she thought about her past with Colin. "I guess I did, but Colin tarnished all of that by doing what he did," she shared before admitting, "Although the times I saw good in him, he appeared to be real and not fake. I wonder if he changed when he went against André and was taken to Melaswen as a prisoner."

Daniel didn't know what to think or how to respond. His thoughts wandered to when he first met Colin and how they were friendly towards each other. He wondered if his knowledge of Colin's past with Jennifer caused him to cut out any possibility that he and Colin could be friends and that Colin could be a good person. "I guess time will tell."

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Caroline shared a table with Isobel, while Arianna and Gabi helped around the pub to make sure everything was in order for the others' arrival. Arianna and Gabi also helped with the customers. Caroline gave Isobel a warm smile as she shared, "I have to tell you that you raised two wonderful and beautiful daughters."<p>

Isobel nodded her head in appreciation. "I want to thank you for housing both of them at one point when they couldn't afford it. I also want to thank you for giving them jobs to get on their feet."

"It's no problem, seriously," Caroline responded. "They are extremely hard workers and have never really let me down." Caroline thought about how much Ari and Gabi had helped her over the years. They were like family to her. "Sometimes I still wish that my grandson, Will, had stayed together with Gabi. Has Gabi ever talked to you about their breakup? I still don't understand what went wrong."

Isobel thought about what she knew of Gabi and Will's relationship and then remembered her few interactions with Will. "I am not sure exactly why they broke up, honestly, but I know that Gabi isn't doing well in her current relationship either. She does not seem happy with T – I believe that is his name. Was she happy with Will?"

Gabi rushed over having overheard her mother talking about Will, T, and her. Freaking out, Gabi asked, "Mama, what exactly did you tell Mrs. Brady about Will?" Gabi immediately thought the worst but wanted to make sure.

Caroline gave Gabi a confused look. "Is there something about Will I don't know about?"

Gabi looked her mother and Caroline over realizing she overreacted because she remembered her mother had no idea about Will being gay. "Oh," was all she could get out at first, but quickly covered soon after. "I just wanted to make sure that my mother wasn't bad talking Will since things ended between us. Will and I broke up because we lost our friendship when we were together and that's important," she explained hoping it would be enough for Caroline and her mother. She wanted them to talk about something else.

"Why would I say horrible things about Will?" Isobel asked not wanting to let Gabi's claim go. She shook her head and wondered why Gabi seemed on edge about Will.

Gabi gave an uneasy smile. "Well, you know. I'm your daughter and sometimes you can be overprotective about my feelings. It's nothing. How about you two talk about something else?" Gabi looked the customers over as she thought about her meltdown with her mother the day before.

"Like what?" Caroline asked curiously. "We could talk about the pub, if you're up for it."

Luckily for Gabi, Sami walked in and announced, "Sorry, I'm late. I can stay for a bit before I have to head back to the mansion to get the kids dressed and ready for tonight. What do you need help with?"

Gabi took the opportunity of Sami's presence to head back to the bar to check out some customers. As Sami joined Isobel and Caroline at the table, Caroline answered Sami's question, "Arianna is putting up decorations over there. You can help her."

Sami looked over and found Arianna decorating a few empty tables that Caroline had closed off to customers. "Hey, my grandma said that I could help you out. What do you need help with?"

Arianna looked up from putting a "Welcome Home" sign together. "Well, you can help me hang this up. I am about done with making sure it's perfect."

"It looks amazing. You really have an artistic talent," Sami commented trying to make nice conversation. Arianna stood up from the table and picked up one side of the sign. Sami grabbed the other side and helped Arianna hang it above the bar. Stepping back to make sure it was straight, Sami continued to try to make nice with Arianna, "So how have you been? Are you working here at the pub again?"

Arianna gave Sami a look before answering, "I've been okay, and no, I am not working here. I am taking care of my mother full time at this point."

Sami leaned on the bar and gave Arianna a soft look, "How is your mother doing?"

Arianna didn't want to stand there and answer Sami's questions. She thought about how stressful everything was and hoped that Dario's return would ease the tension between Isobel and Gabi. Deciding to dismiss Sami so she could focus on other decorations, she replied, "Why don't you ask her? She's sitting just over there." Sami watched as Arianna returned to the closed off tables. She got the hint that Arianna didn't want to be bothered by her.

* * *

><p>Will led the carpool back to Salem. Passing a sign that stated they were about an hour away from Salem, Will looked in his rearview mirror noting that Ignazio and Dario were still fast asleep in the back seat. He wondered if they would wake up any time soon.<p>

Chad had shared a few words with Will through the trip to make sure Will remained awake, but was now distracted with his phone because Mia had started texting him. Chad figured this would be the best way and time to tell Mia what he wanted without any distractions. He typed out his text message, read it, and edited a few things before sending: "I have realized it's not fair to Will that he doesn't know you're in Salem. It's really important as his boyfriend that I tell him the truth that you're the one I have spent so much time with."

After a moment, Mia finally responded with: "I'm not going to tell you what you should do since you know best, but I think you should hold off. You know Will isn't my biggest fan after what happened between the three of us. Is there any way you can wait until we talk about it in person? Aren't you on your way back to Salem anyway?"

Chad thought about Mia's request and figured there was no harm in waiting until he talked to Mia. He responded: "Sure. I'll wait and meet with you soon so we can figure out the best way to tell Will."

Mia was glad she had convinced Chad to wait as that gave her time to change Chad's mind altogether. She replied: "Thanks for waiting. There's something I need to talk to you about anyway."

As Chad responded that he would talk to her later, Will became curious about who Chad was texting. "You sure seemed focused on your phone. Who are you texting so much with?"

Chad realized he hadn't given Will much attention to make sure he was okay. "Sorry, just an old friend," he covered. He still hated that he was in the bind of keeping Mia's presence a secret.

Will thought about Chad's answer and realized something. "Before I met you, T and I were inseparable and did almost everything together. I just realized that I don't know much about your friends before we met. Did you have a best friend before we knew each other?"

Chad thought about life before Will. Putting his phone away, he responded, "Well, as you know, my mom and the guy I thought was my dad sent me to boarding school for a while to keep me away from Mia." Chad paused when he realized he had actually said Mia's name. He looked over at Will to see if Will would make a big deal out of hearing her name, but Will kept his focus on driving. Chad decided to simplify his answer, "I did have friends before, but I wasn't as close to them as you and T were or are now."

Will seemed to accept Chad's answer and didn't really have a response. Chad thought about how Will mentioned he and T did almost everything together. Chad's thoughts got the better of him when he said, "Even now you and T can go for a while without hanging out, but when you do it's like no time had passed since you both saw each other last. Have you two ever gone too far with your relationship?"

Will tried to keep his eyes on the road, but glanced at Chad when he asked, "What do you mean?" Will tried to read Chad's face, but turned his eyes back to the road. He felt so confused as to what Chad was getting at.

"Did you guys ever fool around," Chad asked Will point-blank, but then went on to clarify, "like kiss or anything more than that?"

Will gave Chad a quick look of concern as he answered, "No. T and I never… Where is this coming from? Are you jealous or something?"

Chad quickly backed off and denied being jealous. "I was curious – that's all. Sorry I asked."

Will realized he assumed too much from Chad's questions. "Sorry. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. I just didn't understand why you had to ask." Will had noticed that Chad seemed jealous before but decided not to push it. Trying to make things light, he joked, "I can't believe you brought up Mia. Thanks for the awful reminder."

Chad looked over to Will and noticed him roll his eyes. Not realizing that Will was joking, he wondered if Mia was right about Will. "It's okay," was all he could say feeling extremely uncomfortable. He turned up the radio to clear the air and to end their conversation. He completely forgot that Dario and Ignazio were asleep in the back, so when he turned up the music, they began to stir. Chad looked back after turning the music down and quickly apologized, "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's okay," Ignazio shared realizing he fell asleep close to Dario. He moved over to his side and stretched. "I need to wake up before we arrive anyway. Are we close?"

Will was a bit frustrated with how his conversation with Chad ended. "Yeah, we'll be there in less than an hour," he responded. "Do we need to make any bathroom breaks?" Dario, Ignazio, and Chad all said no. Chad then volunteered to call the others in separate cars to find out how they were doing.

* * *

><p>Later on at the pub, everything was set for the return of everyone who went to Colorado. Caroline and Isobel were now talking to Arianna while sitting at the same table they had been earlier. Caroline looked around for Gabi and figured she was still in the back filling cups with ice. "So how is Gabi doing at home?"<p>

Isobel thought about how jumpy Gabi was earlier and how she seemed all over the place emotionally over the past week. "Have you noticed she hasn't been herself recently as well? I am worried about her."

Arianna didn't like that they were talking about Gabi when she was in the next room over. She didn't want Gabi to walk out to find them talking about her. "I think she just has a lot on her plate," she tried to rationalize so they could move onto another subject. Figuring it wouldn't be enough, she turned to her mother and reminded her, "Mama, you need to just focus on yourself. Don't worry yourself about others. Gabi will be fine."

"She's my youngest," Isobel replied offended. "Don't tell me what to do or how to feel!" Isobel rolled her eyes and rested her hands on the table.

Caroline realized maybe she should stop asking questions. She hoped that her concern for Gabi didn't cause family problems for Arianna and Isobel. Caroline's eyes wandered as she looked over to another table where Jennifer, JJ, Lucas, and Kate sat. She didn't have time to wonder what they were discussing because her attention turned to the door when she heard it open. EJ and Sami walked in with Johnny, Allie, and Sydney. Caroline waved them over.

Sami and EJ let go of the kids' hands so they could run over and say hi. Slowly making their way over, Sami and EJ said their hellos. Caroline gave her great-grandchildren all a kiss and claimed to have something for them on the bar. Gabi walked out from the back, placed a tray of cups with ice on the bar, and joined her sister and mother at the table anticipating everyone's arrival. She didn't want to admit it, but she did feel weird being the only one who didn't go on the trip.

As Caroline took the kids to get some snacks, Sami and EJ made their way to the table that seated Jennifer, Lucas, JJ, and Kate. Jennifer, Lucas, and JJ were discussing Abigail, while Kate was on the phone. "I hope that Abigail comes back relaxed and rested. I couldn't help but notice how unhappy she seemed before she left," Jennifer shared.

"You noticed that, too," JJ commented with exasperation in his voice. He also hoped Abigail would come back in a better mood because he wanted her to not be a bitch when he told her that their father had returned to Salem.

"I hope that everyone comes back rested considering everything that has happened here the last few days," Sami responded. She knew that it was going to be hard when the others found out what happened to Abe. Everyone at the table agreed.

"Didn't you say that Adrienne and Justin were coming?" Lucas asked Jennifer.

Jennifer nodded her head as she confirmed, "Yeah, they are running a little late." Turning to Sami, Jennifer commented, "I saw you brought Johnny, Allie, and Sydney. I thought Theo was staying with you as well."

"EJ and I dropped Theo off with Celeste tonight," Sami answered as she looked over to the bar to make sure the kids weren't overextending their great-grandmother, Caroline.

Kate got off the phone and stood up from the table. Walking over to EJ, she turned him around so she could talk to him alone. "Your father is not answering his phone. Chad gets back tonight, and he still has no idea what happened to Lexie. Who is going to tell him what's happened with Abe?"

EJ placed his left hand on his hip while placing his right hand on his forehead to think. He was annoyed that Stefano decided not to come. "I'll have to be the one to tell Chad since father doesn't seem to care to show up."

"I don't think it has anything to do with Stefano not caring," Kate set EJ straight. She then softened with concern as she continued, "Did something happen? When I saw your father earlier and told him about this whole thing, he seemed out of it."

EJ remembered the argument Lexie and Stefano had earlier and how it ended. "Actually, father and Lexie had a heated argument earlier, and it didn't seem to end well for either of them. Maybe he needed to step away from everything to regroup. Lexie said some hurtful things – though not unwarranted – but hurtful nonetheless."

"I hate that this is happening to the family. I wish…" Kate stopped when she spotted the younger group entering the pub. "They're here!"

As the group headed in, Chelsea and Dario spotted Caroline and Isobel sitting at the same table. As Johnny and Allie crowded Chelsea, Chelsea tried to give Caroline a hug while asking, "Did you survive without me?"

As Dario hugged and asked Isobel the same question, Gabi traded a glance with Dario when she spotted Kai with Sonny. She definitely didn't expect to see Kai there and wondered what his being back in Salem meant for her brother. She tried to get Dario's attention, but he was too distracted with making sure Isobel was okay.

"Your father and Hope took Ciara ice skating since Ciara's birthday party was canceled this weekend," Caroline informed Chelsea as Sydney sat in her lap. "They'll be here later."

"I'll have to make sure I give Ciara her birthday gift from Colorado." Chelsea walked over to Gabi after Johnny and Allie ran off to mug someone else. "Since I'm back, you won't have to do everything around here, Gabi. My grandma told me that you stepped it up while I was gone."

Gabi gave up on getting her brother's attention and turned to Chelsea. "I didn't have to do too much, since I got the holiday off, but I am relieved actually that you're back," she admitted.

"Sorry I left you with all that," Chelsea apologized as she gave Gabi a hug. Chelsea had noticed sadness and exhaustion in Gabi's eyes and figured she might need one. Gabi was surprised by the hug, but didn't back off as it felt genuine.

EJ, Sami, and Lucas welcomed Chad, Will, and Ignazio. "How was your trip boys?" EJ asked with a smile. As he patted Chad's back, he dreaded having to be the one to destroy the high his brother might be on from his trip away from Salem.

"We had an awesome time," Chad responded.

Will spotted Johnny, Allie, and Sydney rushing over. Kneeling down he gave them all a hug. "It's so good to see all of you guys again. I missed you."

Johnny held onto Will as he asked, "Are you going to go away again soon?"

"No," Will said automatically with an assuring smile. "No more trips. School starts in two weeks, and I have to get ready for that." Johnny, Allie, and Sydney were happy to hear that. Will stood up and gave Lucas and Sami a hug next. "So dad, how much longer are you and Allie in Salem?"

"Unfortunately we head back tomorrow," Lucas answered. "We actually need to discuss what we're going to do tomorrow before Allie and I leave. I'd like to have some kind of big meal together as a family if possible."

After talking to Ignazio a bit about his experience in Colorado for the first time, EJ excused himself and Chad. Placing his arm around Chad's shoulders, he guided Chad away from everyone else. "Chad, we need to talk in private."

After EJ and Chad walked away, Ignazio stood there for a moment and watched as Will continued to talk to his parents about having lunch together tomorrow. He decided to find a wall to observe everyone in the room. T walked past Ignazio and put his hand on Will's shoulder to get his attention. "Sorry to interrupt, but I am going to head out." T glanced over to Gabi knowing he wasn't ready to deal with her just yet.

Will turned around after putting his finger up to his parents to ask for a moment with T. "Are you sure? You can hang out," Will suggested. He didn't want T to feel like he had to rush out because he didn't have family there.

"Nah, man. I should go," T decided. He didn't want Will worrying about him while he was spending time with his family. Playfully slapping Will's arm, T suggested, "Wish me luck. I'm going to tell my parents about Kinsey tonight."

Will immediately went in for a hug as he knew this was a big deal for T considering T's parents always had a problem with Kinsey. "Dude, definitely. If you need anything let me know. Good luck."

T forced a smile to fight his nerves and to make Will feel like everything would work out in the end. Taking a deep breath he made his way out of the pub after patting Josh on the back. Josh watched silently as Jennifer explained to Melanie and Nathan that Daniel had to work late. She told Nathan and Melanie that she would have to talk to them about something when they had more privacy.

Josh decided to grab a snack and stood next to Chelsea, who had the same idea. "Abigail asked me to stay, but I'm not sure if I can just stand here and pretend everything is okay," he commented to her without any reason.

Chelsea eyed Josh for a moment knowing it must have taken guts for Josh to tell her how he felt. "Hang in there," she replied. "Abigail will open her eyes."

Josh felt the awkwardness of the situation in admitting that to Abigail's best friend. "Sorry I said anything," he said before walking over to rejoin Abigail, JJ, and Jennifer.

Chelsea grabbed a napkin and turned around only to run into Kate. Jumping a bit, she stated, "Grandma Kate, I didn't expect you to be here."

"And why wouldn't I be here?" Kate asked rhetorically. "If I didn't know better, I would say you're still avoiding me. How was your trip?"

Chelsea remembered hashing it out with Nathan, but made sure she didn't share any of that with Kate. Keeping it ambiguous, she shared, "It was good. Went skiing and partied a lot."

Kate noted Chelsea's short answers but decided not to make a big deal about it. She decided to approach her granddaughter in a different way hoping that Chelsea would just open up to her. "I'm not going to ask you what happened, but I do want to tell you that I am very proud of you."

"Proud of me?" Chelsea gave Kate a confused look as she stepped back. "About what?"

Kate smiled as she explained herself, "I heard you helped Johnny by giving him counseling sessions. I didn't know you were practicing in Salem."

Chelsea became nervous with Kate's suggestion that she was Johnny's therapist. "That's not exactly how it happened, but I did help Johnny," she tried to clear up. She couldn't afford people thinking that she was practicing unethically.

Ignazio rested his back on the wall as he overheard their conversation. Until now he had no idea that Chelsea was related to Stefano's wife and used to be some kind of shrink. He found both aspects very interesting. Ignazio turned his head to see what else was happening in the pub. He spotted EJ and Chad walking around the pub trying to get Johnny to stay behind, but Johnny wanted to be with his daddy and Uncle Chad.

Meanwhile, Jennifer and JJ talked to Abigail and Josh about their trip. JJ continued to poke Abigail's arm to annoy her and to test her bitchiness level. Abigail had enough and called him out, "Are you poking me continuously because you missed me so much?" JJ smiled causing Abigail to smile. He figured their exchange was a good sign.

Jennifer maneuvered her head so that Josh would look directly into her eyes. "Josh, are you okay? You seemed checked out," she noted to him. She wondered if Josh knew anything about Abigail's recent mood and distance from everything.

Josh quickly placed a chip in his mouth, so he wouldn't have to answer right away. "I'm just a bit hungry," he shared after swallowing the chip.

Abigail knew he was covering for the both of them. She could still feel the distance between them, but she convinced herself it wasn't a problem. "Those chips look good," she remarked clearly in denial. "I'll go grab some for us and some drinks. Do you two want anything?"

Jennifer told her she was fine before JJ volunteered to help his sister. After JJ followed Abigail to the bar, Jennifer looked to Josh again hoping she would get a better response from him with Abigail gone. "Did you have a good time?"

Josh gave her a look and didn't know what to say. He didn't want Jennifer to worry, but he didn't enjoy lying to her either. He looked down pretending he didn't hear her question.

At the bar, JJ took advantage of the opportunity of being alone with his sister. As she poured a couple of drinks, JJ whispered to her, "I saw dad last night."

Abigail immediately put the cups down on the bar, so she could give JJ her full attention. "What did you say? Did I hear right? You saw dad last night? Wait… how?"

"Don't tell mom," JJ requested before answering her questions. "Yeah. I saw him at the house – outside. You can't tell mom because dad needs to come up with a plan to win her back."

Abigail continued to question the validity of Jack being back in Salem after all this time. Overcoming the shock she still felt from hearing JJ's news, she finally said, "Fine. I won't say anything, but only because I am not sure if I believe you." As JJ protested with Abigail that he was telling the truth, Abigail watched her mother and wondered how this would change everything.

Sonny and Kai walked over to Jennifer and Josh breaking the uncomfortable silence between them. "Aunt Jennifer, do you know what's taking my parents so long?" Sonny asked.

Jennifer was about to answer, but Adrienne and Justin walked in. "There's our boy!" Adrienne announced as she threw her arms around Sonny. Justin followed suit. Adrienne jumped back in shock when she spotted Kai standing next to him. "Kai, what are you doing here?"

Justin shook Kai's hand as Kai answered, "Well, Victor flew me out to Colorado to surprise Sonny on his birthday."

"Wow," Justin shared as he smiled at Adrienne. Both were surprised to hear that Victor was behind the surprise. "It seems my uncle has come around completely in accepting Sonny," he said feeling proud.

Sonny shared a look with his father and smiled uncomfortably. He still wasn't fond of the surprise he experienced on his birthday. Sonny turned to Kai when Kai laughed and grabbed his arm. Sonny looked down trying not to show how uncomfortable he felt in that moment. He told himself that he was going to tell Kai tonight when they got back to his place, but then noticed something he hadn't let himself notice before. Grabbing Kai's arm, Sonny felt heat coming from Kai's arms. He quickly placed his palm on Kai's forehead. "You have a fever. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to worry you over nothing, but I guess my feeling sick earlier never went away," Kai admitted. "My body has been aching all day, and I'm feeling really tired."

Adrienne felt Kai's forehead as well. She turned to Jennifer with concern as she agreed with Sonny's assessment, "You do feel warm." Adrienne looked the place over and found Caroline standing at the bar giving the little ones, including Johnny, something to drink. She couldn't believe she was about to do this, but she wanted to make sure Kai felt okay. "I'll go ask Caroline if she has any soup or medicine in the back."

As Adrienne approached Caroline, Dario got up to get refills for his mother and sisters. He overheard Adrienne telling Caroline that Sonny's friend, Kai, had a fever. He watched as both headed to the back to get some soup.

Gabi took the opportunity and joined her brother. Except for the times she talked to Chelsea, she had been watching Dario closely. "Dario, you're different from when you left. What happened with Sonny?"

Dario gave Gabi an annoyed look before returning to refilling the cups. "I don't want to talk about it."

Gabi persisted, "Tell me, Dario. What did he do to you?" Dario remained silent as he finished refilling everyone's cups. "You realize that if you don't tell me now, I am going to keep asking you about it," she quasi-threatened.

Dario let out a sigh. "Gabi, I'd rather avoid talking about Sonny for the rest of my life." On her way to tell Sonny and Kai that Caroline was warming up some soup, Adrienne walked by just in time to overhear Dario. She wondered what caused him to say that.

Azzura walked into the pub and found Ignazio talking to Will and Sami. "There you are. I have been waiting outside for you. Are you ready to go home?"

Ignazio gave Sami and Will a smile as he turned to Azzura. "I'm not ready to go. I want to stay a little longer."

Azzura was annoyed with Ignazio for wanting to stay at first because she wondered if he was getting too attached to Chad and Will, but then realized if she stayed, she could spend more time with Sami, EJ, and Lucas. "Fine," she whispered to Ignazio before walking closer to Sami. "Sami, it's so good to see you. Where are Lucas and EJ?"

Will gave his mother a weird look as he wondered when she became friends with Maddalena's servant. Sami answered, "Lucas was talking to his mother last I saw him. I haven't seen EJ in a while. He's somewhere with Chad though."

Outside of the pub, EJ struggled with how to approach the bad news with his little brother. After some nonsense, he finally shared what he brought him outside to say, "Late Friday evening, Abe was attacked. He is now missing."

Chad didn't know what to say at first, but then his mouth opened as he started asking a lot of questions. "What do you mean he was attacked, and what do you mean he's now missing? This happened on Friday?"

EJ grabbed Chad's shoulders to calm him down. "Chad, let's take one question at a time. Abe was attacked on Friday night. His body is now missing."

"If his body is missing, then how do we know he was attacked?" Chad asked glancing over the fact that EJ said 'body' the second time around.

EJ gave Chad a sad look. "Lexie saw it all and escaped before anything could be done to her. When the cops arrived, Abe wasn't there anymore."

Chad stepped back causing EJ to let go of his shoulders. The bad news was finally sinking in as he said, "This happened on Friday? It's Monday!" Chad felt sick to his stomach. "I feel like the worst brother ever. I've been away enjoying myself when I should have been here helping Lexie – helping you and dad find Abe – helping Theo out!" Chad put his hands in his pocket and pulled out his keys. "I've got to go."

EJ stopped Chad from leaving. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I need to visit Lexie. I need to check in on her and Theo to make sure they know that I will do whatever it takes to help them." Chad tried to leave again, but EJ stopped him. "Let me go!"

EJ didn't. "Chad, think this through. Visit her tomorrow. Lexie's not home anyway because she's having dinner with our Aunt Maddalena." EJ let go of Chad once he knew Chad understood he couldn't see Lexie tonight. "There's more. You can't talk about this publicly because the cops are keeping a tight lid on Abe being missing altogether - it's an idiot plan, but father and I are looking into it on the side. You can tell Will, but it's probably best if you don't tell anyone else."

Chad nodded his head to let EJ know he understood. His next question came out of nowhere though, "Is father responsible for what happened to Abe?"

EJ looked at Chad giving him a bizarre look. "I just told you that father and I are looking into it. Why would you even ask that question?" He wondered why Chad and Lexie were suddenly so against their father. He questioned if he missed something that they saw.

"Open your eyes, EJ!" Chad let out feeling flustered. "Our father has done some extremely evil things – even to people he claims to love!"

EJ shook his head at Chad as he remembered hearing Lexie scream the same thing to their father earlier. "You're wrong about this."

"What's it going to take?" Chad asked looking straight into EJ's eyes for a moment, but then digressed, "I hope you're right. I'm going back into the pub to let Will know I am ready to head out soon."

EJ watched as Chad walked back into the pub. He placed his hand on his forehead as he realized the family was in worse shape than he thought. Whispering to himself, he commented, "Father, you picked the worse time not to be here. By not showing up, you've alienated Chad even more." EJ walked back into the pub to rejoin the party.

* * *

><p>Maddalena and Lexie sat at the dining room table of Maddalena's mansion eating dinner. Placing her fork down on the table next to her plate, Maddalena gave Lexie a comforting look. "I can understand your wanting space from everything to collect yourself because I remember my own experiences with grief. I think of when I lost my mother, father, siblings, and even children. I don't know about you, but I remember feeling frustrated because it showed me how much I didn't have control over."<p>

Lexie began to tear up as she agreed. Maddalena's approach with her was refreshing because she was only sharing her experience and not trying to tell her how to feel or respond to her own situation. "That's exactly how I feel. I struggle so much because I doubt I'll ever feel the peace I felt before this whole ordeal. Part of me feels like an idiot for allowing myself to feel safe in this world. I know that this world is full of darkness, danger, and disappointment."

"Yes, life is full of all those horrible things, but you can't let those things win in your life. As a woman to another woman, you have to be strong. Take that control back!" Maddalena took Lexie's hand in hers to empower her. "Take your life back."

Lexie gave Maddalena a smile of appreciation. Even though Maddalena had now shifted to telling her what to do, it was different. Maddalena seemed genuine with her advice and she could feel a connection to her. "Thank you for opening your home up to me. It makes no sense why my father would keep your existence from me because you really do have a kind heart."

Maddalena let go of Lexie's hand to show her that she felt uncomfortable with this topic, even if she really wasn't. "Well, your father and I had a falling out years ago, but I'd rather not say any more than that. He has his reasons, I suppose."

"Does it have to do with André?" Lexie asked curiously but cautiously not wanting to pry too much. Maddalena nodded her head to confirm Lexie's suspicions. Lexie decided to ask a follow-up question, "Did you come to Salem to forgive my father for what happened?"

Maddalena smiled warmly. She loved that Lexie automatically assumed that Stefano was the one at fault. "Yes. It's been a long process."

"Well, I guess there is a lot of history there," Lexie commented. "What was it like to grow up with my father? I'm curious because even though I know I love him, I also know it can be a chore at times because of the things he's done in the past. Was he always like this?"

Maddalena smiled again as she nodded her head. "Your father is the only sibling I grew up with who is still alive," she shared. "I don't know anything about John Black, but at this point, I don't really see a point in getting to know him since he wants nothing to do with the Dimera name. It's probably better that way."

Lexie forgot about John being her uncle as she really did not interact with John, Brady, or Belle that much anymore. "What about your father? Was Santo anything like my father?"

"There were similarities," Maddalena started as she thought back to her memories of her father. "I personally think that my father was the better man," she shared before joking, "I might be biased though because I was always – how do you Americans say it – daddy's little girl."

Lexie laughed and genuinely smiled for the first time, but stopped herself when the guilt of her feeling that way hit her. "Sorry."

"No, Lexie. Don't let the guilt stop you from feeling joy," Maddalena cautioned as she grabbed Lexie's hand again. "Who were you apologizing to anyway?"

"I was apologizing to Abe," Lexie admitted.

"I don't believe you," Maddalena let Lexie know. "What would Abe want you to do in your current situation?"

Lexie looked down and answered without a thought, "He would want me to not be happy."

"Do you hear yourself? You just said that the man who loves you very much would want you to be unhappy. I don't believe for a second that a man who had your love would want to see you miserable at all." Maddalena put her finger under Lexie's chin and raised her head so she would look at her. "What would Abraham truly want for you? I want you to really think about it."

As Maddalena removed her finger from Lexie's chin and sat back in her chair, Lexie looked down at her food and thought in silence for a moment. Thinking about what Abe would say to her in this situation caused Lexie to smile warmly. "Abe was always a good man. He loved me unconditionally and accepted me for who I was. He's always influenced me for the better."

"Is that your answer?" Maddalena questioned pointing out that Lexie was thinking aloud.

Lexie continued to smile as she finally answered, "He would want me to remember what we had and allow that to be my strength in making sure Theo is well taken care of."

Maddalena smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "I remember when you, Abe, and your son came to my house for pranzo. This place is huge and your warm faces alone filled the whole house. Love was there and love will never make you feel guilty." Lexie felt warmth feel her whole being causing her to feel a bit overwhelmed. She looked down to collect herself as a tear fell down her face.

After dinner was over and the conversation died down, Maddalena walked Lexie to the entrance since Lexie commented on needing to head home. Lexie wrapped her left arm around her chest as she rubbed her right arm. "Thank you again for tonight. I really needed it."

Maddalena smiled warmly once again. "If you need anything, do not hesitate in letting me know. It's healthy to feel sad at this time because you're in the process of mourning Abraham."

"I'm not ready to fully mourn Abe because I can't help but hope he is still alive," Lexie admitted.

Maddalena pulled Lexie into a hug and held her for a moment before saying, "We all hope and pray he is still alive."

Tears fell down Lexie's face as she could feel the love that Maddalena was sharing. Releasing from the hug, Lexie wiped her face and thanked Maddalena again. "I should probably go before all I do is thank you while flooding your floors," she joked. "We will definitely be in contact." Maddalena helped Lexie wipe her face and nodded her head.

Lexie walked out and left the premises. Maddalena closed the door as she thought about what just happened with Lexie. She smiled as she felt the family was getting closer the way she wanted. She wiped a small tear of joy from her face as she dwelled in the performance she just achieved. Lexie was now on her side of things.

A moment later, Azzura and Ignazio arrived from the pub. Maddalena rushed over to Ignazio as fast as she could and gave him a hug. "How was your trip, nipote?"

"It was an interesting experience," Ignazio shared vaguely. "I promise you I will give you a full report tomorrow as I am tired and want to make sure I can tell you everything at one time."

Azzura gave Ignazio an aggravated look. "Sleep can wait."

"No, he should get his rest if he is tired," Maddalena responded deciding to let Ignazio's not wanting to say anything slide. She held him tight for a moment and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "We will hear everything you have to say tomorrow."

Azzura pulled her hair back in frustration. She could not believe that Maddalena let Ignazio get away with not telling her what he accomplished while on his trip. She hated that Maddalena was giving him special treatment when Maddalena chewed her out earlier.

Ignazio smiled and gave Maddalena a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for being so understanding," he replied before yawning. Ignazio felt good knowing that he had another day to think everything over. Something in him didn't feel right when he thought about reporting the information he gathered in Colorado. He realized he didn't feel completely comfortable with sharing Chad and Will's secret to Maddalena. He knew it was something he would have to get over by tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Back at Chad, Will, and Sonny's apartment, Will looked over at Chad, who was sitting on the couch. He could tell Chad was upset, but didn't know why. He wondered what EJ told Chad at the pub earlier.<p>

Sonny and Kai walked in with Kai feeling worse than before. "I'm going to lead you back to my room, and then I'll grab some medicine from the bathroom cabinet," Sonny informed Kai.

When Sonny and Kai disappeared in the back, Will walked over to Chad and joined him on the couch. "What's wrong, Chad? You've barely said a word since you went out to talk to EJ."

Chad couldn't answer, but he wrapped his arms around Will to hold him. Feeling fearful and hopeless, Chad responded, "EJ told me tonight that Abe was attacked Friday night and might be dead. Lexie saw the whole thing, but when the cops arrived, Abe's body wasn't there anymore."

Will couldn't believe what Chad was telling him, but remembered Chad telling him that Nathan received an email from the hospital the day before. "Is this connected to that email Nathan got about Lexie having a family emergency?" he asked.

Chad nodded his head as he spoke, "No one is really supposed to know about this because the cops don't want the people to panic. I guess Lexie lied to me when I called her because she didn't want me to worry or come back to Salem earlier than planned."

"That makes sense," Will commented not sure what else to say. He knew that Chad was hurting and understandably so. Will placed his hand on Chad's thigh and began to rub it.

Chad looked down and shook his head. He felt like a horrible brother for having so much fun while the rest of his family had to go through this. In frustration, he let out, "How does this make sense? I wish my family would stop trying to protect me from everything. I am not weak! I am more than capable…"

"Chad, stop getting frustrated about this. Your family obviously cares about you and your happiness," Will tried to interrupt. He didn't like Chad getting so bent out of shape about this. Will interrupting Chad's rant only quieted Chad for a second because Chad continued on about how he would have rather been told the truth. Sensing that Chad was just frustrated altogether, Will decided to take a different approach to calm Chad down. Will moved in closer to Chad and kissed him on the neck, flirtatiously tickling Chad.

Chad smiled immediately, stopped talking, and let out a small chuckle. He looked into Will's eyes with gratitude. "Thanks for helping me snap out of that. I'm still worried about Lexie and Theo, so I should focus on their feelings and not mine."

Will rubbed Chad's arm to help him continue to settle down. "We'll go visit your sister and nephew tomorrow." Chad liked that Will wanted to go with him. Sadly, their moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. Will got up and answered to find T standing on the other side. "T?" Will looked T over and realized T was in tears. "What's wrong?"

T walked into the apartment and threw his body on Will so Will could hold him. "My parents kicked me out of the house. I didn't know where else to go," he shared with despair.

Will continued to hold T as he responded, "You can stay with us for as long as you need." Will couldn't believe that T's parents kicked him out. He expected a yelling match, but this was definitely the worst.

As Chad stood up annoyed at the idea of T staying with them, Sonny walked in because he could hear T crying. "What's going on?" he asked.

Will turned his head and noticed Chad seemed disappointed as he answered Sonny's question, "T needs a place to stay. His parents kicked him out."

"I'm okay if he needs to stay," Sonny responded to Will. He headed to the door and shut it as Will continued to hold T. Patting T on the back, Sonny spoke to him, "T, you can stay here if you need to." Sonny and Will then turned their attention on to Chad to see if he was okay with it.

Chad, who hated the idea of T staying with them, decided not to put up a fight. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Do what you want."

Wanting to talk to Chad about this, Will quickly turned to Sonny as he let T go. "Sonny, can you help T get settled on the couch?"

Chad stopped himself from leaving. "Will, you should help T since he obviously needs you more." After he said his piece, he headed to his bedroom.

Picking up on the hostility in Chad's voice, T began to apologize. "Maybe I should go stay somewhere else," he suggested.

"No way," Will immediately told T as he rubbed his arms. "Chad is just dealing with a lot right now and is taking it out on you. You're staying here and nowhere else."

From the bedroom, Kai yelled out Sonny's name causing Sonny to forget what was going on with T. Will told Sonny to take care of Kai as he could help T get settled in. Sonny yelled back, "Coming," as he left the living room.

Will looked T over with a reassuring look. "I am sorry for Chad's attitude. I promise it has nothing to do with you. You can stay on the couch for the time being. If you need to talk, I'm here."

"Thanks Will; I appreciate it," T shared as he wiped his face. He was no longer crying. "I think I might just try to sleep it off for now. I don't really want to talk about anything right now."

Will nodded his head and understood. "I'll go get you a blanket and a pillow." Will headed to the closet in the hallway next to Sonny's bedroom and grabbed the things T would need to sleep on the couch. "We have water in the fridge, and you know where the bathroom is." Will gave T a hug after T thanked him again. Both said good night.

Will headed into his bedroom and noticed Chad was already in bed. After undressing, he got into bed and laid next to Chad, who was pretending to be asleep. Will worried that maybe there was more Chad hadn't told him yet.


	46. Chapter 46 Lovers

**Chapter 46: Lovers – Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 **

With a smile of confidence on his face, Chad looked up at the bright stars in the clear sky as he headed for the woods in Salem. He felt so much better than he did before concerning his life. He knew his focus needed to remain on doing whatever it took so that his fears did not have power over him. Coming upon a dirt path that led into the woods, Chad noticed a tarot card on the ground face down.

Looking up from the ground, Chad noticed that the scenery changed ahead of him somewhat. He was still walking towards the woods, but now two full-grown trees – distinct from each other – stood at a distance. The tree to his left flowered with blood red roses while the tree to his right appeared to be a fruit tree. Both trees were extremely captivating in their own way.

Ignoring the tarot card on the ground, Chad decided to get a closer look at the two trees before him. A fork separated the path he had been walking on into two different paths – each led to a different tree. Chad stopped to study the two paths and realized that the distance between him and the tree on the left seemed the closest and easiest, but the one on his right seemed further and much more difficult. Even so, he could not look away from the fruit tree.

The tree to his right stood so high up in the air and had the most beautifully vivid green leaves. Chad watched as the leaves bristled in the wind. As they surged in the wind, he could hear a sound causing him to wonder if the leaves were somehow trying to communicate with him. He looked the fruit of the tree over and noticed they were barely budding. They were nowhere near ready to be picked from the tree, but Chad felt an association to the tree though. He felt as if his own life was connected to the life of the tree.

Chad noticed the leaves were moving more than usual and spotted a snake as it made its way up the dark auburn bark of the tree. Arriving at the highest branch of the tree, it hissed at Chad grabbing his full attention. The luminous bronzed snake then tied its undertail scales on the stalwart branch and threw itself down the tree. Chad watched amazed as the snake stretched below the lowest branch of the tree. The snake looked Chad directly into his eyes and hissed one more time before suddenly changing into an incandescent noose. Chad couldn't believe what he had just witnessed and didn't know what it meant for him and his life.

After uncertainty enveloped his mind, Chad turned his head so he could gaze on the other tree. He questioned if it would have any answers for him. This tree stood high as well, but it was in full bloom. The tree also had green leaves, but the dark scarlet coloring of the roses washed out the green. He, too, felt a connection to this tree, and as the wind swam through the roses, he could feel something telling him that the tree was ready for him at this very moment.

Suddenly, a gust of wind pushed Chad forward a bit. Another feeling came over him as the wind began to grow stronger. The howl of the wind became distinct, and it felt as though the wind wanted him to hurry and decide which path he would take. Feeling overwhelmed, Chad looked up into the sky and anxiously yelled out, "Stop!"

The gust of wind died down a bit, but Chad could still feel a breeze pressing against the back of his neck. Looking back to the tree to his left, he watched as Mia, who was in a form-fitting crimson robe, appeared from behind it. Walking around the flowering tree, Mia slowly made her way down the dirt path towards him – her hands stretched out in a welcoming fashion. Chad froze for a moment, but wanted answers as to what all this meant. "What…"

"…does this all mean?" Mia finished Chad's question.

Chad froze again because he didn't expect Mia to finish his question. He had so many thoughts and questions running through his mind. It was hard for him to pick which was most important. "When we met, we…"

"…were really young."

"We thought we knew everything and…"

"…had the world figured out." Mia continued to finish Chad's sentences as she came closer to him. The wind flowed through her hair as it were softly brushing out all the tangles to make it even more vibrant than before.

Chad watched Mia for a moment as he tried even harder to figure out how Mia could know what he was going to say. "Why..."

"…are you here?" Mia asked as she finally made her way to Chad. She looked into Chad's eyes eventually breaking the cycle of her finishing his sentences. "This journey you're on is and has led to me this whole time. You know who you really are. You were raised to marry a woman and have…"

"…a huge family," Chad finished. He looked Mia over still feeling confused about everything.

Mia gave Chad a worried look. "Homosexuality will only lead to pain. In reality, it makes no sense and is incompatible. You know this deep down. I can give you what you want, and I am ready for you now." Turning around and pointing to her tree, she continued, "I am in bloom, and you can have everything that you want at this very moment in time. This is what you want, is it not?"

Chad returned his gaze onto the flowering tree. He spotted Stefano riding a sturdy horse on the path towards it. "Father?" he whispered to himself. Stefano, who was dressed as the Emperor, arrived under the flowering tree and turned around to look at his son to acknowledge which tree he believed Chad should choose. Chad turned to the fruit tree to look it over once again. He didn't want to discount it beauty even if it brought fear to his heart. "The tree on my right…"

"…will only lead to greater difficulty," Mia cut in catching Chad's gaze once again. "Take the easier path, Chad," she encouraged as she turned around to walk towards her tree again. "Follow me and everything will be so easy for you," she held as she looked over her shoulder.

Chad remained still in his place even though the offer from Mia sounded promising. He wasn't ready to decide yet. He looked to the fruit tree and spotted a woman standing next to the noose that hung from the highest branch. Looking closer, he realized it was his mother dressed as the Empress. Seeing her stand so close to the noose caused him to think about how she was now dead. He hated seeing her close to something that represented death.

Physically shaking his head, Chad hoped that she would disappear from where she stood unaware she was trying to lead him to the decision she hoped he would make. Instead, André and his lover appeared as they enjoyed taking turns swinging on the noose. Chad became even more confused as he didn't understand why he saw people who were now deceased next to the noose. He wondered if it meant that if he chose the fruit tree, it would mean certain death.

Chad continued to feel the unsympathetic draft on the back of his neck as he heard someone running behind him. Will rushed past him heading towards the fruit tree. Will looked to Chad over his shoulders, and Chad felt a sudden breathtaking ache as if an arrow had hit his heart when his eyes met Will's eyes. Reacting swiftly, he grabbed Will and stopped him from heading to the fruit tree.

Will, who was dressed in a form-fitting sapphire robe, turned around as he continued to look directly into Chad's eyes. Chad continued looking into Will's brilliant blue eyes and became so lost in them. Chad's thoughts went to his relationship with Will, but something weird caught his ear. Chad could actually hear his thoughts audibly, but he heard them in a special voice. Chad refocused his eyes and realized that Will was now speaking his thoughts aloud.

"When we met we were enemies fighting over the same girl. We tried to one-up each other, but somehow we came together to be the best of friends. Once she was out of the picture, we could put down our defenses and form one of the strongest bonds I've ever felt. I found something I never thought possible, but a part of me is afraid – afraid that I'll be limited in life because the world will hold me back because I love you." Will looked away as he finished speaking Chad's thoughts.

Chad felt an emptiness fill his heart when Will looked away from him and he couldn't endure it. He placed his fingers on Will's chin and moved Will's head back towards him so he could focus his eyes back on Will's beautiful blue eyes. "How did you just do that? You knew exactly what I was thinking, but you were able to pull it out from all the confusion in my head and say it so simply."

Will turned around and looked at both trees. "So far these are your realities if you don't change or choose something different," he advised. "Maybe with Mia back in the picture, everything we've built will be undone." Before Chad could say anything, Will rushed over to André and his lover, who had finished playing with the noose. Once Will arrived close enough to them, Will turned back to Chad and made direct eye contact as André and André's lover put the noose around Will's neck.

Chad watched in horror realizing he could no longer move even though the wind tried to move him to choose a tree. He tried to fight the push and pull that kept him completely still as frustration ran through every bone in his body. Suddenly, a big flash appeared in between the two trees. Celeste appeared within the flash dressed in unusual clothing Chad had never seen before. She wore a white robe that illuminated a cerulean hue around the edges. A crescent moon of the same coloring with the exception of a yellow trace at each point sat on the top of her head. Chad called out to her, "What is this? I want this to stop!"

Celeste remained unvoiced for a moment as she looked down at Chad. She watched him closely and studied his dilemma through his eyes. She finally spoke, "Chad, you need to decide which path you're going to take. Things are unbalanced."

Chad hated the spot he was in and looked Celeste completely over as he worked through what he wanted to say to her. His eyes stopped when he spotted another tarot card pasted to Celeste's neck. He quickly remembered that he saw a tarot card on the ground earlier and looked down to where it was. Kneeling, he went to grab it, but the wind got to it first. The tarot card surfed the wind and headed towards Will, who still stood with the noose around his neck under the fruit tree.

T appeared wearing a vivid emerald robe and ran towards Will. On his way, he grabbed the card in the air and gave it to Will, who smiled as he looked the card over. His smile turned to T as the card seemed to mean a great deal to him. Will gave T a hug of appreciation.

Confused, Chad turned his attention back to Mia and the flowering tree. She had not made it to the tree yet and seemed to keep an even slower pace because she was waiting for him to follow her the rest of the way. Mia took a weird turn, and it appeared to Chad that she might be going somewhere else besides the flowering tree. He questioned if his window for choosing her was closing.

A huge gust caught Chad's attention as it pushed him forward to make a decision. He was no longer stuck and could now move forward. Moving backwards was not an option still. Celeste echoed the wind's sentiments. "Chad, you must make a choice," she repeated. The wind grew stronger to the point that Chad could now hear it howling in his ear once again. The howling was almost unbearable.

Chad immediately woke up in bed with Will to the sound of someone throwing up in the bathroom. Confused about what was happening, he looked at the time to see that it was 2am. He didn't have time to ponder the time because he continued to hear someone losing their stomach through the thin walls. He quietly got out of bed so that he didn't disturb Will, who seemed to have the ability to sleep through anything.

Chad made his way into the hallway and spotted Sonny sitting next to Kai near the toilet in the bathroom. Kai was the one throwing up, and Sonny spoke to him gently as he encouraged Kai that he would feel better. Chad felt bad for Kai, but decided to leave the two alone. When he walked back into his room and shut the door, he looked Will over and thought about the dream he just had. Trying to clear through his new found confusion, Chad wished he could go down the known and easy path, but take Will with him.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Sonny was back to the routine of making breakfast in the apartment kitchen. Kai, who sat at the table watching Sonny whip up something tasty, felt a lot better than he did earlier. "It sure smells good over there, babe. I guess I just needed to clear something out of my system. I am feeling a whole lot better."<p>

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Will said as he walked into the room. He took a seat next to Kai to look him over. Kai definitely looked better as he didn't have the same miserable look or feel to him as he did the night before.

Sonny turned to acknowledge Will's presence with a smile. He knew that with Kai feeling better, it meant he would definitely have to tell Kai what happened now. He tried to keep things positive and light before he had to do that. "Hopefully you'll be able to hold my breakfast down," he commented as he grabbed plates to set them around the table for everyone. After setting the plates and bringing out some forks, Sonny brought over some freshly made biscuits, sausage, and scrambled eggs. Sonny took a seat close to Kai as the three began to dig in.

Chad and T walked into the kitchen for breakfast. Without thinking, T took the last open seat next to Will causing Chad to have to take a seat across from Will and next to Sonny. Chad sighed as he tried to keep his frustration with T to himself. His thoughts still remembered what happened between T and Will in his dream.

Will looked over to Chad and could see jealousy written all over Chad's face. He really wanted to talk to Chad about the look on his face, but figured now would not be a good time since the other guys were in the same room. Instead, Will asked Chad, "Are we going to visit your sister after breakfast?"

Chad nodded his head remembering the news he received from EJ the night before. "Yeah, we'll probably want to take showers first though," he answered.

Will gave Chad a silly look as he responded, "Of course. I am sure your sister would appreciate us coming by to see her clean and smelling good." Will took a bite of his food and then remembered he and Chad had something else on their agenda. "Today is my dad and Allie's last day in Salem, and we're supposed to go over to your father's house for lunch, so we can do that after we visit Lexie."

"Yeah," Chad said simply not really paying much attention to Will as his thoughts still replayed what happened in his dream.

Kai could hear something in Chad's voice when he talked that made it sound like he was annoyed. He wondered if he had any fault in Chad's attitude. "Sonny mentioned that you came out in the hall while I was throwing up early this morning. I'm sorry that I woke you up."

"It's okay," Chad informed Kai with a half-smile realizing that he had distanced himself from the others by keeping to his thoughts. "It's not like it was something you could control." Chad then wondered if he would have kept dreaming if Kai hadn't been throwing up. Would he have made a decision by the end of the dream?

Will saw Chad starting to relax somewhat. "Well, hopefully that was the end of it because Kai is feeling better," he commented hoping that Chad would increase his involvement with the group. He wondered why Chad seemed so distant and tense.

"That's good. I bet you're ready for it all to be over," Chad shared. Kai nodded and agreed.

Sonny looked over to T, who was quietly eating his breakfast. "Are you going to stick around here all afternoon?" he asked.

T finished his bite before answering, "I'll probably head back to my parents' house to grab some of my things if they still want me out of their house." He hoped that they would change their mind, but the anger they showed him the night before told him they weren't going to back down on cutting him off. "After that I'm going to try to contact Gabi since we haven't talked since before I left for Colorado last week."

"I hope everything goes well for you," Sonny responded. He was happy that T would be out of the house because that meant he would have a private place where he and Kai could talk alone. He took a deep breath before he returned to eating his food.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, Jennifer rushed around the living room trying to get her things together for work. She became somewhat distracted when JJ walked into the room. Grabbing her wallet and phone from the desk, she checked in with JJ, "I'm heading out, but I want to make sure you're going to be fine with me gone." Jennifer thought about JJ's recent odd behavior and wondered if maybe there was something JJ was keeping from her. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked as she paused on doing what she needed to do to be ready for work.<p>

Abigail walked into the room from the kitchen as she reminded Jennifer, "JJ will be fine, mom. I'm back, so you have nothing to worry about. I can keep an eye on him, so do what you need to do."

"I don't need anyone to watch me," JJ informed his sister and mother. "I was going to play video games all day, so I will be fine. I'm used to being on my own anyway since I lived at boarding school without you two."

"Okay," Jennifer said not wanting to stir up trouble. She reflected on her own experience in boarding school and pondered why she allowed Jack to convince her that boarding school was the best option for JJ. She wondered if JJ resented her for sending him to boarding school.

Jennifer's attention went to the front door when the doorbell rang. "Daniel must be here to take me to work," she announced as she began to rush around to make sure she had everything she needed. Abigail headed to the door, so her mother could finish getting ready.

Once Daniel walked in, he said hello to everyone and gave Jennifer a kiss on the cheek. "Are you almost ready?" he asked with a smile.

As Jennifer nodded her head, JJ tried to avoid looking at Daniel as he asked his mom, "So you can't drive yourself to work? I guess Daniel is the family driver now."

Jennifer didn't know what to think of JJ's question and decided not make anything of it. "Daniel and I are going to the same place, so he's being a gentleman and taking me to work. Besides, it saves on gas" Jennifer walked over to Abigail and gave her a hug. "I am so glad that you're home again." She then walked over to JJ for a hug. "Please be good and don't do anything dangerous outside of your video game," she said with a playful wink hoping that he would drop his defenses. After a few goodbyes, Jennifer and Daniel left.

Abigail walked over to the couch and took a seat after grabbing the Salem Spectator. She wanted to see what she missed out on in Salem while she was in Colorado. JJ went to turn on the TV, but stopped when he heard a knock coming from the back door. JJ immediately became excited as he yelled, "He must be here!"

Abigail turned to JJ with concern and confusion. "What are you talking about? Did you invite a friend over?" She put the paper down and followed JJ into the kitchen. She watched as JJ opened the back door and stepped back when she saw Jack standing on the other side. "Dad?"

"I told you he was back," JJ said with a smile on his face.

Jack walked into the house and gave Abigail a warm hug trying to hold back the tears he felt rush over him at the sight of his daughter. "It's so good to see you, Abby. You keep growing more beautiful every day."

Abigail allowed for the hug as the surprise of seeing her dad was still very fresh. Her arms barely wrapped around her father as he held her tight, but the shock began to wear off when Jack let Abigail go. Abigail stepped back and kept her distance physically and emotionally. Crossing her arms, she gave her father a disappointed look. "Where have you been?" she interrogated him.

"I will explain later," Jack answered wanting to focus on something else. "I was wondering if you could tell me what's going on with your mother. JJ told me that she has a new fiancé."

Abigail could not believe that her father didn't want to explain his absence and that his main concern was Jennifer's new relationship. "Yes. Mom is engaged to Dr. Daniel Jonas. He's a good guy and has helped her many times since you disappeared." Talking about this with her dad only made Abigail angry, but she tried her best to keep it under control as she continued to grill him. "Do you have any idea what mom went through when you decided to disappear on all of us? She almost died! If Daniel hadn't been there, she would have died!"

JJ got in his sister's face to make her stop. "Back off, Abby. Dad's back. You should be happy."

Jack stopped JJ from getting onto Abigail. "I am sorry, and I know that I messed up. I want to explain everything to your mother, so that she knows why I disappeared. I just need to know what I need to do, so I can approach your mother the best way possible."

Abigail couldn't hold back anymore and broke through whatever was keeping her anger and frustration at bay. "You are ridiculous! You are standing here asking your kids what you should do to fix things? You want to know what I think? I'll tell you! You keep doing the same things repeatedly! Is it your life goal to make our mother miserable in life? Are you trying to break her heart over and over?"

JJ had enough of the way Abigail was treating Jack and pushed her physically to make her stop, "Stop screaming at Dad!" He regretted on informing her that Jack was back in town. He wanted her to leave so that he could enjoy his dad if she couldn't.

Abigail stopped and looked at JJ wondering if he was still so blind to how their father had hurt their mother. She turned her gaze to Jack wondering if Jack brainwashed JJ onto his side of things and felt sick to her stomach at the thought. She couldn't stand to be with them in the same room anymore. "Oh my gosh! I can't do this. Don't even try to stop or follow me." Before her father could say or do anything, Abigail rushed out of the house through the back door.

JJ turned to his father as he tried to calm himself down from what Abigail had said to Jack. He was glad that Abigail was now gone and had no intent in following or stopping his sister. "I'm sorry that she kept screaming at you. She wasn't very respectful."

Jack sighed knowing that this was going to take more work than he expected. Abigail wasn't his little girl anymore. "Don't apologize for your sister. She has every right to be upset," he admitted. Jack looked his son over and wondered out loud, "Are you upset with me, too? It's okay if you are. If you have questions and are frustrated with me for what I have done, I completely understand. I am here now, and I hope I can fix all of this. It's going to be okay, I promise."

"It doesn't matter, dad," JJ responded. "I'm just happy that you're back." Jack gave JJ a hug as he hoped Jen would have the same reaction as JJ. He hoped it wouldn't be the same as Abigail's reaction.

* * *

><p>Dario and Isobel sat on the couch at the Dimera guesthouse catching up since it had been days since they could talk in person. "So did anything exciting happen while I was away, Mama?" he asked as he grabbed her hand to feel close to her. He was ready to move on with his life.<p>

Isobel tried to focus on the good things that happened over the weekend. "Arianna and Gabriella took really good care of me while you were gone. They also tried to make sure I had a good time. I got to go out for New Year's Eve, and that was something really special for me."

Dario remembered that Isobel had told him about her evening out on New Year's Eve before and wondered if his mother forgot she had told him. He decided to take note of it for later in case it was just a slip. "Yeah, I saw a few pictures from the event last night. I am glad you had fun this weekend."

"Tell me about your trip. You didn't really talk much about it last night. Did you have fun?" Isobel was interested to see if Dario had a great time in the mountains. She was somewhat jealous that she didn't go, but knew that Dario needed to get away from everything that was happening to their family.

Dario thought back to his trip to Colorado and tried to think what good things he could share with his mother about his experience. "Well, I went skiing and made some new friends."

Isobel smiled at her son. She was happy to have him back. "I am glad to hear that you had a good time and made new friends. How about Sonny? Did he have a good time? You did all of this for his birthday, correct?"

Hearing Sonny's name was hard for Dario, but he tried his best not to let it show. It blew Dario's mind how much had changed in less than a week. After thinking for a moment of how to answer his mother's questions, Dario finally replied, "I think he had a good time." He decided to leave it at that because he didn't want to slip and accidentally let his mother in on what happened between him and Sonny.

Gabi, who had been picking up around the guesthouse with Arianna, overheard their conversation and carelessly commented, "I noticed that Sonny's boyfriend was there at the pub last night. He went home for the break, right?"

Isobel turned her attention to Gabi to see if she heard right. Appalled and offended, she asked her daughter for clarification, "Are you saying that Sonny is a homosexual?" Gabi immediately stopped what she was doing and realized she had slipped. Realizing that Gabi's reaction confirmed she had heard correctly, Isobel turned back to Dario and asked him, "Did you know about Sonny?"

Dario looked over at Gabi first, and even though it appeared to be an accident on Gabi s part, he still became upset with her. Looking back to his mother, he covered his own feelings as he answered, "Yes, I've known since the first time I met Sonny." Arianna walked over closer from the kitchen so she could step in on the conversation if necessary.

Isobel could feel her blood pressure rising as the stress of finding out about Sonny's sexual orientation bothered her. "Maybe you shouldn't hang out with Sonny so much now," was her first reaction, but she realized she couldn't pick her son's friends – especially with what was happening in the family. "I am sorry for my reaction. I understand you need your friends."

Dario, Gabi, and Arianna were surprised to hear their mother apologize for her reaction about Sonny's sexual orientation because they knew how much their mother disagreed with that lifestyle. Dario looked down knowing that even with his mother softening on her ideas about homosexuality, he and Sonny really had no chance of being friends. "It's okay, Mama. It's very likely I won't be hanging out with Sonny much anymore anyway. I'll probably see him later though when I go to work. He might be there since his mom owns the bar."

Isobel looked into Dario's eyes and sensed pain in them. Before she could say anything, Gabi looked at the time and announced, "I'm heading out to work now. I'll see you all later." She glanced at Dario hoping that he was speaking the truth about not hanging out with Sonny anymore.

After Gabi left and Arianna began to wipe down the table, Isobel put her attention back on Dario. "Hijo, do you still believe that homosexuality is a sin even though you're friends with Sonny?"

Dario knew his answer to the question was now no, but when he made eye contact with his mother, he could feel the fear coming off from her. He couldn't stand telling her the truth, so he told her what she wanted to hear. "Yes, I do."

Isobel felt relieved to hear her son say that. "I am glad you still believe. I know this must be hard for you, but I want you to be careful when you're with Sonny. He could try to corrupt your mind with other things." Dario simply nodded his head in agreement. Arianna stopped wiping the table and watched as Dario cowered completely. She felt nothing but sadness for her baby brother.

* * *

><p>At the Carver house, Hope sat with Lexie and Celeste as they talked about Abe's relatives once again. "I know that this is hard for you to keep from Brandon and Abe's brother and sister, but please give it more time. We may have a lead on Abe's attack and disappearance. We can't afford to let the media or the public ambush or get in the way of us getting answers."<p>

"You said you have a lead?" Celeste pulled out from what Hope said. She looked at her daughter and knew this was something of importance that needed to be discussed further.

Lexie wanted to know more as well. "Please tell us about the lead you have on Abe. I could use some good news right now."

Hope struggled with giving into Lexie's request because she was here as a cop and a friend. She had her concerns with letting Lexie in on what they had to follow-up on. "I am not sure you should hear what we have," she cautioned.

"I want to know if you have any idea on who might have done this to Abe," Lexie pleaded. She had her ideas, but she wanted to know if she should be looking in a different direction.

Watching Hope closely, Celeste knew Hope wasn't convinced on sharing the lead they had, so she asked, "Do you and the force still believe it's connected to the people who have stolen bodies? You know the case that the Salem Spectator wrote about before Christmas?"

Hope sighed realizing she couldn't keep them in the dark as they did have a right to know at least part of the lead they were working on. "I am going to tell you, but I really need you to keep this sensitive information to yourselves. Don't even talk about it." Hope shifted her body on the couch as she explained, "When I was in prison, you might remember that I discovered there was a secret organization trafficking organs of killed inmates. This secret organization then sold the organs to the highest bidder of their clientele on the black market."

"Dr. Ben Walters was the doctor they used at the hospital," Lexie remembered distinctly.

"Yes, and Jane Smith was the warden of the prison at the time. She was also in on the scheme," Hope added. "We are going to approach her and offer her a new deal to see if she'll talk. She might know more info and might be able to tell us who ran the whole operation. I still don't believe she was the one calling all the shots."

It made complete sense to Lexie to try to get info from the ex-warden. Looking down, she shared her thoughts, "I hope that this lead pans out. Too much time has passed, and Abe might be gone to us for good." Turning back to Hope, she thought about how Hope didn't want to tell her any of this before. "Hope, why didn't you want me to know about the force approaching Warden Smith?" As soon as Lexie asked the question aloud, an answer hit her. "Oh my gosh. If she is connected and knows something, that means Abe's organs might have been sold on the black market!"

Hope gave Lexie a sad look because she had figured out one of the reasons she didn't want to share the lead. "Yes, I didn't want to put the thought in your head. I am not here to kill any hope that you might have, but it is possible." Hope decided not to share what they believed they would get out of Jane. The police force believed that Stefano could be the one responsible for Abe's attack and be the one who was in charge of the organ trafficking in the prison.

Celeste rushed to the door when the doorbell rang. Chad and Will walked in after Celeste invited them inside and gave their condolences to Lexie as soon as they saw her. Closing the door behind them, Celeste walked over to the foot of the stairs, so she was not in the way.

Chad walked over to Lexie as she stood up and gave her a hug. "This is probably a dumb question, but how are you feeling?" he asked. He knew that she had to be at her wit's end, but wanted to hear where she was at before he assumed anything.

Lexie held Chad as she was happy to see her youngest brother. "I am trying my hardest to be strong and hopeful," she shared. She appreciated Chad coming over, but she didn't want him worrying about her.

Chad wanted to worry about her. He wanted to focus on her because she was his sister and cared about her so much. "I'm sorry I was away, but I am here to help you get through this." Chad held onto her a little longer before letting her go.

Will watched as Chad didn't want to leave Lexie's side. As Hope moved out of the way, he walked over and gave Lexie a hug as well. Trying to give Lexie hope, he encouraged, "We'll find Abe alive."

As Will let her go, Lexie looked down as she shared her response, "I'm not so sure about that anymore." She thought about the lead the cops were now following. She tried her best not to focus on the negative outlook that tarnished the little hope she once had.

Celeste hated hearing Lexie sound so defeated. "Hold on, Alexandra. Abe will come back to us."

"You saw this coming," Lexie snapped back to her mother feeling frustrated and overcrowded. She remembered the warnings that her mother gave before the incident and felt frustrated by the whole thing.

Hope picked up that maybe Lexie needed fewer people around her and decided to head out. "I am going to head out back to the office and see if we've been able to get through to Jane. I'll keep you updated and please let me know if you need anything else." She gave Lexie one more hug before leaving.

Celeste noted Lexie's passive-aggressive response to her and decided to give her space as well. "I'll go make some tea for everyone," she offered. Chad walked towards Celeste as he volunteered to help her in the kitchen. He thought it would be a good opportunity to talk to Celeste alone.

With Chad and Celeste in the kitchen, Will took a seat with Lexie on the couch. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Will spoke, "Chad is really worried about you and wants to help you in any way possible. I want to as well."

Lexie felt less overwhelmed now that fewer people surrounded her. She looked at Will and saw a welcome distraction. "Thanks, Will. Thanks for coming with Chad. I know how important you are to him. Have I ever told you about the conversations Chad and I had before Chad realized he was in love with you?"

Will adjusted his body, so he could hear more. "No, you haven't," he responded curiously, but then realized what Lexie was doing. "…but you're changing the subject and the focus onto me. I hope you do not just want to talk about Chad and me so you can avoid why Chad and I are really here. We're here to help you."

Lexie looked down embarrassed by the fact that Will caught on to what she was trying to do. She began to break, but managed to stop herself from completely losing control of her emotions. She remembered the conversation she had with Maddalena over dinner the night before. She knew Abe would want her to heal and not ignore the pain she was going through. Holding herself together, she looked back up to Will. "I'm sorry."

Will stopped Lexie from saying anything else. "Please, don't be sorry. I didn't mean to call you out like that." He shared a small smile with Lexie as he continued, "You have always been someone who has thought about others when they go through pain and tragedy. I think it's time others help you focus on you, so you can heal from whatever the outcome of this is."

Lexie felt a warmth when Will said those words to her. Giving him a half-smile, she wiped her tears as she informed him, "You know, you're very much like your grandmother, Marlena." She moved in closer to him and gave him a hug of appreciation. As she held onto Will, she also informed him, "Chad is so lucky to have you in his life."

Chad, who stood at the kitchen door to make sure Will and Lexie were okay by themselves, overheard Lexie's comment and agreed in his head. Quietly closing the door and going back into the kitchen, Chad turned to Celeste, who had her eye on the kettle. "I should probably tell you that I've had some dreams that you might want to talk about."

Celeste crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. She thought about how Lexie seemed annoyed with her supernatural talk even though she had kept it to herself since Abe went missing. "We can talk about that later. I'd rather not talk about your dreams now because Lexie and Will are in the next room. I don't want to worry Lexie if more trouble is coming."

The thought of more trouble worried Chad, but he respected Celeste's decision to postpone any more discussion about his dreams. He needed to focus on Lexie at the moment anyway. "When do you think we'll be able to talk about them?" he asked wanting a plan. Even though he knew he needed to focus on his sister, he wasn't sure if he could handle keeping his dreams to himself much longer.

"We can possibly meet later tonight once Lexie has gone to bed," Celeste suggested. "She has been going to her room earlier than normal. I believe her thoughts are exhausting her more than she'd like to admit."

Chad nodded his head and agreed to meet later that night. He felt bad for Lexie and wished that this hadn't happened to her. She and Abe did not deserve this to happen to them. He hated when bad things happened to good people. "If Lexie needs anything, I hope you'll let me know." Celeste nodded her head to let Chad know she would.

* * *

><p>Ignazio walked into Ric's bedroom surprising Ric. Ric quickly made his way over to Ignazio, but kept his distance from his old friend. "Nazio! How was your trip?" he asked as he tried his best to be as friendly as possible to see if Ignazio was cool with him again. He hoped Ignazio's time away from him helped cool him down from what happened.<p>

Ignazio moved in closer to Ric and gave him a hug. "I wish you could have joined me in Colorado. You would like my new friends."

Ric felt somewhat confused by Ignazio's friendliness but believed this was a good sign. He believed that Ignazio had forgiven him and was ready to move forward. "I wish I could have joined you as well. I have missed you," he shared hoping that Ignazio really meant what he said.

"Well, another time, I suppose," Ignazio commented knowing there would most likely not be another opportunity for Ric to join him on a trip. He thought about his plan on making sure Kinsey's body didn't do any damage to his family and tried his best to not let it show how hard this was for him. Patting Ric's back gently, he continued, "Tonight we move the body, so we can uncomplicate things for the family."

Ric smiled nervously, but didn't want to argue with Ignazio's decision. "As you wish," he responded respectfully. He remained cautious with Ignazio and didn't want to assume that everything was back to normal as he sensed something seemed off.

Downstairs, Maddalena directed different servants and workers to carry out distinct tasks outside of the mansion. When Azzura walked in, she sent everyone else away to find something important to do outside of the mansion. She wanted to be sure the mansion was empty for the rest of the day and evening. "Azzura, where have you been?" she asked with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

Azzura did not let Maddalena's tone bother her as she responded, "Signora, I was in the kitchen planning some things out. I am headed now to your brother's mansion to spend some time with EJ, Sami, and their family. Sami invited me over to have lunch with them."

Maddalena beamed with joy at Azzura's progress. "I am pleased to hear that they seem to be welcoming you in. The family is coming together quite nicely, and soon the family will be what it once was."

"What's left on our agenda?" Azzura asked wanting to know if there was anything else she needed to accomplish.

"Regarding the family? We just need to take care of a few loose ends by getting people out of the picture," Maddalena informed Azzura. Right on cue, Ignazio walked down the stairs and greeted his grandmother with a kiss on the cheek. "Nipote, I see you are rested. I'd like to hear all about your trip now – especially the parts concerning the task I set before you."

"The trip was interesting and very informative," Ignazio started as he thought back to his time in Colorado. "I was successful in finding a way to take Chad out of the family portrait." Ignazio took a moment to think before he came out with what he uncovered about Chad's life. The things he was doing to please his grandmother was slowly hardening his heart, which scared him somewhat, but he knew he would have to continue to do so to make Maddalena proud. "Chad is in a romantic relationship with Samantha's eldest son, Will."

In her excitement and shock, Maddalena almost shrieked at the news that Stefano's youngest known son was gay. With a smile of delight, she shared with Ignazio and Azzura why this brought such excitement to her, "It seems that karma has decided to visit my dear brother. I wonder if Stefano already knows."

"I believe he does," Ignazio answered causing Maddalena to become even more curious. "When Chad and Will told me their secret, it seemed that everyone already knew."

Even though she wanted to know more and discuss Stefano's possible reaction, Maddalena contained her excitement as she wanted to move onto something else. "You know your goal for this mission, so I want you to come up with a way to turn Chad against Stefano, so he never wants to have anything to do with the family again. We need to destroy the ties Chad has with the family and we must continue to focus on his tie with Stefano."

Ignazio nodded his head to let Maddalena know that he understood what he needed to do. Maddalena looked around the room unable to contain her excitement once again, "I love that my revenge is going to be so sweet! I am going to head to the basement to check in with Colin. Hopefully there will be more progress there!"

After Maddalena left for the basement, Azzura approached Ignazio and patted him on his back. "Congratulations on making your nonna happy. I do wonder, though, if there's anything that might take that joy from her. Do you know of anything that might do that?" Azzura gave Ignazio a look to let him know she was hinting at his Ric and Kinsey problem.

Ignazio knew exactly what she was referring to. "It will be taken care of tonight," he informed her. "That is all you need to know."

Azzura patted him on the back again causing Ignazio to feel as though she was patronizing him. To make it worse for him, she exclaimed, "You have really stepped up your game recently. Hope you can keep up the momentum." Azzura got an idea and headed to the kitchen once more before heading to the Dimera mansion.

In the basement, Maddalena stood next to Colin as they talked through the loud and heavy construction. "How much longer will you be working on Abe today?" she questioned as she looked over to Abe, who remained on the metallic bed connected to different machines.

"I will need to leave soon because I have a shift to cover at the hospital," Colin informed her. "I have more shifts to cover now since Lexie isn't working at the moment."

Maddalena hated that Colin's time was now limited, but figured it was a temporary price. "Are the cops and the powers that be still trying to keep Abe's attack and disappearance a secret from the public?"

Colin nodded his head. "Yes. They've somehow managed to keep everything tight-lipped."

Ignazio wanted to check in with his grandmother, so he made his way down to the secret part of the basement. When he found them in the room, he became somewhat horrified at the sight of Abe connected to machines that seemed to monitor different things. "What's going on?" he asked wanting to know what they were doing to Lexie's husband. He had never seen anything like this before as Maddalena had kept him from the scientific part of her plan.

Colin didn't think anything about Ignazio being down there and began to answer, but Maddalena stepped in as she had hoped to keep Ignazio from seeing any of this. Knowing that some damage had already been done, she wanted to make sure he didn't know anymore of what they were doing to Abe, so he could be clean of this side of her plan. She grabbed him and turned him around so he would leave the room. "I will tell you later. I don't have time to update you on everything," she lied to appease him for the moment.

Once they were out of the room that held Abe, Ignazio asked Maddalena, "You can't even tell me what you hope to accomplish with whatever you're doing to Lexie's husband?"

"We are just trying to help the family and make Abe better," she tried to explain without giving him too much information. "You should go out and do what you need to do," she suggested.

Ignazio took the hint that she wanted to be rid of him and decided to appease her. "I am going to head to a bar to check on a new friend I made over the weekend," he informed her.

"Yes, go do that," Maddalena gently pushed her grandson. She watched as Ignazio left the secret part of the basement and let out a sigh. She hated that Ignazio saw Abe in the state he was currently in. She hoped that Ignazio wouldn't ask any more questions about it because she had to keep many secrets from him to ensure his future in the family business. She wanted him to be a Dimera, but not a lost cause like his father and great-uncle.

* * *

><p>At the pub, Caroline walked over to Chelsea, who was covering the bar, and gave her a hug because she was so happy to have her back in Salem. "It's good to have you here. You better not leave Salem again because I am so used to having you back already."<p>

Chelsea smiled and thanked her grandma for making her day better. She was glad to be back in Salem as well. Even though she had some fun in Colorado, she wanted to move on from everything that happened with Nathan and Melanie.

Caroline then walked over to Gabi, who had just finished delivering an order to a table, to check in with her. "Have you put anymore thought into my offer?" she asked hoping that Gabi still understood this was a serious offer from her.

"I have, and I am still thinking about it," Gabi shared a little surprised that Caroline brought up the offer again. She had let go of the idea of owning and running the pub because she didn't believe it was something meant for her. "I haven't decided, and it will probably be a while before I can come to a decision. You might want to find someone else just in case."

"That's nonsense. I don't need a back up plan because I know that this is the perfect plan," Caroline shared as Gabi gave her an uncomfortable look. Caroline decided not to push the topic any further as she knew Gabi had other things on her mind. "Look, if you ever want to talk about it, let me know, or you could talk to Chelsea about anything else on your mind. She's a therapist and a good listener. I am going to head back to the kitchen and check on the food."

After Caroline headed to the kitchen, Chelsea walked over to Gabi and asked, "What was that about?"

Gabi did not feel comfortable telling Chelsea about Caroline's offer. "She was just asking about my mother," she lied.

"Your brother talked a lot about your mom while we were in Colorado. I could tell he really missed her," Chelsea shared with Gabi. "I got to know your brother better while we were there. You should have gone, too. You missed out on a good time."

Gabi perked up when Chelsea mentioned getting to know her brother on the trip. She wondered if Chelsea had any romantic interest in Dario. "So you and my brother hung out?" she asked trying to bring the conversation back to how exactly Chelsea and Dario bonded.

"Yeah," Chelsea replied not thinking much about Gabi's curiosity of what she did with Dario. She thought about where the conversation was headed – at least where she wanted the conversation to go – and wondered how to broach the subject of Gabi's problems. "I also got to know T. I know that you two are having issues," she shared cautiously. Gabi responded by giving Chelsea a blank look because she didn't know what to say. Chelsea continued, "You're probably wondering why I would bring that up, but I thought I'd offer an ear if you ever want to talk about it."

Gabi remained silent for a while and looked over the customers to make sure everything was still covered. She remembered Caroline mentioning that Chelsea was a therapist and figured that maybe it would be good to talk to someone who was used to dishing out advice. She needed something to give and figured Chelsea could most likely help her with the way she felt about life recently. "Sure. I could probably use someone to talk about these things."

Unfortunately, before anything could be said, Abigail rushed in clearly upset. "I can't catch a break! Why does this keep happening? Why is life so complicated?"

Chelsea and Gabi surrounded Abigail to find out what happened. Chelsea picked up on the fact that Abigail had been crying. "What happened? Did you and Josh get into it?"

Abigail shook her head no. "It's my dad. He's hurt my family so much and has only caused more confusion in my life. I am so messed up!"

Gabi could tell Abigail needed Chelsea more than she did, so she decided to give Chelsea a break. Turning to Chelsea, she offered, "I'll cover the bar, so you can talk to Abigail. We're not super busy now anyway."

As Gabi walked around the bar, Chelsea led Abigail to a table, so they could sit and talk. Sami walked in, made her way to the bar, and told Gabi she was here to pick up a takeout order. When Gabi headed back to get Sami's order, Sami turned her head and heard Chelsea as she asked Abigail, "So where did all of this stuff come from? Why are you thinking about your dad now?"

"My dad's back in town," Abigail answered trying to breathe deeply. "He apparently made his first appearance to my little brother Sunday night and now he's slowly revealing himself to everyone like nothing has changed over the last two years."

Sami rushed over at the news that Jack had returned to Salem. "Woah. Did I just hear right? Jack is back in Salem?" Abigail and Chelsea looked up to Sami unsure of how to respond to Sami overhearing their conversation. Sami quickly realized her impulsive response and hastily apologized, "I don't mean to be intrusive, but I saw you two talking over here about something serious, and I wondered if I could help out. I know that your mother has been really worried about you Abigail." Sami took a seat at the table ready for Abigail to accept her offer.

Abigail thought about her mother again and felt the stress increase throughout her body. "My mom is going to feel so much worse when she finds out that dad is back."

Gabi walked out with Sami's order and dropped it off at the table. "Here you are, Sami." Turning to Chelsea, she informed her, "Your grandmother needs your help with something. I offered my help, but she said that she really needs you."

Chelsea looked to Abigail with an apologetic look. "I'll be back. I should see what she wants." Chelsea got up and headed to the back as Gabi returned to the bar leaving Abigail alone at the table with Sami.

Sami kept her eyes on Abigail knowing that she probably needed someone to talk to. "I know you would rather talk to your friends about this, but I think you could really use someone who has had experience with what you're dealing with. I have had my fair share of daddy issues. My dad didn't even bother to show up to my wedding because he hates EJ. I know my daddy issues might not be the same as yours, but I know how much the decisions and actions a dad makes can affect his daughter."

Abigail didn't mind talking to Sami because she had gone to Sami for advice before when she and Chad dated last year. "I just don't understand how it got this way," she opened up. "My dad and I had a great relationship growing up. We had our bad patches when he'd run off and we'd make up when he returned – but a girl can only take so much of her father running away or fake dying."

Sami completely related with Abigail on that. "It's horrible and sometimes it seems so unreal. The fake deaths can be just as traumatic as real deaths. I remember when both of my parents supposedly died. I remember when John came to Salem pretending to be my dad. Those were all really traumatic for me," Sami stopped realizing that she was focusing a lot on herself and needed to say something about Abigail's experience to help her. She added, "…and I know that your father was one of the victims taken to Melaswen. I know that had to be hard on you."

"It was. It was horrible for my whole family. Mom was pregnant with JJ at the time. Dad just kept dying. He even faked his death because he thought he was terminally ill." Abigail shook her head as she thought about all the tears she and her mother cried during that time. "I don't know my dad's history that well because there are some things my mom or dad won't tell me, but…"

Abigail paused as she couldn't believe what she was about to say. After taking a deep breath to be sure she really felt this way, she continued, "I feel bad for saying or even thinking this, but sometimes I hope that his childhood was horrible because to me that would be the only reason it would make any kind of sense as to why he keeps treating us this way. There has to be a reason, right? If there isn't then he must really hate us. He disappears and returns and expects everything to be the same. He expects us to wait around and welcome him back in as if his abandoning us wouldn't hurt us. He's extremely selfish."

Sami gave Abigail a sympathetic look knowing from experience what abandonment felt like. "I think everyone can be selfish at times. I'm not trying to discount your hurt in what your dad has done, but from experience I know that if I hadn't made some selfish decisions things might have turned out differently. Yes, I hated John and my mother for what they did to my dad for the longest time and gave them hell, but I realized that if I continued to do so, my life would have been wasted."

Abigail looked at Sami with tears in her eyes. "Wasted? I have already wasted so much of my life hoping and praying for my dad to stay with us only to have him walk away again and again. I don't know if I can forgive him and try to move on with my life. I can't even imagine what that would look like because chances are he's going to walk out on us again. His actions will always affect me, and I hate that."

Sami grabbed Abigail's hand on the table to make her see that her insight was a good thing. "At least you're aware of the power your dad has over you. You can change that. I think when it comes to family relationships, a relationship between a father and a daughter is one of the biggest and most important. It really affects how the daughter will do in her romantic life. Unfortunately, Jack has made it difficult for you."

Abigail nodded her head in agreement. "He has made it so hard. It's like he can't commit to us because he's so afraid of love," she shared causing her to realize that she was in the same boat. "I'm afraid of love now, too," she admitted. "I have this great boyfriend, Josh, but I am afraid what will happen. I made a huge mistake in telling myself that Chad was the one even though I knew he wasn't. It was just all about my father and what he did to my mother. I'm afraid every romantic relationship I'm in will be the same."

"Trust me. I've had my fair share of relationships that have only been about my daddy issues," Sami confessed as she removed her hand from Abigail's. She raised her hands as if she was taking an oath in court. "With Austin, I was enamored with an older man to fill the void that I felt with my father. Even though I do care for your uncle, Lucas was about giving Will what I wanted most as a child: two married parents, and then Rafe was just all about my dad. He came to Salem and was pretty much a carbon copy of my father except he was a deranged psychopath underneath it all."

Sami lowered her hands and gave Abigail a soft look deciding to be real with her about love and relationships. "I feel like I should just be honest with you, so I'm not giving you false expectations. It's going to be a struggle, but try to overcome your fear of love. Try to check in with yourself to see if your relationship is about your dad, or check and see if it's actually love that is pulling you and Josh together. I was afraid of it when I met EJ and pushed it away as hard as I could. I finally gave in after I realized what I had been doing and things couldn't be better. Love is amazing. I promise you."

Abigail looked down as she heard what Sami had to say to her. Even though she wasn't sure what she needed to do with Josh yet, she realized that she had a lot more insight about things than she did before. She knew that a lot of the problems between her and Josh had to do with the fact that her father's abandonment caused her to doubt the possibility of committed and authentic relationships. She remembered her conversation with Chad in Colorado when she talked about the uncertainty of soul mates, and then remembered her reaction to her mother's engagement with Daniel as well as Nathan and Melanie's engagement. She didn't want to continue to be a Negative Nancy about love, but that fear made her believe she didn't want to become a victim of broken promises and betrayal.

As Sami and Abigail continued their conversation, Gabi continued to work the bar. She wondered what Chelsea and Caroline were doing in the back, but her thoughts quickly went away when T walked into the pub. She remembered seeing him at the pub the night before, but he disappeared soon after. She decided to keep it cool, in case he was only there to order something. "What can I get for you?" she asked.

"Oh… uh…" Gabi asking him what he wanted threw T. He grabbed a menu to look at it trying to play off the fact that he didn't come to the pub to order anything. "I'll take a cup of…" T stopped and put the menu down realizing he couldn't keep the charade going. "I didn't come to order food. I came over because I want to talk to you in private. Do you have time?"

Gabi motioned out to the customers in the pub. "We're busy," she lied. "We can probably talk tomorrow since I am working 'til late tonight. I'm sorry."

T looked around and saw that the place wasn't that busy, but decided not to push anything. He decided to remain patient with Gabi one more time. "Okay. That's fine," he let out trying to hide his disappointment. He also didn't want Gabi to know he was going through a rough patch with his parents, but he did want her to know that he missed her and wanted her back. "It's good seeing you again. You still look beautiful. See you tomorrow, I guess." T turned around and walked off. Gabi began to bite her finger as she watched him go out the door.

* * *

><p>Will arrived at the Dimera Mansion alone after spending some time with Lexie. He wanted to make sure he had enough time to say goodbye to his father and sister, Allie, since they were leaving for Hong Kong. When Will found Lucas, Kate, and Stefano in the living room, he asked, "Where is mom, EJ, and the others?"<p>

"Your mom went to pick up lunch at the pub, but she's definitely taking her time," Lucas answered as he looked at his watch. "I'm not sure if we're going to get to sit down and enjoy one last meal together as a family."

Kate rolled her eyes as she knew Sami most likely got caught up in something. She crossed over to Will as she added, "EJ is upstairs with the kids. He's trying to get them up from their naps, so we can eat when your mom gets here with the food from the Brady Pub."

Will figured they wouldn't be eating soon, so he took a seat on the couch. He looked over to Stefano, who sat by the chessboard playing a game against himself. He thought about Chad and was tempted to confront Stefano about Chad, but decided against it for now since his time was limited on being able to visit with his father and Allie.

Lucas joined Will on the couch as he wanted to have one last talk with Will. "Where's your boyfriend, Chad? I thought he was coming to this."

"He was coming, but he told me there was something he needed to do," Will answered. He really wanted Chad to be there but could tell that Chad really needed to take care of some things.

Stefano stopped playing his game and turned his body around in his chair. He wondered if Chad decided he had something to do, so he could avoid having to talk to him. The only reason he agreed to the family lunch was because he thought Chad would be participating. "What did he have to do?" he questioned Will.

"I don't know," Will responded. Stefano gave him a look that made Will know that Stefano didn't believe him. "He didn't tell me. I've got nothing for you." Will didn't even think to ask Chad when they were at Lexie's because he assumed it had to do with Lexie.

Lucas didn't know what to think about the fact that Will had no idea what Chad was doing. Thinking out loud he shared, "I'm starting to wonder if Chad even likes me at all. I haven't really seen him while I've been here in Salem."

Will shrugged his shoulders, but told his father, "I think Chad likes you," to make Lucas not think negatively about Chad. He realized he had never really asked Chad what Chad thought about his father. He didn't like that Lucas seemed to have this negative impression of his boyfriend.

Lucas looked at the time again deciding he didn't really care to talk about whether Chad liked him or not. Standing from the couch, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and shared, "I am going to call Sami to see what's taking her so long." Lucas dialed her number and walked out of the room.

Stefano gave Kate a look causing her to come up with an excuse to leave the room, too. "I'll go see if EJ needs help bringing the kids down for lunch."

After Kate left, Will and Stefano sat in the living room in silence for a moment. Stefano stood up deciding he should move closer to Will, so they could talk. Sitting in his chair, he leaned back as he commented, "Chad told me before school started that he wanted to help out with the family business, but I haven't really seen him since Christmas. Do you know what he's been so busy doing that he can't come and spend time with his father?"

Will looked over at Stefano and tried his best to hold back on the frustration he felt for Chad. "Well, if you had shown up last night, you'd know that we went to Colorado for an extended weekend. I can't really say why he's been avoiding you."

"When you say you can't say, does that mean you don't know or that you don't want to tell me what you know?" Stefano asked trying to call Will out on lying about not knowing Chad's whereabouts earlier.

Will rolled his eyes, got up, and made his way over to grab a drink of water. "Shouldn't you try having this conversation with your son?"

Stefano stood up and joined Will to pour himself a shot. "Do I have your permission to talk to my son? It seems you keep him on a tight leash these days."

Will scoffed at Stefano's false accusation. "You don't seriously believe that. Chad lives his own life, and I don't tell him to live it one way or the other. If anyone has any influence on what he decides to do, it's you! If there's anyone to blame for him staying away from you, it's you. It's your fault!"

Stefano was quite surprised with how Will was standing his ground and attacking him. He decided to get info from Will another way. "Calm down, William. I do not know why you're so upset. I am just concerned for my son. Tell me this. How was your time in Colorado?"

Will drank a glass of water to calm himself down. He realized that Stefano had gotten to him more than he would have liked. "I'm sorry for shouting at you. I'm just really worried about Chad, too," Will admitted to Stefano. "I feel like there are a lot of things I don't know. There are still a lot of things he's not telling me either. A very big part of me wants to blame that on you, but I guess that's not really fair since it seems he's doing the same to you."

"I am sorry for pushing your buttons, William," Stefano apologized as well. "You and me. I think we can work together. We have in the past, and it worked. I think we got off on the wrong foot when I asked you and Chad to be careful with how you publicized your relationship. I didn't really explain it to you, but…"

"You're afraid what might happen when your sister finds out," Will interrupted Stefano, who then gave Will a look as if to ask him how he knew. "Chad told me that you didn't trust her and thought she could be a threat if she were to find out that Chad and I are in a relationship." Will decided to leave out the fact that Chad believed Stefano only warned him about Maddalena to scare him out of their relationship.

Stefano nodded his head as he was pleased to hear that Chad understood that he shouldn't tell Maddalena. "So Chad is still careful about keeping your relationship private around my sister and those that live in her house?"

Will thought about how Ignazio now knew. He decided to clarify and inform Stefano that they did not fear Maddalena or anyone who lived with her. "Chad has been careful about everything, but we came out to Ignazio this weekend. I'm thinking Maddalena might be the next to know."

Stefano gave Will a look of concern. "She already knows most likely if you really did tell Ignazio about your relationship." He couldn't believe that they could be careless in letting Ignazio in on their big secret. "You and my son have made a huge mistake in trusting Ignazio so easily. He seems like a good kid, but he is my sister's grandson. He's also André's son."

Will didn't want to go through another round with Stefano. "Chad and I thought this through. Ignazio has been nothing but supportive in our relationship. You have nothing to worry about because we made the right decision together."

"I hope you're right," Stefano rambled to himself. Ignazio may have been supportive of Chad and Will's relationship, but Stefano knew that his sister would be another story. He feared what she might try to do if she already knew.

* * *

><p>Chad arrived at Maggie's house to talk to Mia. Mia, who was home alone before Chad arrived, let Chad in and led him to the bedroom she was using. "Maggie's gone. We should have the privacy to talk about us and Will," she informed him.<p>

Chad looked the room over for a moment before reminding Mia, "I really need to tell Will about us. I need to tell him that you're back in Salem."

"Why the sudden urgent need to tell Will?" Mia questioned Chad. "I think you should reconsider. He doesn't need to know. There's no reason he has to know, right?" She wondered if Chad's urgency had anything to do with him realizing he did have feelings for her. If it were the case, she hoped he would confess to her.

Chad didn't agree with Mia. "I need to tell him because he needs to know that my ex-girlfriend, the girl who gave birth to my daughter, is in Salem. He needs to know that I have been secretly meeting with you when he thought I was with Abigail or just at the cemetery to visit Grace."

Mia placed her hands on Chad's arms to make him look at her. She noticed something was different with him, but couldn't figure out what it was. "Chad, we didn't do anything wrong here. So what if we still care about each other? We will always have a connection. You feel it, too, right?"

Chad looked down at Mia as he thought her question through. He remembered the dream about the trees and how Mia's flowering tree was ready. Chad questioned if he still had feelings for Mia. It was possible because when he looked into her eyes, a part of him longed for the easy path where he could have everything he wanted right then and now. Chad subsequently questioned if he could have everything he wanted if he tried things with Mia. Chad shook his head as he wondered why his thoughts were wandering to the possibility of being with Mia.

Mia saw Chad's inability to answer a simple question as a good sign. "So you do feel it, too?"

"Yes… no… I mean maybe?" Chad stopped answering to collect his thoughts on why he came over in the first place. "Mia, I didn't come over to talk about us because I am with Will right now. He needs to know that you're here!"

Mia sighed realizing that she had lost some leverage with changing Chad's mind. She needed to go to plan B. "I know that it's important for you to tell Will, but I hoped that I wouldn't have to tell you this because I don't want you to worry about me."

"Worry about you?" Chad questioned as he began to worry. "Mia, what's going on?"

Mia tried to turn around and walk away from Chad, but Chad wouldn't let her. After Chad asked her to tell him what she was talking about again, she replied in a low and fearful tone, "I believe my life may be in danger."

Chad placed both of his hands on Mia's arms as he kneeled a bit so he could look into Mia's eyes. "Danger? What kind of danger? Danger from who?"

Mia tried to turn away from Chad once again, but Chad stopped her as he strengthened his grip on her. Mia smiled inside as she continued to play this up to reel Chad in. "Remember when I asked you about Victor and Sonny Kiriakis over the weekend?" Chad nodded his head. Mia continued, "Well, I was kind of involved in something that pissed both off."

"What did you do? Tell me!" Chad insisted. "How did you piss them off?" Chad had a hard time believing Sonny would do anything, but he knew some of the history between his family and Victor and knew that Victor could be a dangerous man.

"I didn't do anything. I'm more guilty by association," Mia began to explain. She knew she was taking a big chance in telling Chad about her connection to Kinsey, but she had to so that Chad wouldn't tell Will she was in Salem. If Will knew she returned to Salem, she knew she would lose her chance in getting back together with Chad. Mia looked away from Chad and groaned before continuing, "You know how Kinsey approached Sonny claiming that the baby she is carrying was his? Well, I knew about her plan. Kinsey and I came to Salem together." Chad tried to interrupt Mia, but Mia cut him off. "Please let me explain this all to you before you say anything. I didn't know that Sonny wasn't the real father. I don't even know Sonny because he came to Salem way after I left. Is he dangerous?"

Chad continued to hold Mia's arms as he assured her Sonny wasn't dangerous. "Sonny is one of the most level-headed guys I know. He would never hurt anyone. I can't believe you knew about Kinsey."

"You're getting off topic here, Chad," Mia stopped Chad from berating her. "I know I made a mistake in being involved with Kinsey when I came back to Salem to visit Grace, our daughter." Mia pushed Chad off of her to let Chad know that he upset her. She made her way over to her bed and sat down. "Now Kinsey is missing, and no one knows what happened to her. I overheard Maggie talking to Victor. Apparently, the police think he's responsible. You said that Sonny isn't dangerous, but what about him? Do I need to watch out with Victor?"

Chad could tell Mia was frustrated and scared. As he made his way over to her, he replied, "Victor can be dangerous, but you don't have to worry about that because I will protect you. I won't let him touch you."

Mia perked up, but made sure to remain on the bed. "So that means you won't tell Will about me being in Salem?"

"Why can't Will know?" Chad inquired. "It's not like he's in cahoots with Victor to get you."

Mia looked away from Chad and moved further from him in disappointment. "Will hates me," she simply stated. "Once he finds out that I'm back in town and that we've been meeting behind his back, he's going to keep you away from me." Chad moved over to Mia taking a seat next to her to reply, but Mia made sure to cut him off again. "Don't try to tell me he's not like that because you don't know how Will is with me. I do. He thinks I am this bitch who has no real feelings. He hates me. The fact that you've kept me a secret for this long will only make him want to keep you away from me more. I told you about this because I need you, Chad. You're no good to me if you can't help me."

Chad looked Mia over as she began to tear up. He felt hopeless in this and looked away for a moment, so he could decide what he needed to do to protect Mia. Mia had really gotten to him, but he still felt horrible for keeping this secret from Will. Swallowing hard, he realized what he needed to do. "As much as I hate this, I have to think about what's important in this situation. I'll wait. I won't tell Will that you're in Salem yet."

Mia immediately turned to Chad and gave him a hug. She quickly let go and apologized. "Sorry, I know that this decision had to be hard for you. I promise you that Will won't always be in the dark. I just don't know whom else to turn to because Maggie has Victor here all the time. It's a mess."

Chad looked down still unsure of his decision. He couldn't take it back now because Mia seemed to really need him. Chad lifted his head and looked into Mia's eyes. "Thanks for telling me about this and not keeping me in the dark. It means a lot that you could tell me that you needed my help."

"I should be the one thanking you," Mia responded. She smiled because she believed there was hope for her and Chad. Chad had actually chosen her safety over telling Will the truth. Mia truly believed that Chad loved her more than Will. After a moment of silence, Mia placed her hand on Chad's hand. She knew she needed to make sure she took Chad's mind off second-guessing his decision in not telling Will. "So, I think I have decided on the middle name I want for Grace. Have you thought about it at all?"

Chad realized he hadn't given it much thought and felt guilty for forgetting about Grace the last two days. "I don't know. What do you think Grace's new middle name should be?"

"I think her middle name should be Madeline after your mother," Mia shared. "I think it sounds the best and is way better than Rafaela."

Chad laughed and nodded his head. The guilt left him suddenly as he thought about his mother and Grace. "I don't know what Sami was thinking when she agreed to name him after that idiot." Chad looked down as he realized that Mia had made him laugh and forget about the guilt he carried inside. It reminded him of the old times he had with Mia when life was so much simpler. "Grace Madeline Dimera. I love it."

"I think your mom and Grace would love it, too," Mia said with a smile. She could see that Chad had dropped any defenses he had walked in with. He was now open and letting her in. "I want to have more children. I think I am ready for that now. What about you?"

Chad coughed from surprise of Mia's comment and question. "I guess." He thought about the dream again and saw Mia as the easy way of things. "It's complicated – you know."

Mia nodded her head as she remembered her last face-to-face conversation with Chad the week before. "You mean with the fact that Will can't get pregnant? That's a major roadblock." Mia smiled as she looked straight ahead. "I think about Grace and what I remember about her. She had some of me in her, but I really think she had a lot of you in her. We made the perfect baby."

"Yeah," Chad responded with an uncomfortable smile. He believed Mia about Grace being the perfect baby, but it only made him question what kind of family life he and Will could have. "I don't really want to talk about this anymore. It only confuses me. Will and I aren't anywhere near having a family like that. We told his brother last week that we wanted to get married, but I don't think we knew what we were saying then. We're nowhere near ready for that."

Mia decided not to push Chad any further. She was content with knowing where Chad and Will's relationship stood, and that Chad seemed to care about her more than Will. "I'm glad that we are close again, Chad. I hope that we continue to grow closer."

Chad gave Mia a half-smile. "I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Thanks, Chad. It means a lot to me that you care," Mia responded. She leaned on him somewhat forcing Chad to put his arm around her. Chad felt a bit weird about how close he and Mia were, but then got over it after a while. He told himself that he wasn't doing anything wrong as he needed to figure things out.

* * *

><p>Kai and Sonny sat on the couch in the living room at the guys' apartment. Kai leaned his head on Sonny as he shared, "I am feeling normal again, and it's all thanks to the best boyfriend in the world." Kai turned his head and kissed Sonny on the cheek. "Thanks for taking such good care of me."<p>

"It's what I'm here for," Sonny replied. He enjoyed holding Kai on the couch and wanted to cherish it a bit more before disturbing the peace.

Kai continued to lean his head on Sonny's shoulder as he held onto Sonny's arm. "If you ever get sick or don't feel well, I am going to try my best to take very good care of you." Kai began to laugh as he added, "I got you, babe." Kai moved his legs so that his body faced Sonny's body more. "You know what would make me feel even better?" he flirtatiously asked as he began to kiss Sonny's neck. "I've been aching so bad for you."

As Kai continued to try to get Sonny into the mood, the guilt of sleeping with Dario extremely overwhelmed Sonny. He knew he couldn't hold it in anymore even if he enjoyed feeling so close to Kai. Separating himself from Kai's grasp, Sonny moved his whole body so that he completely faced Kai. "Kai, there's something we need to talk about."

Kai looked Sonny's face over and could tell it was something serious. "It is about Kinsey? Did something else happen?"

"No," Sonny answered immediately. He stood up from the couch and walked away from Kai to put some distance between them. Standing with his back facing the front door, Sonny feared what Kai's reaction would be when he confessed everything to him. "Kai, I don't think I have to tell you how important you are to me, but I want to make sure you know. You gave me hope when I thought things were hopeless. You saved me when I thought love was dead. I don't know where I would be if you never came into my life."

Kai stood up noting that Sonny's voice trembled as he spoke. He hated seeing Sonny so nervous and fearful and tried to move closer to Sonny to console him from whatever he was dealing with, but Sonny kept his distance. "Sonny, what's going on? I feel the same way about you. I can't imagine my life without you. I wouldn't have been able to accept myself for who I am if I hadn't met you. I would still be in denial about my sexuality. You saved me from a life of regret and secrets."

Sonny let out a sound of self-frustration because he needed to just come clean about it already. "I know, and I hope that what I did doesn't erase all of those things. I need to apologize because I am guilty. I need to say I am sorry because I betrayed your love and trust."

Kai stepped back this time as he wondered what Sonny did. Worry hit his face as he asked, "How did you betray me?" Sonny suddenly froze and became speechless as his whole body felt ill from extreme nervousness.


	47. Chapter 47 Time to Tell You, Pt 2

**Chapter 47: Time to Tell You, Pt. 2 – Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012**

Justin met with Victor at the Kiriakis mansion to discuss Victor's involvement in Kinsey's disappearance and how the ongoing investigation still considered him a suspect. Putting his briefcase on the coffee table, Justin informed Victor, "I met with DA Woods and Roman earlier today, and it appears the DA is not backing down. He wants Roman to arrest you and hold you in prison while they build a stronger case against you."

Brady walked in overhearing the bad news and immediately cut into the conversation, "This can't be good. I thought you said that things were cleared with the cops. Were you lying to me? Did you really have nothing to do with Kinsey's disappearance?"

Victor became frustrated with the situation and Brady's lack of trust in him. "As I told you before, I had nothing to do with Kinsey's disappearance." Giving Brady a look, he rhetorically asked, "Why would I threaten a girl one minute only to make her disappear the next? I made the mistake in emailing her, but I would not be stupid enough to pull something like that."

"This is mostly coming from DA Woods," Justin tried to explain further for Brady's sake. "Bo and Roman let us know that Kinsey never actually opened the email and that's how they know Victor had nothing to do with Kinsey's disappearance. Unfortunately, it's not enough for DA Woods to clear your grandfather. Kinsey's parents are set on someone paying if something did happen to Kinsey, and I believe Woods is only reacting this way because of the pressures he's feeling right now."

Victor had wondered why DA Woods was being such a prick. He shared, "There's also the issue that Kinsey tried to call Sonny the last night anyone saw her."

"Do you think Sonny may be involved in some way?" Brady asked with trepidation.

Victor took a seat before responding to Brady's concern, "I don't believe so, but it is possible that Woods might see it that way. It might also be another reason he might think I am guilty of foul play. Personally, I think Kinsey might have been at the wrong place at the wrong time when she tried to call Sonny. If she were okay, she would have opened that email by now. With all those bodies going missing as well as what happened to Abe, there's no telling what might have happened to her." Victor turned to Justin to instruct him on what he wanted him to do concerning the DA, "Justin, set up a meeting with Woods and ask him if he's willing to allow me to work with him and the cops in solving this case. I want to prove I am innocent in this."

Justin reached for his briefcase, so he could make the call. "I'll see what I can do."

Victor stood up as fast as he could to stop Justin from leaving. "Justin, before you go, can you tell me how Sonny is doing?"

Justin turned around and smiled. "He's doing just fine. He's taking care of Kai at the moment because Kai wasn't feeling well when they got back from Colorado."

Victor gave his nephew a pleased look. "So Kai made it to Colorado okay?"

Justin nodded his head pleased that Victor seemed to move past his issues with Sonny's sexual orientation. "Yeah, you really surprised him on his birthday. It truly means a lot that you flew Kai out there. I know it."

"You flew Sonny's boyfriend out to Colorado for Sonny's birthday?" Brady asked to be sure he heard right. When Justin and Victor confirmed it, Brady commented, "I'm impressed. There's hope for you yet, grandfather."

Victor glanced at Justin and Brady with some regret as he admitted, "I lost my humanity there for a bit with the way I hurt Sonny. I'm just glad that Sonny seems happy with Kai. That's all I want now."

Wanting to move on from it all, Justin gave Victor a smile as he responded, "All that matters is what we have now. Let the past mistakes stay in the past. This is a huge step forward." Justin pulled out his phone as he changed the subject, "I'm going to call the DA now, and I will let you know when I am successful in setting something up with Woods."

Victor watched as Justin left, and then turned to Brady to get back to business. "I suspect the news that I was hauled into the police station to be questioned will get to the board members soon enough, so we must work on damage control for when they start calling. I want you to field the calls and assure everyone that the company is fine and that I am not a suspect." Brady patted Victor on the back to let him know he understood.

* * *

><p>Back at the guys' apartment, Kai stood there as his worry and concern increased because Sonny had yet to answer his question. Asking again, he looked into Sonny's fearful eyes, "How did you betray my love and trust, Sonny?"<p>

Sonny told himself to get over the fear, so he could be honest about everything with Kai. If he was going to try to redeem himself, this had to be the first step. Taking a deep breath after swallowing hard, he confessed, "I slept with Dario right before you showed up at my family's cabin in Colorado on my birthday."

Kai took another step back as it felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. Filled with anger, he didn't have time to feel sorry for himself just yet. "I knew it!" he yelled loudly. Kai then went on a continuous tirade, "The look on your face when I surprised you was not what I expected. I thought I would see your face light up like it used to when we saw each other for the first time each day during the fall semester, but it was one of uncertainty. Then I knew something happened between you and Dario because of how Dario walked in only wearing that skimpy towel. It covered nothing!"

Sonny tried to say something, but Kai was not done talking. "I can't believe you kept this to yourself for so long and pretended that nothing happened. You're my boyfriend. This is not how it's supposed to work." Kai shook his head as the anger only increased. "You are a liar!" he yelled at Sonny finally.

Sonny gave Kai the most remorseful look he could give him. "I am so sorry. I promise you that I am tremendously sorry for what I did to you. I waited to tell you this because I thought it would be better once we were back in Salem, but then you got sick, so I waited longer because I wanted to make sure you felt better. I feel horrible for keeping this from you for so long! It's been eating me up inside!"

Kai made sure that Sonny couldn't get close to him by moving backwards so that the couch was between them. "Did you want me to feel better, so you could crush me once again?" he asked not really wanting an answer. "It doesn't matter that this has been eating you up inside. You are still a liar! What about all those times you promised me that Dario was nothing?"

"I lied to you," Sonny acknowledged wanting to be honest with Kai. "At the time, I really wanted to believe I was over Dario, but I guess I was lying to myself. I am sorry that I wasn't honest with you or myself, but…"

"No," Kai interrupted Sonny from finishing his thought. "You allowed me to think that the reason we haven't had sex since we reunited was due to what Kinsey did to you. Did Dario comfort you in a way I couldn't?" Kai had been filled with only anger up to this point, but as Sonny's betrayal sunk in, hurt began to mix with the anger. Tears began to form in his eyes as the pain moved throughout his body and soul.

Sonny felt the pain in his heart as well as Kai's pain. It made everything worse. He knew he had to explain himself. "You weren't there. I…"

Kai interrupted Sonny again, "Are you blaming all of this on me for being gone on winter break? I didn't know my visiting my parents was such a burden on you and gave you the itch to cheat on me!"

"No," Sonny said as he put his hands up in objection. "That's not what I meant. Let me rewind what I was saying, so you can understand what I meant. I meant to say that if you had been with me, I definitely wouldn't have leaned on Dario." Sonny stopped as he realized what he was trying to explain to Kai came out wrong once again. He groaned in frustration as he realized this wasn't going the way he wanted it to.

"You're only digging your grave deeper, Sonny," Kai commented with shock and hurt filling his voice.

Sonny continued to wave his hands in protest. "I keep saying the wrong thing, but what I want you to know is that I love you," he finally blurted out. Dropping his hands somewhat so that they pointed towards Kai, he continued, "I want to work things out. I feel really bad for how I betrayed you. I even told Dario that I choose you. I want to be with you – not him."

As Chad innocently walked into the apartment unaware of what was happening, Kai placed his hands on the couch and scoffed at Sonny. "You are nothing but a joke. Is that supposed to mean something to me? You obviously picked Dario when you slept with him!" Chad remained at the open door as Kai's accusations shocked him. He didn't know what to say or do.

Sonny, who had no idea that Chad was standing behind him, didn't want to give up. "I know that you don't trust me, but I do want to be with you. Please forgive me. We can work this out!"

Kai, who was now overcome with tears, shared and explained, "You were my first. People have always said your first love usually doesn't work out. I wanted to believe differently, but I also want to believe I deserve better than what you gave me." Kai wiped his face feeling extremely stupid for how everything went down. "I don't see forgiveness as a possibility in our near future, but I guess it could happen. What I do know is that I want nothing to do with you – romantically or otherwise."

Kai pushed his body towards the door by using the couch. Sonny tried to stop Kai by getting in his way, but Kai managed to push Sonny to the ground, so he could make his escape. Sonny melted on the floor as his tears took control of his body.

With Kai gone, Chad rushed to Sonny's side to try to comfort him. "Sonny, I'm here." Sonny looked up surprised to see Chad, but it wasn't enough to stop him from crying over what just happened. Chad pulled Sonny up as he asked, "What happened here?" As he watched Sonny, he couldn't help thinking about his own relationship with Will. He just couldn't believe that Sonny cheated on Kai with Dario. "Do you want me to call Will or your parents?" Chad asked wondering if he was in over his head in trying to comfort Sonny.

Sonny was too embarrassed to tell Chad anything about what he just witnessed between him and Kai and winced at the thought of talking to his parents about this. He mustered all of his strength and shut off his tears, so he could get out of there. Getting up from the ground, he informed Chad, "I need to get some air. I can't just sit in this apartment and allow myself to feel sorry for myself."

Sonny rushed out the door making sure to grab his phone, wallet, and keys. Chad continued to sit on the floor as he replayed all the pain he just observed. His heart began to race, as he feared he would experience the same thing in his future.

* * *

><p>Will walked into the living room of the Dimera mansion after seeing his father and Allie drive off with Stefano and Kate for the airport. He first looked to his brother and youngest sister as they laid on the floor playing with some legos. He looked over to his mom, who was teary-eyed about Allie going back to Hong Kong. He hated that his father and sister lived in Hong Kong because they were so far away for most of the year.<p>

Sami shared the same sentiments as EJ comforted her, "I wish Allie could live here full time."

"Well, grandma Kate has tried numerous times to convince dad that he needs to move back to Salem, but I think Sophie is going to keep him in Hong Kong for good now," Will shared. Sami was about to make a comment about Lucas's girlfriend, but refrained when EJ kissed the top of her head. Will then gave his mother a questioning look as he thought about how they had to wait on her to show up before they could start lunch. "What took you so long at the pub anyway? Allie kept asking for you."

Sami could tell that Will seemed disappointed with her for being late with lunch. She walked away from EJ, so she could be closer to Will. Giving him a guilt-filled look, she replied, "I explained to your dad when I got here that I ran into Abigail at the pub. She was really upset about something and needed someone to talk to." Trying to remove the focus from her, Sami shared, "I saw T there trying to talk to Gabi while I was there."

Will looked down as he wondered if T got anywhere with Gabi. "Do you know if he was there long?"

Sami shook her head as she answered, "No, he was only there for a short time. I think Gabi told him she was too busy to talk."

EJ grabbed a Lego that Sydney threw across the room and handed it back to her. He walked over to Sami and Will and interjected, "Why did Chad not show up for this? Do you know if he's still avoiding my father?"

Will thought about his conversation with Stefano earlier and realized he hadn't heard back from Chad since he left Lexie's house earlier. He looked up to EJ and replied, "Chad told me that he had some errands to run. I talked to your dad earlier, and I guess it is possible that he's still avoiding him." Will thought about how things were improving between him and Chad, but still felt as though Chad kept him at a distance.

"You talked to Stefano?" Sami asked with concern. Knowing Stefano she figured he probably interrogated Will about Chad. She hated that Will always seemed to be in the middle of Stefano and Chad's relationship. "When did you talk to him? Did he corner you or something?"

Will could see the concern in his mother's eyes. "No, mom. I'm fine," he claimed. "Stefano and I talked before you got back with the food, while dad was trying to call you."

EJ wondered what errands Chad had to run and remembered how he had seen Mia over the weekend. "Did Chad say what he needed to do?"

Will shrugged his shoulders still feeling stupid for not knowing the answer to that question. "My guess is that he was doing stuff for Lexie."

Hearing his sister's name, EJ decided he should check in with her. He excused himself to make a call to see how she was doing. Sami gave him a quick kiss before he left and turned to Will. Concern still filled her eyes. "Will, are you and Chad okay? I mean, are there problems in the relationship?"

Sami's question made the fear of the unknown increase in Will. He tried to shake off his doubts because he didn't want his mother to be worried and try to insert herself in his problems and relationship. "Things are perfect," he lied. Sami gave him a look to make him see that she didn't believe him.

Out in the foyer, EJ left a voicemail on Lexie's phone. He hoped that she was okay. After putting his phone in his pocket, the doorbell rang. EJ was surprised to see Azzura, who was holding some sort of dish in her hands, on the other side of the door. "Come in," he waved Azzura in.

Azzura smiled at EJ making direct eye contact with him. "Where is everyone?" she asked. EJ closed the door and led her into the main room as he wondered why she was visiting and why she had a dish in her hand. As soon as Azzura spotted Sami, she interrupted Sami and Will's conversation, "Sorry, I am late, but I brought dessert in case anyone wanted some."

Will made a confused look as he watched Azzura give Sami a small hug. He still didn't understand why Azzura seemed so chummy with his mother. Azzura looked around the room for Lucas. She came up with a last-ditch effort to keep Lucas in Salem for a while longer.

EJ gave Sami a look, as he didn't know Azzura was invited to see Lucas off. "If you're here to see Lucas and Allie off, you just missed them. They are headed to the airport as we speak."

"I missed Lucas?" Azzura asked with disappointment in her voice confusing Will even more. She glanced down in her purse, which contained a vile of mixed powders she had planned to use to make Lucas too sick to travel. She knew she wouldn't be able to use it now. "Well, I have this delicious cake. We could still enjoy it."

Sami watched as Sydney and Johnny stopped playing and got excited about cake. She helped Azzura cut and pass out pieces of her cake to everyone in the room. Azzura noted that Sami's eyes were a bit red from crying. She assumed Sami's tears were for Lucas and wished she had arrived earlier, so that she could have poisoned Lucas.

After everyone got a piece and took their first bite of Azzura's cake, they all praised her for her culinary skills. "This is amazing," Sami shared. "You're going to have to help me learn some things about baking and cooking."

Azzura playfully laughed. "Of course. I am sure we can trade skills. There's a lot I could learn from you." Azzura made sure to share a look with EJ as she smiled. "EJ, how are things working out with Ignazio? Is he being a good worker?"

"Well, things have been really busy, and he just got back last night, so time will tell," EJ answered. He noticed that Azzura seemed to like making eye contact a lot. He wondered what that was about.

After Will finished his piece of cake, he sat down with Johnny and Sydney to help them eat their cake. He decided it would be good to spend some time with them before heading out. He remembered his mother mentioning that she was setting up therapy for Johnny at lunch and wanted to make sure he did his part to help the family continue to feel close to each other. He watched Johnny closely and wondered if he still had doubts about the family.

* * *

><p>Jennifer and Daniel stood by the nurse's station as they waited for Melanie and Nathan to show up for their break. They planned on heading down to the cafeteria together. When Melanie and Nathan arrived, Daniel asked, "What took you guys so long?"<p>

Melanie smiled as she answered, "Nathan and I were talking to one of our patients about our wedding. It's crazy that we'll be married in less than six months now." Melanie began to play with her engagement ring as she thought about how every time she looked at it, she felt so happy inside.

Nathan looked to Jennifer and Daniel as Melanie held onto his arm. "Have you two set a date for your wedding yet?"

Daniel gave the others a serious look, while joking, "We should have it on the same day. Have a huge family wedding with the four of us at the altar." Melanie, Nathan, and Jennifer all turned to Daniel to see if he was serious. Unable to keep a straight face, Daniel put on a smile as he shared, "That was clearly a joke. No way is that going to happen."

Jennifer playfully nudged Daniel for his joke realizing they hadn't talked much about their wedding recently because of what happened with Abe and Lexie. "We have not set a date yet," she answered Nathan's question in case he was still wondering if they had set a date.

"Things have been hectic here. I'm sure you've heard some things from the other doctors and nurses," Daniel said. "If you haven't heard though, I am filling in for Lexie as the chief-of-staff. Lexie had a family emergency and had to take some time off."

Melanie pulled out her phone to look through her emails. "Yeah, Jennifer told us at the pub when we got back from Colorado. Nathan and I also got the email from the hospital about that meeting you guys had on Monday morning. Is Lexie okay?"

"Last time I talked to Celeste, she was fine. Your father and I have been trying to keep things running here, and unfortunately, we haven't had the opportunity to talk to Lexie," Jennifer explained. "What we need now are doctors and nurses to pick up extra shifts to make sure all of our patients and clients are well taken care of."

Daniel looked at the time and realized they were wasting time. "We can talk about this in the cafeteria. We should head down there."

Before the four could leave, Colin rushed over to stop them from going anywhere. "I have an important question to ask," he stated showing it was of magnitude in his eyes. Colin really didn't have anything significant to ask Daniel, but he had received word on something and wanted to make sure Jennifer and Daniel remained by the nurse's station for a little longer. "Part of my integration back into working at the hospital requires a signature every month from the chief-of-staff to make sure I'm not dealing with any anxiety of being back in society. So far, Lexie has signed off for me, but since she is gone, I am not sure if that's now your responsibility, Dr. Jonas."

Daniel took the form from Colin to look it over. "I'll take care of it after my break," Daniel told Colin so that he could make his way to the elevator with the others. Colin watched from a distance as Daniel led Jennifer, Nathan, and Melanie to the elevator, but when the elevator door opened, Jack was already inside the elevator ready to step off.

"Jack?!" Jennifer shouted in astonishment. She couldn't believe that he was actually standing right in front of her.

Jack gave Jennifer his best smile as he tried to remain confident in his decision to visit Jennifer at the hospital. "Jack Harcourt Deveraux in the flesh," he announced. He put his hands out to Jennifer as he walked off the elevator for a hug.

Melanie traded glances with her father and Nathan, while Colin stood close to the nurse's station out of Jack's line of vision. Melanie and Daniel didn't know what to think of Jack's random appearance. They never thought they would see Jennifer's ex-husband in person even though they had heard so much about him. Daniel watched Jennifer closely to see how she would react.

Jennifer denied Jack's hug by pushing his arms down to himself. "Jack, I can't talk now. You need to leave," she ordered as she pushed her shock to the back of her mind. She didn't want to deal with this at the moment. She hated that Jack just showed up to surprise her like this, and she didn't want to give him any satisfaction after everything he put her through over the last two years. "You can call me if you want to talk, but now is not the time!" she informed him.

Jack didn't skip a beat because he prepared for the possibility that Jennifer would be angry with him. "Jennifer, you know this can't wait. We need to talk. Aren't you curious about where I've been? What about the kids? We need to talk about them if anything."

Jennifer sighed, as she knew Jack was right. She wanted to talk to Jack before the kids saw him, so she could help them through the shock of their father being back. "Fine, but not out here. We should talk in private in my office. There is already too much going on in this hospital and our family issues do not need to be added to that." Jack smiled and thanked Jennifer for agreeing to talk while wondering what issues the hospital was having.

Not wanting to leave Jennifer alone with Jack, Daniel cut in, "I'm going, too."

"Who are you?" Jack asked Daniel knowing full well who he was.

Jennifer gave Jack a stern look. "Jack Deveraux! Not here! We will talk in my office." Jennifer led Jack and Daniel back to her office, while Melanie and Nathan stood there unsure of what to do since it appeared their plans to go to the cafeteria had been scrapped.

Colin walked over to Melanie and Nathan pleased at his handy work. Jack's arrival in Salem couldn't have gone any better. "Well, that was exciting," he commented on the events. "Unfortunately, it seems the show is over. We should get back to work, wouldn't you agree, Dr. Horton?"

Nathan looked back to Colin and nodded his head. "I guess so." Turning his attention to Melanie, he gave her a hug. "I'll meet up with you later. I am sure everything will be fine between your father and Jennifer."

Melanie gave Nathan a kiss before he walked off with Colin. She headed to the nurses' station trying to get back to work, but she kept thinking about Jack's return. She wondered what this meant for her father's engagement with Jennifer. Jennifer didn't look too happy to see Jack, but from what Maggie and others had told her about Jack and Jen's relationship, this was just part of the same cycle they had been through their whole lives.

As Melanie continued to think about her father, Dario walked off the elevator to head to Lexie's office. He had no idea Lexie wasn't in. Melanie's gaze caught Dario interrupting her deep thoughts. "Dario, where are you going? Why are you here?"

Dario walked over to the nurses' station to answer Melanie's questions hoping that she could help him find Lexie. "I'm here to talk to Lexie about my mom. Is she in her office?"

"Lexie actually won't be in for a while. She's taken a few days off work to take care of something," Melanie answered.

Dario didn't like hearing that. "Well, let me talk to your dad then. Is he in his office?"

Melanie noted that Dario seemed to be in a hurry. She became concerned with the look in his eyes. "He's busy at the moment, actually. Maybe I can help you with whatever questions you have about your mother. I can try at least."

"I don't know if you can," Dario responded, but figured he needed to talk to someone who might know about his mother's case. "It's about saving my mother's life."

Melanie's concern grew as she gave Dario a sad look. Making her way from out of the nurses' station, she stood next to Dario. She thought for a moment of how to respond to him because she was aware of Isobel's prognosis and knew Dario was as well. "I…" she started.

Dario didn't let her finish because he recognized the look Melanie was giving him. "I'm sorry," he broke out in defeat. "I'm struggling so much right now because I can't control anything in my life."

Melanie led Dario to take a seat with her. She began to rub his back hoping to comfort him in whatever he was feeling and going through. She then remembered Kai mentioning that Dario and Sonny had a fling over the summer, and afterwards pondered the fact that Dario and Sonny seemed to avoid each other all weekend. "I think you know me well enough to know that I often put my foot in my mouth. I understand that it's something I still need to work on, but sometimes questions need to be asked."

Dario lifted his head to look at Melanie realizing this had been the closest they had been in a while. He wondered what she was talking about. "Huh?"

Melanie paused a second to be sure she really wanted to ask Dario this question. "Did something happen between you and Sonny?"

Dario immediately felt uncomfortable with Melanie's question. "What do you mean?" he asked first, but then shared, "Wait. I am not sure I want to know what you mean by that."

Melanie realized she struck a nerve with Dario, but she knew she couldn't be accusatory towards him if she wanted to help him through his feelings of being out of control. "Dario, I know that this has to be awkward coming from me considering everything that happened between us, but I believe enough time has passed for us to be friends..."

"I'm not in love with you anymore," Dario interrupted with a slightly defensive tone before realizing that their past wasn't the point she wanted to discuss with him. "I'm sorry for snapping at you like that. Why are you asking about Sonny and me?" he asked curious to know if he was reading too much into her question.

Melanie thought about what she knew of Dario and Sonny's friendship. "I guess when I think about you and Sonny, there are a lot of questions and holes there regarding what happened when we went on that cruise on the Dimera yacht over the summer. Sonny was in a relationship with your brother, and you seemed to be upset about it. Then when everything came out about what Rafe and Manny were up to, you managed to save Sonny's life, but never shared details about how you did it."

Dario knew he had to take care of this before Melanie figured out that he and Sonny had romantic feelings for each other. He figured she had no idea about what happened at the Kiriakis cabin and their awkwardness there. "Melanie, Sonny and I were just friends. I was upset because I was afraid that Manny would hurt Sonny some how, and it turns out I was right. Yeah, Sonny and I aren't the best of friends at the moment, but it's not like anything sexual or romantic happened between Sonny and me."

"Then why are there rumors floating around that you and Sonny had a fling," Melanie countered not specifying that the supposed fling occurred over the summer.

Dario looked away trying to hide his panic. He wondered if Sonny had already told Kai what happened, and now Kai was telling everyone how Sonny had betrayed him and with who. He looked back to Melanie knowing the best he could do was deny everything. "I don't know about the rumors, but whatever you've heard is untrue. Nothing happened between Sonny and me sexually or romantically. We just had a simple disagreement," he stated as he thought about how much it appeared that Sonny really wanted to believe that. It hurt him like hell to think about that.

Standing up, Dario decided, "I am going to head back home to spend time with my mother while I can. I have my first shift at the Cheatin' Heart tonight. Thanks for the talk." Melanie stood up and grabbed her own arm as she watched Dario walk away. She didn't know what to think about what she heard and noted. All she knew is that she felt bad for Dario and wished things were better for him.

Back in Jennifer's office, Jack argued about the fact that Daniel had to be there while he tried to talk to her about their family. "He doesn't need to be here. I understand that he's your fiancé, but you two aren't married yet."

Jennifer gave Jack a quick quizzical look and asked, "How did you know that Daniel is my fiancé? Have you been following me around secretly?"

Daniel sat back quietly wondering the same as Jack answered, "Abigail and JJ told me about it when I saw them."

"What?!" Jennifer exclaimed as her eyes widened. "You saw the kids?!" Jennifer's patience was already running thin, but when she found out that Jack had seen the kids, it was close to breaking. "I cannot believe you went to see the kids before coming to talk to me."

Jack tried to get Jennifer to calm down, as he didn't understand what the problem was. "Why does it matter? JJ is happy, but Abigail is upset. I'm still trying to get through to her."

Jennifer went for her cell phone as her frustration turned to concern for Abigail and JJ. As she grabbed her phone, she realized that Jack was the reason JJ started acting weird after taking the trash out. She put her phone down for a moment and gave Jack a look to let him know that she had finally realized something. "You were standing outside of Gran's house Sunday night, weren't you?"

Daniel finally stepped in wondering if Jack would actually do that. "You were spying on us?"

Jack stepped back feeling ambushed. He really hated that Daniel had to be there. Things would be so much easier if Daniel wasn't there. "Don't you have patients that you need to take care of," Jack directed to Daniel hoping he would get the hint to leave him and Jennifer alone. Turning to Jennifer, he responded, "I wasn't spying on you. I came over to check on you because I had just arrived in Salem, but before I could do that JJ walked out with the trash. I didn't know what to do."

Jennifer's head began to ache. As she rubbed her head, she decided she couldn't have this conversation with Jack. "Jack, I'm going to need you to leave. I have so much that I need to do before I clock out, so this conversation is going to have to wait. I will call you when I get off. Do you have a new number or anything?"

"I'm still working on getting a new phone, so I'll just hang out in the cafeteria until you get me," Jack suggested.

"Fine," Jennifer agreed. "I will come down so we can go somewhere to talk about this."

Jack nodded his head and turned to make his way out of Jennifer's office. Before doing so, he turned to Daniel and patted him on his shoulder while saying, "Patients would never get better if their doctor just stood around avoiding them."

Daniel glared at Jack as he walked out. Daniel then rushed to Jennifer's side and asked her, "Are you okay?"

Jennifer grabbed her phone again and replied, "I'm going to be fine. You should continue your rounds. I need to check on Abigail." Daniel tried to give Jennifer a kiss and hug, but she was so distracted with dialing Abigail's number. He decided to back off and catch up with her later. As soon as Daniel was gone, Jennifer got Abigail's voicemail. She sighed hoping that Abigail was okay.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Chad sat alone on the couch in his apartment as he thought about what he witnessed earlier between Sonny and Kai. He still couldn't believe that Sonny would cheat on Kai or anyone. Sonny didn't really seem to be the type to do something like that. Chad thought back to a lot of the things that surprised him about life such as his mother being a call girl for Stefano, his biological father. He thought about how he found out he had a daughter after she had died. He shook his head at the thought that life was full of surprises and disappointments. "I guess anything is possible," Chad whispered to himself.<p>

Chad's thoughts wandered to the possibility of Will and T. He thought about their friendship and the closeness he had witnessed between them. He didn't understand how it was possible that Will and T had never fooled around. A part of him wondered if Will would lie to him about it to spare his feelings. Will had lied before about wanting kids to spare his feelings. "Anything is possible," he said again as his thoughts continued to explore the possibility of Will and T having an affair behind his back.

Chad's thoughts were interrupted when Will arrived at the apartment. With a smile, Will asked, "Where are Sonny and Kai? Did they go out?"

Chad had focused so much on the possibility of Will and T, that he didn't even bother answering Will's question. Instead, he threw out his own question to Will, "You're not curious to know where T is?"

Will put his keys down on the coffee table feeling as though Chad was randomly attacking him verbally. Confused, he asked defensively, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You and T seem inseparable these days. He's now living here with you," Chad reminded Will. He was clearly bent out of shape over what he played out in his head.

Will looked down to try to figure out what was going on. He had picked up on comments from Chad here and there that told him that Chad could be jealous of his friendship with T and realized something. Maybe this was Chad finally being open about his feelings. "I don't understand how you could say that T and I are inseparable. Do I have to remind you we went to Lexie's house together, and that I went over to your family's house to have lunch with my dad and sister before they left for Hong Kong?" Will thought about how Lucas had asked him if Chad liked him but decided not to bring that up. "The only time I saw T today was at breakfast. Is this about him sitting next to me at breakfast?"

Chad stood up finally and shook his head. "Don't simplify this to just one incident. Every time I walk into a room you're hugging or touching T. I wouldn't be surprised if you guys have been meeting up somewhere and doing other things."

"Here comes the question once more," Will commented as his defenses rose even more. "Ask me again. Ask me if T and I have ever gone further than a friendship level. Ask me!"

Chad walked over to Will and got in his face. "It's not like you would tell me the truth. You'd probably keep it a secret because T is in such a fragile state, and he needs you so much."

Will had enough of the accusations and rudeness. "I don't know what you're going on about, but I am finished talking to you for the rest of the night! I'm going to our bedroom to relax and pretend that this didn't even happen. You're obviously dealing with something, but I don't want to know about it like this. Please don't follow me. Go cool off somewhere else!"

Chad froze when Will yelled back at him and walked away. His senses finally came back to him realizing that he let his fears take control of him. He couldn't believe he just got into a fight with Will about T. Chad grabbed his cell and dialed Celeste's phone number deciding to take Will's advice. When Celeste picked up he told her that he really needed to talk to her. Celeste told him he could come over because Lexie was now resting. Chad glanced back in the direction of his bedroom before heading out to clear his mind.

* * *

><p>Kai sat on a bench in the Salem Park struggling through bouts of crying. His heart was totally shattered by the news that Sonny had slept with Dario. Insecurities about himself caused Kai to feel completely lost, but he tried his best to pull himself together. He needed to figure his next move considering he was stuck in Salem a couple of weeks before the spring semester started at Salem U. Kai pulled out his phone and began to look through his contact list to see if there was someone he could call.<p>

Sonny, who had been walking around for air, found Kai sitting on the bench in the park. He slowly made his way over, but made sure to clear his throat loud enough so that Kai knew he was there. "Kai, please let me talk to you."

Kai looked in Sonny's direction and shifted his body so that Sonny didn't come any closer. "Back off, Sonny. I don't want to talk or touch you."

Sonny stopped moving closer hoping that if he kept distance Kai wouldn't run off. Trying to show that he still cared about Kai, he asked, "What are you going to do now? Don't you need a place to stay? Your stuff is still back at my place."

"You don't have to worry about that," Kai started as he looked back down at his phone. "I can stay with my friend, Brett. He's still in Salem."

Sonny remembered Brett recalling that Kai had once tried to set Will up with him. He wished that things were different. Any time he looked at Kai now, the guilt ate at him for being such a horrible person. He could see the damage he had caused, but still hoped that there could be reconciliation. "I'm not going to give up on you," he shared with a break in his voice.

Kai shook his head in disbelief. "You should quit now so you don't waste your time like I did when I wasted my time on you!" Kai shot back as he stood up. "We're done!"

"Wait!" Sonny exclaimed as he put his hand in his pockets. "Let me give you this," he said as he pulled out a spare key to the apartment. "If you need it to get your stuff. I am extremely sorry that I did this to you – to us."

Kai took the key and looked at it. He wondered if Sonny was holding onto the spare key for him, but tossed the thought out of his mind because he needed to forget his connection to Sonny. Kai put the key in his pocket and looked Sonny directly in the eyes. "We're done."

Sonny melted on the bench and broke down after Kai walked away from him. His life was over, and he had lost so much. He hit himself on the chest in frustration. The agony he felt was extremely overwhelming and he needed to find something to release it on. He threw himself off the bench and into the snow landing on his knees. Pounding on the ground, Sonny let out a shriek wanting the pain to go away, but it wouldn't.

Suddenly, Sonny's phone began to ring. Sonny pulled it out to check who was calling to see if maybe Kai decided to talk to him. When he saw that it was Will, he ignored the call. He pulled himself back onto the bench and quickly texted Will soon after: "I don't want to talk right now. I'll see you later."

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Dario had started his first shift since his return to Salem. He hadn't seen Sonny all night and wondered if Sonny knew he was working tonight. As he wiped a beer mug to use later, Dario thought back to the moment he told Sonny he loved him. His conversation with Melanie was still on his mind. He remembered the way he put his hand on Sonny's chest so he could feel Sonny's heartbeat and grabbed Sonny's hand to do the same to him. The connection he felt with Sonny at that moment and the moments after that still weighed heavy in his broken heart.<p>

Adrienne walked over to him and noticed he was really polishing the mug. "Is that one stained or something?" she asked breaking him out of his thoughts. "I know it's been awhile since you worked here, but you do remember that if there is a stained mug, to put it in that box so I can order a replacement."

Dario nearly dropped the mug because Adrienne startled him. He quickly put it up and tried to play off his surprise by wiping down the bar. "I guess I was just lost in thought," he answered.

Adrienne took a seat at the bar and shared a smile with Dario hoping that he was doing okay. "You know, I'm really happy that you're working for me again. I missed your work ethic." In the back of her mind, Adrienne kept replaying what she overheard Dario say to Gabi at the pub the night before.

Dario stopped wiping the bar down and stood up straight as he replied, "I really appreciate the job. You're probably the best boss ever." Dario hoped that they would keep the conversation light and away from Sonny. He wasn't sure if he could fake it with Adrienne about Sonny this time around.

"I barely talked to Sonny while he was in Colorado. I guess the shock of seeing Kai there must have kept him distracted," Adrienne commented. She wanted to ease her way through conversation to see if she could find out what happened between Dario and Sonny. "How was your drive up there on his birthday? Did anyone call him to wish him a happy birthday?" she asked harmlessly.

Dario started to wipe down the bar again, while turning his head to check on the customers sitting at the bar. After making a few drinks, Dario finally answered Adrienne's question, "It was okay. His brothers called and kept him on the phone for most of the drive. We were both really tired when we got there, so we didn't do much after we set up those new beds. Kai showed up, so as you mentioned, Sonny was distracted with him for the most part."

Adrienne was about to ask Dario a follow-up question, but her phone began to ring. She put her finger up to Dario while asking, "One moment please. Justin is calling." Adrienne answered the phone and headed to her office.

Dario felt relieved that Justin called Adrienne before she could ask him any other questions about Sonny. He looked around the place to make sure everything was okay. He told himself to just focus on work, so he could get through his shift and get out of there.

T and Josh walked inside the Cheatin' Heart hoping to play some pool. Unfortunately, the pool table wasn't free. T looked over to the bar and spotted Dario helping a customer. He was having second thoughts on coming here now that he knew Dario worked here again. "Maybe we should go somewhere else; the pool table is being used, and Dario is working tonight. I'm not sure it would be a good idea if I talked about his sister with him just over there."

"We'll wait for pool," Josh replied while putting his hand on T's back. "If you're worried about Dario, we'll just sit at a table that's the furthest away." Josh looked around the bar and spotted a table in the back corner next to the pinball machine. "That should work."

T followed Josh to the table and took a seat. After ordering a couple sodas, they settled in and looked over the crowd. "Everyone here looks like they're in the same mood as we are," T commented as he noted that everyone seemed down. "You don't think it's too early in the year for everyone to look so depressed?"

Josh smirked and nodded his head. "Yeah. Maybe tonight just sucks for everyone."

T looked up when he spotted the waitress walking over with their drinks. After thanking her, he turned to Josh and asked, "Have you seen or talked to Abigail since we got back from Colorado?"

"I haven't," Josh answered. "After the awkwardness last night, I decided to try to keep my distance. I don't really know what's going on between us. It's looking like the beginning of the end from my side." Josh sighed hating that he was actually giving up on Abigail.

T had hoped that by talking about Abigail, he would be able to forget the mess that was his life, but his parents disowning him was something he couldn't avoid thinking about. He continued to talk about Abigail though, "Do girls ever know what they want?"

"I'm not even sure of what I want," Josh shared. "I wonder what it's like for gay couples. Do you think they have problems like straight couples?"

T thought about how Chad seemed jealous any time he was around Will. "Yeah, I am pretty sure they do. No one really has it easy I guess – well unless you're Sonny and Kai or Melanie and Nathan. You should have seen the way Kai talked to Sonny on the drive back from Colorado. It was all lovey dovey and over-the-top – nothing but how perfect it was for them."

"Sounds gay to me," Josh jested as he rolled his eyes at how easy it seemed for them. Moving on, he asked, "So what's going on with you and Gabs? Did you two talk today?"

T looked down as he remembered Gabi saying she was too busy to talk to him. "We're going to try tomorrow because the pub was packed," he shared. He didn't want to admit to Josh that the pub was practically empty, but it did bother him that Gabi used that excuse. "Hopefully, that will go well. I really need something to go my way for a change. With my parents kicking me out, I am not so sure I can take more bad news."

"Wait. Your parents kicked you out?" Josh asked a bit floored.

T took a drink before confirming Josh heard correctly. "Yeah, they pretty much disowned me when I told them about Kinsey and the baby last night. I went back there earlier today, and they didn't even look at me. They let me grab some of my stuff while giving me the silent treatment. It was awful."

"Sounds like it," Josh commented realizing he didn't have it as bad as T. "Where are you staying?" After T informed him he was staying with Will, Chad, and Sonny, Josh knew he needed to help T feel better about life. "We need to stop talking about this and have some fun tonight. I'm going to help you forget about all of this, man." Josh looked over the pool table and noticed it was now open to play. "Let's forget about our troubles and just play."

Adrienne walked back from the office after talking to Justin. Taking a seat at the bar again, she caught Dario's attention once again because she seemed worried about something. "What's going on, boss?"

"Have you talked to Sonny at all?" Adrienne asked. She hoped that Dario had talked to Sonny because she couldn't get a hold of him.

Dario placed his hands on the bar and leaned in. "No, I haven't. Is everything okay?"

Adrienne toyed with her cell phone. "I'm not exactly sure. Justin called and said that a family friend saw Sonny wandering around looking really down. Justin has tried to call him, and I tried to call him, too. He's not answering."

Dario remembered his conversation with Melanie and wondered if Sonny had told Kai. If he did than things must not have gone well. He could tell Adrienne was really worried. Trying to convince Adrienne he was clueless on why Sonny could possibly be upset, he encouraged Adrienne, "Boss, I am sure he'll call if he needs to talk – you know – if he is down."

"Do you know why he would be upset?" Adrienne asked still. "He usually talks to you about everything."

Until now, Dario hadn't considered the fact that everyone in Salem would expect things to be the same. He looked down to think of how to respond to Adrienne. "I have no idea why he would be upset," Dario lied.

Adrienne sighed as she sent Sonny a text asking him to call her when he got the chance. She looked over to Dario, who still looked downcast. Placing her hand on his, she suggested, "Maybe you could talk to him? You've always been a good friend to him. If there is something wrong with him, you could be there for him."

Dario knew he couldn't allow for that, and it would only make it worse if he pretended he could otherwise for Adrienne's sake. "I can't do that. Sonny and I aren't friends anymore," he admitted. Not wanting to leave Adrienne on that note, he added, "Maybe you could talk to Will. I should get back to work though, boss."

As Dario began to help customers again, Adrienne got the confirmation she feared, while getting a lead on how to find more info on Sonny. It broke her heart knowing that Sonny and Dario were no longer friends. She looked at Dario one last time before heading to her office to see if she could find out anything through Will.

Outside of the Cheatin' Heart, Ignazio arrived and looked through the window to make sure he had found the place where Dario worked. He had the perfect place to do what he needed to do and decided to call Ric before going in. Putting his cell to his ear after pushing call on Ric's phone number, Ignazio greeted Ric when he answered, "Ric, is everything set?"

"Everything is in place," Ric informed Ignazio from the other side of the phone.

Ignazio was pleased to hear that, but a part of him felt sadness and regret for what was about to transpire. "I apologize," he started as he thought about what he was going to do to his dear friend. He continued, "I apologize for taking so long to get back to you, but I wanted to make sure this was done at the proper time. Move the body to the exact location I told you before."

"I will do as you ask," Ric stated wanting Ignazio to know that he could really trust him again. "I am your loyal friend and will make sure no harm comes to you or your family." In response, Ignazio hung up the phone and hung his head for a moment as he tried to collect his thoughts and harden his heart from feeling anything for what was coming for Ric.

After regaining focus, Ignazio walked into the Cheatin' Heart and scoped the place out. He found the atmosphere very interesting, although he didn't really care for the music. He headed to the bar towards Dario, but couldn't help but continue to look at the people who seemed to love coming here. He nodded his head to T and Josh when he spotted them. Taking a seat, he pounded his fist on the bar while giving Dario a smile. "Hello Dario, I thought I would come check out your job."

"Well, what you see is what you get," Dario joked. With Ignazio there he felt more relaxed. "Honestly, it's not bad. You meet some interesting people, and you get paid for it."

Ignazio found Dario's explanation out of the ordinary. Giving him an intrigued look, Ignazio commented, "You enjoy meeting people? I thought you were more of a stay to yourself kind of guy."

"Well, I'm still that kind of guy, but it's good to talk to people you don't really know. It's all superficial anyway," Dario answered. He decided to move on to something else, "So what have you been up to since we got back? Did you have to work or anything?"

Ignazio shook his head. "No, I thought I would be going straight to work for the family, but the family is preoccupied with a family emergency."

"Everything okay?" Dario asked as he refilled a customer's drink. He remembered that Melanie mentioned that Lexie was taking a few days from the hospital and wondered if it was related to the family emergency Ignazio mentioned.

Ignazio thought about what he saw in his grandmother's basement. After Dario handed the drink off, he replied, "I can't really talk about it, but I think everything will work out in the end." Ignazio and Dario traded a look of awkwardness, as they weren't sure what to talk about next. "I guess coming back to real life sucks," Ignazio finally said. Dario nodded his head in agreement.

Jack, Jennifer, and Daniel arrived from the hospital after a long shift. Jack looked around and turned to Jen and Daniel asking, "Why are we here again?"

Jennifer looked around the bar for Adrienne, but didn't see her. "I didn't want to go back to the house because JJ and Abigail are most likely there, and I don't think it would be wise if we had this discussion in front of them."

Jack gave Jennifer a dumb look as he commented, "So having it at a bar with loud honky-tonk music is the better option." Jack knew full well the reason Jennifer brought him here, but wanted to play dumb. He inconspicuously looked around to see if he could see his sister, but he didn't spot her either.

"Adrienne must be in her office," Daniel commented.

Jack pointed to Daniel while giving Jennifer a look of disgust, "He knew you were bringing me here to get ransacked by my sister?"

Jennifer pushed Jack forward to lead him to Adrienne's office. "Of course, he knew," she replied. "Your sister deserves to know you're back in town. She will help mediate our conversation because she both loves and hates you as a sister should." Daniel, Jennifer, and Jack made their way to Adrienne's office.

Adrienne had finished talking to Will on the phone when they arrived. Looking up from her phone, she immediately stood up from her desk at the sight of Jack standing in front of her. "What the hell is going on?" she asked in shock, but quickly got over it as she headed to her brother to give him a firm hug. Between the distress of not being able to get in contact with Sonny and seeing her brother, who she hadn't seen in more than a couple of years, Adrienne began to cry, "You have no idea how much Steve and I were worried about you!" After the hug, Adrienne slapped Jack's arm for being MIA for so long.

Jack rubbed his arm, as he responded, "It's good to see you, too, sis."

Adrienne's mixed excitement to see her brother was cut short when she realized that Jennifer and Daniel were there as well. "Hey," she let out awkwardly as she gave Jennifer a hug. "How did all of this happen?" she asked making sure to direct her question to Jennifer to find out why they all decided to congregate in her office.

"Apparently, Jack has been in Salem since Sunday night and is just now making an appearance to me today. He's seen the kids already and now Abigail is upset. She's not answering my phone calls or text messages. I'm at a loss of what to do at this point," Jennifer shared and admitted.

Adrienne looked to her brother as she asked him sarcastically, "Did you happen to run into Sonny today as well?" She turned to Jennifer and Daniel to explain her sarcastic comment, "I haven't been able to reach Sonny either. No one has, and I am worried because he won't answer calls or texts. I'm tempted to leave work to try to find him."

Jennifer realized what she needed to do and turned to Jack. "I know that I keep saying this, but I can't do this right now. I need to find Abigail and make sure she is okay. Just find me another day, and we'll discuss where you've been and what you're going to do to make things better between you and the kids."

"Do you want me to go with you," Daniel asked.

Jennifer gave Daniel a look of appreciation as Jack scoffed at the idea of Daniel helping Jen look for Abigail. "Can you just take me home? I don't want Abigail to feel overwhelmed," she responded hoping Daniel understood. Jack was pleased that Jennifer rejected Daniel's help. Jennifer turned to Adrienne and thanked her. "I hope that you are able to get in contact with Sonny. Jack is all yours now." Jennifer took Daniel's arm as they left Adrienne's office.

Adrienne and Jack turned to each other as Adrienne hit Jack's arm again. "You really messed up this time!" she scolded him.

Not wanting to have a lecture from his sister since it appeared that Jennifer had turned Adrienne completely against him, Jack stepped away from his sister so she wouldn't hit him again. "We'll have to catch up later. I'll come by, I promise. You should focus your energy in finding your baby boy." Jack moved in close to his sister again so he could give her a kiss on the cheek. "See you around." Adrienne shook her head as she watched Jack walk out.

As Jack walked by the bar to leave, Ignazio looked at the time and decided to excuse himself, as Dario was busy with customers anyway. "I'll be right back." He stood up and headed to the back to use the pay phone next to the bathrooms. Placing a voice decoder on the mouthpiece, he dialed a phone number after putting the correct amount of change in.

Roman picked up, "This is Commissioner Brady. Can I assist you?"

Ignazio immediately responded with, "If you want to find out what happened to the missing girl, Kinsey, you should check out Guilford Street near the woods. You might find just what you're looking for." Before Roman could respond in turn, Ignazio disconnected the voice decoder and hung up the pay phone. Ignazio collected his thoughts and took a deep breath. He looked over to Dario, who was still busy, and decided to head back to the bar to see if he wanted to do something when he got off.

* * *

><p>At the Carver house, Celeste opened the door and motioned Chad in. "Please keep your voice down. Lexie is asleep, and I don't want to disturb her." Chad quietly made his way into the house as Celeste softly closed the front door. She then motioned Chad to take a seat on the couch. "I made some tea for us to keep us calm while you tell me about the dreams you've had since the ones that featured your mother and father."<p>

Chad thought back to his dreams. Since the last time he talked to Celeste, he had two dreams that featured tarot cards and figured those were the ones she wanted to hear about. They were the ones he really wanted to talk about because he had so many questions. Chad took a quick look at the stairs to make sure no one was there before starting, "Well, the first one came to me after I fell asleep on the New Year. I had a dry spell there for a while, but this dream featured several tarot cards that I had already dreamed about. I saw myself in that first card I saw in your deck and saw my parents in different cards as well. This dream was similar to the ones I had about my parents, but instead of talking to someone I'm familiar with, I talked to Tony one on one. He was in this temple-like place and had on robes made for a high priest or something similar. It seemed that everyone wanted advice from him, so I asked him for guidance."

Celeste was intrigued to know what Tony said in Chad's dream. "This is interesting because, as you mentioned, Tony died years ago before you even knew you were a Dimera. What did you ask specifically, and what did he say in response?"

"I told him I was confused and afraid about my future. I have all these fears that are on my mind. I am afraid that I am going to lose Will and lose the family that I have always wanted. I asked him what I should do with those fears," Chad explained. "He told me that I needed to make sure I didn't allow my fears to have that kind of power over me."

Celeste shook her head in disbelief. She asked herself if this was really possible. "Did he by chance tell you that you needed to realize what you would still have if your fears were to come true?"

Chad looked at Celeste and questioned if he should be freaking out by the fact that she knew that. "How did you know that? Is that one of your psychic powers or something? Can you really read minds?"

Celeste smiled at Chad's questions. She decided she should clarify, "Yes, I have psychic abilities, but that is not how I knew Tony would ask that question. Tony represented 'The Hierophant' in your dream and…"

"The what?" Chad interrupted.

"'The Hierophant'," Celeste repeated. "Tony represented an interpreter or maybe a revealer to the thoughts and fears you have struggled through a lot recently. His job was to make you look past the fears to either accept them as truth tellers or lies someone or something may want you to believe. In the end, you are supposed to see that you are allowing your fears to cripple you, but also that you have the power of getting through them. Acceptance is a big deal – looking at what you'll continue to have either way and how your life can still impact the community at large."

Chad sat on the couch as he tried to let what Celeste was saying sink in. He remembered how Tony pretty much said the same thing, but with Celeste, it seemed clearer as she laid out the themes of his dream. "I still don't understand how you knew what he represented and the basics of what Tony talked to me about in my dream."

Celeste stood up from the couch and went over to her purse, which sat next to the end table on the floor. Rummaging through her purse, she found her tarot cards. Putting her purse back on the floor, she took her seat next to Chad again as she stated, "Before I explain to you everything, I want to know if you had any other dreams featuring more tarot cards."

"Only one more. It was this morning actually," Chad answered in eagerness of wanting to know what Celeste knew. "It featured a lot of people…"

"Do you remember if it focused on a choice or if there were two people who you needed to decide between?" Celeste asked interjecting into Chad's description of his dream from this morning.

Chad moved closer to Celeste as he could no longer wait patiently for Celeste to explain how she knew all of this. "I think your hunch last week is more than a sixth sense. You can tell me what you know. I promise I won't freak out on you."

Celeste put the tarot cards on the coffee table and finally poured herself a cup of tea. She looked to Chad and motioned the teapot towards another empty glass to signify asking him if he wanted a cup. Chad shook his head while waving his hand in the same direction. Celeste brought the teacup to her lips and took a sweet drink. She really wanted to make sure Chad was ready to hear what she had to share. She placed the teacup on a coaster and grabbed the tarot cards. Looking through them, she picked one out and showed it to Chad while asking, "Does this look familiar to you?"

"I have never been able to turn a tarot card in my dream before waking up, so…" Chad started without looking at the card, but when he turned his gaze to the card, he stopped talking. He looked the card over and saw the title, "The Hierophant" on the card. He spotted a man dressed as a high priest sitting on a chair between two pillars. It was just as he dreamed. He looked up at Celeste with a surprised look. "This looks exactly like my dream. This is what Tony was wearing, and those pillars were there as well. What does this mean?"

Celeste took the card back from Chad and mixed it with the others. "Chad, I am certain – and this may sound foreign to you – but I am certain that this means you are on a special journey of finding who you are. So far, your dreams – at least the ones you have shared with me – have followed the fundamental, though not truly basic, story of the tarot cards." Celeste's face showed she was amazed by all of this. She thought back and wondered what made Chad so special to be connected to the tarot cards and dream about them without knowing what they look like. She wondered if she had a part to play in his journey.

Celeste picked up the tarot cards once again and began to scan them. She pulled out the ones that Chad must have dreamt about thus far. "You mentioned earlier that you saw yourself in 'the Fool' card. He is the protagonist of the basic story."

Chad looked at the card and remembered the first time he saw the card. "So I am 'the Fool'?" he questioned unsure of whether he liked calling himself a fool even though he knew he could be one at times.

"Yes," Celeste answered simply. "It's not necessarily a bad thing. 'The Fool' card is the card of infinite possibilities. You started a journey recently representing a new beginning for you – you are free to start over. Though you must remain careful because every choice you make begins to limit your once infinite possibilities as doors begin to close. It's the cost of life unfortunately, so be aware that things may not always seem optimistic. It's better to be conscious of this truth, or you can put yourself in the situation where you truly are a fool." Celeste looked at the next two cards in the story order and realized that Chad had never described dreams featuring them. She decided to put them to the side with the other cards. She thought of whom she believed represented 'the Magician' and 'the High Priestess' before moving on.

Celeste handed Chad 'the Empress', 'the Emperor', 'the Hierophant', and 'the Lovers' cards. When Chad saw the final card, he kept his focus on it and exclaimed, "This represents my dream this morning." He read what the card was called next, "The Lovers. This is how you knew about me having to make a choice."

"What was the choice you were pushed to make in your dream?" Celeste asked. Chad thought back to his dream and questioned if he wanted to share that he struggled with choosing between Will and Mia. After his dream with Tony things were clear to him about what he needed to do to protect his relationship with Will, but now things were even more muddled. Celeste could see that Chad struggled with sharing, so she encouraged him, "Chad, whatever you tell me I will keep. Any secrets are safe with me."

Chad looked down for a moment to calm his thoughts and feelings. He knew he could trust Celeste and remembered the fact that Celeste was actually in his dream. "There were two trees just like in this card. There was a flowering tree and a tree producing fruit. The fruit wasn't ready though, while the flowers were in full bloom." He scratched the back of his head as he continued, "I had to choose between two lovers: Will and Mia."

"Mia is your ex-girlfriend, correct? The one who gave birth to your daughter?" Celeste questioned for clarification.

Chad nodded his head as he tried to remember if he had told Celeste about Mia before. "Yeah, she's in town, and I've been visiting her secretly. Will has no idea, and I want to tell him, but there are extenuating circumstances that are keeping me from doing so. In my dream, the flowering tree represented Mia: ready for me now, whereas the fruit tree represented Will: a work in progress that will most likely end in disaster."

Celeste nodded her head as she listened to Chad. She found Chad's understanding of his dream a great start to deciphering its meaning. "Can you tell me what happened in your dream?"

Chad began to explain his dream to Celeste and started with what happened with Mia. He explained that she finished his sentences and presented herself to him. "I don't understand because I thought I was over Mia, but there was something telling me to go for it. That's when I turned to the other tree. Under the fruit tree stood André and his lover, my mother as the Empress, and then Will showed up."

"What happened with Will?" Celeste asked. She found it interesting that Chad seemed to be struggling with his sexuality. She wondered if he realized that as well.

Chad remembered what happened with Will. "I didn't even have to speak. Will could read my thoughts to me. It was crazy, and I felt really connected to him. It felt like I had been hit by a cupid's arrow when I saw him – as weird as that sounds." Chad smiled for the first time as he remembered that feeling, but then the smile faded. "That's when Will went under the tree, and they put the noose around his neck. T was there, too!"

"Who is T?" Celeste asked confused as to where Chad's dream was going. She had been able to follow along until he mentioned T's name.

Chad began to feel flustered at the thought of T. "T is Will's best friend. They grew up together. In my dream, T made Will smile. He got in the way of me being able to give Will a tarot card in my dream."

Celeste noted that Chad only seemed to get additionally agitated the more he talked about T. She decided to call his frustration into question. "I understand that these dreams seem so real and are telling you something, but why are you getting so worked up about Will's friend, T as if he were some kind of threat?"

Chad sighed and stood up from the couch beginning to pace. "Will and T are extremely close and have spent a lot of time together recently in real life. T wasn't even around during the fall semester of school because he was too busy with his girlfriend. Now that he and Gabi are having problems, he's always crying on Will's shoulders. What if Will and T go too far?"

Celeste stood up and got in Chad's way, so he would stop pacing. After reminding Chad that Lexie was resting upstairs, she got him to take a seat once again. "So you fear that you will lose Will because of his closeness to T?" Chad nodded his head and sighed as Celeste went on, "I find it interesting that you're worried that Will might cheat on you with his best friend. Do you not trust Will?"

Chad scratched the top of his head as he considered Celeste's question. He thought about how he completely lost it on Will before heading over here to talk to Celeste. He still felt bad for losing his cool, but he felt helpless about it all. After looking away for a moment, Chad looked back to Celeste as he answered, "I do trust Will, but what if it's not in my control." Chad watched, as Celeste remained silent. "Why do you find it interesting anyway?"

Celeste swayed her head from side to side wondering if Chad already knew the answer to that question. Realizing he needed assistance, she decided to help him see what she could see. "I find it interesting because you say that you're worried that Will might cheat on you with T."

"You just said that," Chad complained. "What am I not hearing?"

Celeste gave Chad a knowing look. "Earlier, you mentioned that you were meeting with Mia secretly. You also mentioned something about finding a relationship with Mia intriguing from the dream you had earlier. I may not know Will as well, but he does seem to love you very much."

Chad's thoughts immediately went to what happened with Sonny and Kai. He was about to go off on how he didn't expect Sonny to be the type to cheat, but then a look of realization came over his face. "Oh my god. I've been so stupid." Chad shook his head as he realized what Celeste had been trying to help him see. "On a superficial level, the closeness between T and Will bothers me, but deep down I am frustrated at myself because I am guilty of the things I want to accuse Will of doing with T. I have gone behind Will's back and visited with Mia in secret. I've told myself this whole time it was innocent because it had to do with Grace, and we've done nothing wrong, when, in reality, I have been falling in love with Mia again. That's why I am so confused. I thought it came out of nowhere, but now I know it's been slowly building ever since I got that picture of Grace in the mail."

Celeste could see this was a big turning point for Chad, and it affected him greatly. She didn't want to give him any answers as to what he should do, so she tried to remain as neutral as possible. "Did you make a choice by the end of the dream?" she asked to see if he had made up his mind.

"No, I woke up before I could because my roommate's boyfriend – I guess ex-boyfriend now – was throwing up in the bathroom," Chad answered. He didn't say anymore about the dream because he continued to reel over how he had been treating Will. He thought about their fight and realized he was guilty of every accusation he made against Will and T. He shook his head in shame and regret.

"What about now – outside of the dream? Have you made a decision of who you want to be with?" Celeste asked trying to catch Chad's attention.

Chad shook his head. He felt his realization was good and bad for him. A part of him wished that everything was so much simpler, but he also noted that he could approach Will and T's relationship in a better way. "Will loves me," was all he could say before he and Celeste heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"What is going on down here?" Lexie asked through a yawn.

Chad stood up from the couch and slapped his hands against his legs. "I stopped by because I am still worried about you," he lied. Chad was worried about Lexie, so he figured it was a reasonable excuse.

Celeste remained on the couch as she turned her body to face Lexie. "Darling, were you unable to sleep?"

Lexie made it to the bottom of the stairs as she continued, "It's been difficult because I'm having nightmares."

"Maybe you should talk about them," Celeste offered.

Lexie shook her head as she rubbed the top of it. "I don't want to. There's really no point because it's the same scene over and over anyway. I keep seeing Abe taking his last breath."

Chad looked at the time and decided he should probably head out, so Celeste could take care of Lexie. He felt guilty for thinking about himself at a time when Lexie needed everyone's energy. "I'll get out of your hair, so you can do what you need to do."

Chad walked over to Lexie to give her a hug and kiss goodnight, but Lexie held onto him. "Please stay, Chad," she requested before admitting, "Even though father's hired men are out there, I would feel safer if you stayed the night."

Chad knew he couldn't deny Lexie's request, not that he did mind staying. "Of course. I'll stay the night. We'll get to spend more time together." Lexie smiled and gave Chad another hug.

Celeste watched Chad and Lexie together and smiled. Knowing that she couldn't continue her conversation with Chad with Lexie there, she decided to make more tea. "This tea is cold by now. I'll make some more hot tea for everyone."

As Celeste gathered the teapot and teacups from the table, Lexie turned toward her mother and commented, "Theo really needs to come home for good tomorrow. I know that he is fine with EJ and his cousins, but all this time away from the house has to be confusing for him."

"I'll pick him up in the morning if you want me to," Celeste replied before disappearing into the kitchen.

Lexie turned to Chad and gave him a smile of appreciation. "Do you mind sleeping on the couch? My mom is currently sleeping in the guest room, and I have started using the other one because going into my room just brings back a lot."

Chad nodded his head to his sister as he gave her a warm smile. "Yeah, that's fine. I understand. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do." Chad wrapped his arm around Lexie and guided her to the couch where they sat together as they waited for Celeste to bring out more tea.

* * *

><p>Out in the Salem Woods by Guilford Street, Ric was out refilling a hole he had dug up. He wiped his brow glad he was almost done with his task. He thought about how when this was over, Ignazio would return to his old self, and things would be back to normal. Ric patted the dirt with the shovel before putting that last layer of dirt back where it belonged. Right before he could pat the final layer with the shovel, he was suddenly surrounded by cop cars.<p>

"Freeze!" Roman yelled as all the cops, including Bo and Hope, pulled out their guns at Ric. "Put that shovel down and put your hands up!"

Ric did as Roman asked. He dropped the shovel straight to the ground and lifted his hands in the air. He couldn't believe this was happening and wondered why the cops were out there. He was almost home free and now this was happening.

Bo slowly made his way to Ric and put his gun down as he pulled out his handcuffs. Cuffing Ric's hands, he began to state the Miranda rights, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you. Do you understand these rights I have just stated to you?"

Ric didn't know what to say and decided to just nod his head. He feared what would happen next. Bo made sure the handcuffs were on properly before asking for verbal communication from Ric. "Yes," Ric let out aloud causing Bo and the others to note his accent.

As Bo placed Ric in one of the police cars, Hope joined Roman by the freshly dug ground. "Looks like we need to get a team out here to dig out this dirt to see what's left of Kinsey's body." Hope placed her arms on her hips feeling horrible because she had hoped this would have ended differently. She didn't even want to comment on the fact that Kinsey was pregnant.

Roman knew Hope didn't feel optimistic at this point. "We don't know if Kinsey is indeed buried under the ground. We are just going off a tip at this point."

Bo made his way over to Roman and Hope after telling the other officers to scout the area. "I find it interesting how our caller knew where we could find this guy. It's possible this guy – wherever he's from – could lead us back to Abe."

"If Kinsey is in that pile of dirt, then yes, it is possible, we'll find Abe," Roman replied. He hoped it was not the case though because it could only mean one thing. Abe was dead, too.

* * *

><p>Maddalena walked from the dining room to the entryway of the house. The place was quiet and empty and Maddalena liked it that way. She really needed some peace and quiet from the normal busy home she had. She decided to head upstairs so she could do some work in her office. As she made her way into her office, she looked out to her desk and noticed someone sitting in her chair. "You're here. I am assuming you were careful, and no one spotted you because I didn't even expect you tonight. I made sure to give the servants work away from the home tonight and the next couple of days in case you decided to make an appearance."<p>

Maddalena made her way over to the desk and placed both palms faced down on the front of it. "I am so glad you're in Salem. There are a couple of things I need you to do for me."

"Of course. You brought me back to life," Tony said with a smile. He thought back to the many online videoconferences they had since he woke up as they discussed the current situation of the family. He found Maddalena rather interesting and believed she had some great ideals in the direction the family needed to go. "The family name needs to be rectified, but I do have an important request if you want me to help you out."

Maddalena was all ears. "What is your request?"

Tony stood up and walked around the desk to stand next to his aunt. "I need resources and help in finding my wife, Anna."

Maddalena turned her back and walked over to a window to look out the curtain. She didn't mind Tony's request, but didn't want to give Tony an answer right away to make sure he knew she wasn't always easy to get things from. She finally turned around to head back to the desk. She spoke as she opened a drawer, "The things I need you to do for me can go hand in hand with what you're wanting to do. I want you to find these people I have listed on this sheet of paper. I have some idea where they might be, but I need you to do the rest for me." Maddalena pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Tony.

Tony took the paper and unfolded it. As he looked over her list, he saw a couple of names that surprised him. "Those two are still alive?" he asked to make sure he read correctly.

"As I mentioned, I've had to do my own research to find out what exactly happened to them," Maddalena responded. She gave Tony a look to let him know that's all she needed from him. "Report back to me when you've made progress."

Tony looked the sheet of paper over once again wondering what Maddalena had planned for those she wanted him to find. "Well, it seems I've returned to Salem only to leave it once more," he commented.

Maddalena gave Tony a playful smile while raising her eyebrows. "I do appreciate your help in this." Tony slightly nodded his head to Maddalena as a sign of gratitude and assurance that he would accomplish the task she set before him. "I will do whatever it takes to bring the family back together and making sure the Dimera name is repaired to what it used to be."


	48. Chapter 48 Because of You

**Chapter 48: Because of You – Wednesday, January 4th, 2012**

The next morning, Will began to stretch in bed as his alarm started going off. Will reached over to feel for Chad, but all he felt was an empty bed. He quickly turned around realizing that Chad wasn't sleeping next to him. He promptly jerked up to look around the room and became confused when he saw no sign that Chad had ever been in the room. Everything was exactly the same as when he fell asleep. "Chad never came home last night," he said softly to himself thinking about the fight they had the night before. He believed he and Chad were better than this.

Deciding he should get out of bed before he depressed himself into just moping around, Will put on a shirt and headed into the kitchen, where T was eating a bowl of cereal. "Morning. Have you seen Chad?" he asked. He wanted to check in with T in case Chad decided to sleep in the living room.

T looked up from the table, as he answered, "No, I got in last night and went to sleep on the couch. I haven't seen him at all." T returned to eating his cereal, but he mentally questioned if something happened between Will and Chad.

Will looked down at the floor and outlined the patterns of the tile with his eyes. He wondered where Chad could be while also questioning if he reacted too tough when Chad accused him of being unfaithful.

Will's focus turned to Sonny, when Sonny walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. As Sonny began to pour himself a bowl of cereal, Will gave him a weird look while commenting, "Something must be wrong if what you're eating for breakfast is a bowl of cereal."

Sonny didn't respond, but continued what he was doing. Taking a seat at the table, he began to enjoy his bowl of cereal or at least try to. He really didn't want to talk to anyone and was tempted to take the bowl of cereal back to his bedroom to avoid any type of interaction.

After trading an uncertain glance with T, Will poured himself a bowl of cereal and joined the other two. He knew something happened with Sonny but also sensed that trying to get answers from him in front of T might only close Sonny off more. He decided to focus on something light and non-intrusive. "It's crazy that school starts after next week. We had better enjoy our freedom before things get hectic again with school," he acknowledged.

Sonny remained unresponsive as T responded, "It's going to be so different this semester. I can tell." T thought about Gabi and wondered if that would be something that remained the same from last semester.

"With you here, we'll hang more," Will pointed out causing T to smile.

As T and Will continued to talk about school, Sonny kept his focus on eating his cereal. Even so, his thoughts could not escape his situation with Kai. Hearing Will and T's discussion about school caused Sonny to realize how hard it would be for him during the spring semester since he and Kai were in most of the same classes. If Kai never came around to forgiving him, things would be different for sure. They wouldn't sit next to each other in class. They wouldn't meet up later and study for tests together. Sonny sighed quietly as he didn't like where things seemed to be headed for him and Kai. It would be awkward for sure, but it would also be painful for Sonny to see Kai live his life without him.

T looked down at his empty bowl and announced," I'm going to shower." T stood up, grabbed his bowl, and left it in the sink. "I'll be out soon."

With T gone, Will looked over to Sonny and decided that maybe this was the time he should find out what was wrong with Sonny. From where he sat, he looked around and realized for the first time that Kai was not around. He wondered if Kai's absence had anything to do with Sonny's silence and the fact that Sonny was eating a bowl of cereal. "Where's Kai? Is he with your great-uncle starting his internship?"

Sonny dropped his spoon, stopped eating his cereal, and for the first time made eye contact with Will. "He's gone. I don't think he's coming back," he shared with the most somber penitent tone.

Will almost choked when he heard the misery in Sonny's voice and saw the remorseful glaze in Sonny's eyes. He had never seen Sonny look so distraught. He thought about everything he had noted during their time in Colorado between Sonny, Dario, and Kai and decided to discuss it with Sonny. "I may be assuming too much here and may be in the wrong for this, but you seemed high-strung all weekend. Dario did as well. Did something happen between you and Dario?"

Sonny looked back down to his bowl with shame. His eyes began to water as he remembered the events over the weekend. He slowly nodded his head to answer Will, as he wasn't sure if he could give Will verbal confirmation. He swallowed hard and finally shared, "I cheated on Kai with Dario. Kai arrived at the cabin after it happened."

Will placed his hand on Sonny's hand knowing his friend was going through hell. He didn't dare judge him because he cared about Sonny and wanted to be there for him. He did question Sonny's reasons though. "What does this mean, Sonny? I think you and I both know that this is so out of character for you. Does this mean that you love Dario? Are you and Dario together now? You both have always had a strong connection. Maybe this was supposed to happen."

Sonny removed his hand from under Will's hand and began to shake his head. He dried his eyes of any tears that attempted to come out. "I don't want to hear that," he informed Will. "Things are so screwed up in my life because of my great-uncle and Dario. It's better if I stay away from both of them." Sonny stood up deciding he needed to find solitude. He grabbed his bowl and headed for the sink.

Will grabbed his bowl and made his way to the sink as well. "Don't run away, Sonny. I'm your friend, and I want to help you through this."

Sonny shook his head as he tried to remain silent. He heard the bathroom door open and spotted T walk out and head into Will's bedroom to change. "The shower is free. I'm going to shower next. I'll be fine."

"I'm not so sure," Will said as he placed his bowl in the sink. "You need someone to talk to about this. I hope you know that I still care about you."

Trying to push Will away, Sonny turned so he could look out towards the living room. "I noticed Chad never made it back yesterday. If you're wondering about him, I should probably tell you that the last time I saw him, he walked in on me telling Kai about my affair with Dario. He saw the big fight apparently and watched as Kai walked out on me." With that, Sonny walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

Will grabbed his neck as he took a seat at the table once again. His thoughts now focused on Chad and the fight they had the night before. He questioned if Chad got worked up because of what he saw between Sonny and Kai. Even though the timing of Chad accusing him of being unfaithful the night before fit, it still didn't make complete sense as to why Chad was so envious of his friendship with T because Chad's jealous behavior started before yesterday. He sighed and grabbed his cell. He contemplated if he should call or text Chad to find out where he was so they could talk about what happened last night.

Before Will could decide, T walked back into the kitchen dressed. He rubbed his hands together to shake his nerves about what he had planned for the day. "So I am going to head out to try to talk to Gabi," he announced hoping to get Will's attention.

Will looked away from his phone and towards T. "Oh? Are you nervous about that?"

T nodded his head before admitting, "I'd rather not go alone, truthfully."

"I can go with you if you want me to," Will offered. He decided not to contact Chad to give him more space. "I'll just need to shower after Sonny gets out. Can you wait that long?"

"Yeah, of course," T responded feeling relieved to have Will there with him. "I don't know why I'm freaking out so much."

Will put his phone on the table as he stood up. Patting T on the back, he responded, "Well, you're not having the best week. I'm sure it will work out though." T tried to smile as he thanked Will. He hoped that things worked out between him and Gabi.

* * *

><p>Lexie made her way down the stairs of her home and quietly made her way over to Chad, who was asleep on the couch. She gently began to shake him to wake him up, so that he would be awake when Celeste arrived with Theo. "Chad. Wake up."<p>

Chad began to stretch as he opened his eyes. Surprised to see Lexie, he sat up looking around confused, but then remembered that Lexie had asked him to stay the night. When Chad sat up, Lexie sat next to her brother and gave him a smile of appreciation. "I'm so glad that you could stay the night. How did you sleep?"

Chad continued to stretch and let out a yawn. "Sorry. I didn't sleep so well because I had a lot on my mind," he answered. Realizing that it sounded like he was complaining about where he had to sleep, he quickly added, "The couch is really comfortable though."

"Same here," Lexie shared ignoring Chad's added comment about the couch. She hung her head as she explained, "I can't stop thinking about father and what happened with Abe."

Chad wondered if Lexie suspected Stefano of being responsible for what happened with Abe. "When EJ told me what happened, I asked him if father was responsible," he admitted. "He gave me this look of surprise as if he hadn't even considered it. Am I wrong for not being able to trust father?"

Lexie turned her face back to Chad as she gave him a half-smile. Patting him on his leg, she shook her head. "No, Chad. I am right there with you. Stefano Dimera is our father. We should struggle in being able to fully trust him because he's capable of anything. I know I'm not innocent, but he's hurt a lot of people."

Just then, Celeste walked in with Theo. Theo immediately made his way to Lexie and gave her a hug. "Mommy. I missed you, but I had so much fun with Johnny, Allie, and Sydney. Allie is gone now though. She got on the plane with her daddy."

Lexie held Theo tight for a moment before releasing him. With a smile, she responded, "I'm so glad you had fun with your cousins. You'll have to tell me more about what you guys did."

"We went to a show where people danced on ice," Theo shared as he began to twist his arms. "They did different jumps, and it looked really hard." Theo looked over and spotted Chad sitting on the couch. Making his way over, he took a seat next to Chad. Not making eye contact with Chad, he asked, "Are you ever going to have kids?"

Lexie made her way over to Theo and kneeled in front of him. She wanted to help Chad, so he wouldn't have to answer Theo's question. She knew that was a hard subject for him. "Hey Theo, did you already eat at nonno's house?" she asked her son to change the topic.

Theo nodded his head before asking, "Is daddy upstairs? Did you find him?"

Theo's question caused Lexie to remain quiet for a moment. Fortunately, she was able to keep calm as she replied, "Your daddy is gone on a trip and will hopefully be home soon." Lexie traded a glance with Chad as she realized it had been almost a week, and they still had no idea where and what exactly happened to Abe.

Theo began to focus on his arms as he began to twist them again. "Can I talk to dad on the phone then? His phone number is on the refrigerator for emergencies."

Lexie noted Theo's behavior and wondered if he was possibly regressing due to Abe's absence. She grabbed his hands to make him stop, but Theo quickly became irritated. Celeste made her way over to Lexie and Theo deciding to step in. "Theo, darling, we should take your stuff upstairs back to your room. You were talking about your bedroom all the way back home, remember? We need to make sure your cars are still in their place."

Celeste managed to calm Theo down as he got off the couch and followed her upstairs. Lexie stood up and covered her mouth as she watched him leave. She fought back the tears that wanted to come out as she thought about the effects Abe's absence would have on Theo's life. She turned to face Chad, who had stood up as well. Chad pulled Lexie into a hug as she pleaded, "Chad, I can't do this alone. I need you. You're a good brother and a good man."

Chad held onto Lexie as he struggled with who Lexie believed him to be. He decided not to focus on that because either way his sister needed him, and he wasn't going to let her down. "I'm here, Lexie. You're not alone. Theo's not alone."

* * *

><p>Arianna helped her mother out of her bedroom into the main room at the Dimera guesthouse. After helping Isobel to the table, she turned towards her brother, who was sitting on the couch. "I talked to Manny earlier, Dario. He asked about you. Maybe you should give him a call."<p>

Dario didn't bother looking at his sister as he focused on doing some research on the laptop. "I'll call him later," he responded. In reality, he didn't want to talk to Manny because he knew his brother would try to convince him to keep trying for Sonny even after everything that happened.

Gabi walked from the stove to the table to ask her brother a question. "Dario, do you want any eggs with your frijoles?" Dario didn't bother answering Gabi's question because he decided to give her the silent treatment after what she did the day before when she told Isobel that Sonny was gay. Gabi tried to get him to respond by sharing, "Dario, I need to know, so I can make them now. I have to leave for work soon."

Dario remained silent and decided to put on earphones so he could listen to music. Isobel glanced over to Dario and then back to Gabi, who gave up and headed to the stove to make another plate. After Gabi returned to the table with a plate of food for Isobel, Isobel decided to find out what was going on. "What is going on between you two?" Neither answered their mother's question.

Gabi brought over two plates for Arianna and Isobel as she thought about her slip the day before. She felt bad for putting Dario in that position with their mother, but wondered if this was a good thing in that it could keep Dario and Sonny away from each other. She didn't want to see Sonny hurt her brother once again.

Isobel became perturbed because she could tell that her two youngest were deep in thought but didn't want to share their thoughts aloud. Letting her annoyance get the best of her, she loudly shared, "You two are going to fix whatever is going on between the two of you before I die! I am not letting this continue!"

Arianna stopped eating and gave her mother a look. "Mama, please calm your nerves. Dario and Gabi will get over it." She then traded disappointed looks with Dario and Gabi.

Isobel looked down at her food annoyed with her children. "I can't allow this to continue," she said under her breath before she continued to eat. "Maybe I'll say a prayer for peace and love in this family. Things aren't easy and maybe it's harder because we haven't been to mass in a while. Repentance may be in order."

Arianna and Gabi did not know how to respond to their mother. They knew it bothered her that she wasn't able to get out much and wanted to go to church more, but there was nothing they could do about that. Luckily, a knock interrupted the conversation from continuing. When Arianna opened the door, she was surprised to see Chelsea standing on the other side. "Come in," she said as she moved out of the way.

Chelsea walked in as Arianna closed the door. "Sorry to intrude, but I came over to offer Gabi a ride to work. I came over to the mansion because I told Sami I would take Johnny to the pub for her. He's getting ready now." Arianna motioned Gabi to come over to talk to Chelsea as she made her way into the kitchen to continue the cleaning Gabi was doing.

Gabi walked from the kitchen area after washing her hands. Drying them off on her pants, she gave Chelsea a look of gratitude. "That would be great," she responded. Isobel pretended to concentrate on eating her food as she glanced at Chelsea a few times.

Chelsea tried to acknowledge Isobel but managed to only look at Isobel when she wasn't looking back. Giving up, she moved over closer to Gabi. "Great. I'm hoping we can talk on the way over if you're up for it. We never got to finish our conversation yesterday when Abby came in."

Gabi nodded her head in agreement. "I would like that actually. Let me go change right quick."

Gabi headed into the room to change her pants and shirt for work. While Gabi was gone, Chelsea looked over and spotted Dario focusing on his laptop. "Hey Dario," Chelsea said through a smile, but Dario didn't respond because he didn't hear Chelsea due he having earphones on. Chelsea continued to smile patiently as she awkwardly waited for Dario to reply.

Isobel yelled Dario's name causing Dario to unplug the earphones from his ears. Loud music could be heard from them as he placed them on his lap. Looking up, Dario noticed Chelsea for the first time, as he wasn't even aware that she had arrived. Putting his laptop to the side on the couch, he stood up to greet Chelsea. "Hey, Chelsea. What are you doing here?"

"I'm giving your sister a ride to work. I'm headed that way and thought I would offer," she shared as Isobel continued to watch them. "How are things going with you?"

Before Dario could answer, Gabi walked out ready to go. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible because she didn't want to get a lecture from her mother about religion – especially in front of Chelsea. "We can head back to the mansion and just wait there. Let's go." Gabi grabbed Chelsea's arm and led her out of the guesthouse.

After Chelsea and Gabi left, Isobel turned to Dario and commented, "Chelsea is beautiful and in my opinion a suitable wife for you, son. Her hair is beautifully dark and has very attractive features."

Dario slumped back on the couch trying to ignore his mother, but couldn't do that to her. He felt bad for blowing off everyone because Gabi was there, but now Gabi was gone. Shaking his head at his mother's suggestion, he responded, "As much as I want to make your wishes come true, mama, I'm not so sure I believe in love anymore. If it does exist, I want to take my time as I don't want to rush it again."

Isobel gave Dario a puzzled look as she wondered if he was still upset about what Melanie did to him before he left for Alaska. "What is that supposed to mean? I don't have time for you to take your time," she said feeling perturbed again. "First, your sister Gabi is having problems with her boyfriend. Then, your other sister, Arianna, won't give Brady a second chance, but has assured me that she has her eye on someone else. That in itself should make me feel better, but she won't even tell me who this mystery guy is. I'm starting to wonder if she just told me that so I would stop pushing Brady on her."

Dario walked over to the table and took a seat across from his mother. "Mama, please stop worrying about us. I don't want to see you back in the hospital." Arianna stopped cleaning and walked over to agree with Dario.

"I am not done talking," Isobel fired back at Dario and Ari. Focusing on what Dario had said, she went on, "You just said that you were not sure if you believe in love. What is with you and your sisters? I wish all of you would stop denying happiness into your lives. You should let love happen naturally without trying to keep it at a distance. Let go of all these walls that keep holding you from experiencing what's buried deep in your heart." As Isobel lectured Arianna and Dario about love, she could not help thinking about Andres. As she continued to describe love to them, her voice became sweeter and calmer. She smiled as she finally said, "You should take advantage of the love you have before it slips through your fingers."

Dario and Arianna glanced at each other confused as to what just happened. "Mama, are you okay?" Dario asked to be sure she was with them mentally.

Isobel snapped out of her thoughts and recovered by giving Arianna and Dario a stern look. "I am fine. Just leave me alone, so I can relax. I'll try to knock some sense into you two later." Dario sighed and headed back to the couch to continue his research on the laptop. Arianna stood up and headed back to the kitchen to clean. Isobel sat there and thought about how things ended with Andres so suddenly.

* * *

><p>Roman sat in his office and looked across to Ric. He scratched his head feeling embarrassed and silly for the mistake the Salem PD made. "Your release has been processed, and I can't apologize enough for what happened last night. We dug up the dirt and found that your story was true. You only buried a cat in the woods."<p>

"Like I mentioned before, I wanted my pet to be buried in the wild," Ric responded annoyed and vindicated. "I am curious though. Why did you and your officers come to arrest me? Am I not allowed to bury my cat?"

Roman felt bad that they kept Ric in for the night when he clearly had nothing to do with Kinsey's disappearance. He couldn't believe the ridiculousness of the whole situation. "Someone must have pulled a prank or something. We had a call come in saying that we would find you out there burying a body. Maybe someone saw you out there and thought you were hiding something."

Ric nodded his head and remained calm on the outside, but inside, he quickly realized that Ignazio must have set him up because Ignazio was the only one who knew he was out there in that exact spot. Ric made sure no one saw him go out there or followed him. He didn't want to believe it, but it had to be Ignazio who called the police. He kept his facial expressions clear of any emotion, but he felt hurt by Ignazio's betrayal. "Commissioner, when can I go?" he asked wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.

Roman stood up after handing Ric his things in a Ziploc bag. "You are free to go now. Again, on behalf of the Salem PD, we are deeply sorry you got caught up in the middle of this." Roman led Ric out of the office to walk him out of the station to make sure he wasn't harassed by anyone else – especially reporters.

Adrienne and Justin walked in cutting them off from leaving. "We heard that you had a lead on Kinsey," Adrienne called out to Roman.

Roman decided to let Ric leave before he responded to Adrienne's comment. "Your car is being pulled around for you to leave. Just go out those doors so you can avoid the press." Roman pointed the way out for Ric after Ric thanked him for releasing him. Turning to Adrienne and Justin, Roman finally responded, "We thought we had a lead on Kinsey, but it turns out it was a false one."

As Justin watched Ric leaving the police station, Adrienne wanted to know more, "A false lead? How does that happen?"

"Someone with a sick mind playing a prank on the poor guy I suspect. We have some cops looking into it, but we're still focused on finding out where Kinsey disappeared to," Roman responded. "I'm not even sure if we'll find the caller as he or she disguised their voices and kept the call short."

Justin finally turned his attention to Roman commenting, "The guy you were just talking to had an interesting accent. He doesn't sound like he's from here."

Roman nodded his head, "We think someone might have tried to get him deported. He's from Italy, but his paperwork is good. He has a Visa to be here, so he's not breaking any laws."

Adrienne sighed disappointed that they had no word on Kinsey. She turned to Justin deciding she should head back to work. Giving him a kiss, she said, "I will see you later. Hopefully, you can help your uncle clear his name from this and get answers while you're at it." Justin gave Adrienne a casual smile to let her know that everything would be okay.

After Adrienne walked off, Roman picked up on Adrienne mentioning Victor. "So I take it you're staying behind to talk about Victor?"

"You are correct," Justin said with a slight nod. "I actually called DA Woods, and he has agreed to meet with me down here to talk about Kinsey's case. I could use your help in discussing Victor's being a suspect in this whole Kinsey situation if you have the time." Roman nodded his head in agreement and motioned Justin to his office, so they could continue their conversation behind closed doors.

Outside, Ric got into his car and drove off. He grabbed his phone out of the Ziploc bag and dialed Ignazio's number. Before Ignazio could say anything when he picked up, Ric said Ignazio's name with false excitement, "Ignazio, you will not believe what happened to me."

Surprised to hear Ric's voice, Ignazio had to think fast on how to respond to Ric. "How did everything go last night? I never heard back from you. Did everything go smoothly?"

Ric couldn't believe that Ignazio was trying to play this off. "Nazio, you threw everything away with what you did last night. You saw me as a problem and played me for a fool. The best friend I grew up with back home is no more, and I am not sure I want to talk or see you again." Ric hung up the phone before Ignazio could say anything. To allow himself some space and air from everything, he decided he couldn't head back to Maddalena's mansion just yet. He needed to contemplate his next move.

* * *

><p>Josh sat in Java Café on his computer as he attempted to get ready for the spring semester. He minimized his browser for a second to open up a program from his desktop, but became distracted when he looked at his laptop's background – a picture from his time in New Zealand. Seeing the picture reminded him of his experience overseas and how much he was going to miss having school away from the classrooms of Salem U.<p>

Josh promptly opened a folder full of pictures from his experience in New Zealand and looked through them. When he came upon some pictures of Abigail, he realized that he might have wasted most of his time in New Zealand by focusing so much on her. His realization made him hate the way things were even more. He wished things were different.

Abigail walked into the café to grab some coffee and a snack before heading out to do some shopping to get her mind off of things. She ordered and paid after she arrived at the register. After getting her order, she walked over to a table to sit down, but when she put her order and purse on the table, she looked up and noticed Josh sitting across from her for the first time. She pulled her purse back onto her shoulder, grabbed her banana nut muffin and coffee, and walked over to Josh hoping he would give her some time to talk to him. "Is this seat taken?" she asked gently.

Josh smiled as he continued to look through photos, but when he looked up his smile disappeared. Realizing his change in mood at the sight of Abigail, he adjusted himself in his seat and motioned for Abigail to take a seat to see what she had to say. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Thanks," Abigail sad delicately. She didn't expect to run into Josh and tried to think about how to approach him after the way things ended between them on their trip in Colorado. She kept thinking back to her conversation with Sami at the Brady Pub. Her father had really messed her up in the head and heart. "Josh, I haven't talked to you since we got back Monday night. I hope you know that I do miss you and the fun we used to have."

Josh made sure to keep his distance from Abigail because he didn't want to be pulled back into her orbit when she really didn't want to commit to him. She was being cautious with him and he wasn't sure what to think about it. He thought about the fun they had and questioned what it meant to Abigail when she didn't feel the same way he felt. He still wanted more and craved it terribly with Abigail sitting in front of him. Feeling cheated, he decided he couldn't sit there and continue to keep his distance, so he began to pack his things to get away from her. "I've got to go."

Abigail put her hand on Josh's bag, so he couldn't leave. "Wait. There are things you don't understand."

Josh jerked his bag from Abigail's grasp and looked directly into Abigail's eyes. "Well, it's your fault that I don't understand anything. You won't allow me in and run away from me any time I get too close to you. I can't stand around here so you can break my heart over and over."

Josh pulled his bag over his shoulder and rushed off leaving Abigail in tears of realization. Her conversation with Sami came to the forefront of her mind as she remembered how she described what her father was doing to her mother. She covered her mouth and let out a gasp. Her father had screwed her life more than she had imagined.

* * *

><p>At the Kiriakis Mansion, Brady paced around the living room as he fielded many calls from Titan's big investors and members of the board concerning Victor's recent visit to the police station. "I can assure you. Mrs. Blakelee that my grandfather had nothing to do with the young girl's disappearance. The police only asked him to come to the station to help them with the investigation." Brady nodded his head as he listened to Mrs. Blakelee's response. Sonny walked in a huff in time to hear Brady say, "I give you my word that nothing has happened and there is no need for an emergency investors' meeting. Victor was not arrested, nor is he suspected of anything concerning the pregnant girl. Everything at Titan is fine and will continue to run smoothly."<p>

"What's going on?" Sonny asked forgetting his reasons for coming over. When Brady spotted Sonny standing there, he quickly ended the conversation. When Brady put the phone away, Sonny asked again, "What was that about? Did something happen with Kinsey while I was gone?"

Brady scratched the back of his head for a second as he gave Sonny an uneasy look. "Your great-uncle was questioned about Kinsey and her disappearance this weekend at the police station," he informed before realizing he could get some assurances from Sonny. "Can you tell me everything that went down between you, Victor, and Kinsey?"

Sonny couldn't believe that Victor was taken down to the station on suspicion. He looked up to Brady as he thought about everything that happened with his great-uncle and Kinsey. "It all started when Victor paid Kinsey a butt load of money in an attempt to convince me that I'm straight. She drugged me though and took advantage of me." Explaining all of this to Brady only made Sonny more frustrated with life. He remembered why he came over in the first place as he thought about how annoyed he was with Victor when Kai revealed that Victor was responsible for Kai surprising him at the family cabin. "You know the rest of it. Kinsey tried to trick me into believing she was having my baby. Where is Victor now? I need to talk to him."

"He's over at Maggie's," Brady answered trying to read Sonny.

Sonny turned around to head out. "I'll just talk to him there then."

Brady realized that Sonny was upset and rushed over to stop him from going anywhere. "Whoa, Sonny. Wait. Did Victor do something wrong again?"

Sonny stood still and gave Brady a frustrated look as he answered, "It's his M.O. to complicate everyone's life!" With that, Sonny managed to leave the mansion avoiding Brady's attempts to stop him. Brady put his hands on his hips as he shook his head. He wondered if he should warn his grandfather about Sonny by giving him a head's up.

* * *

><p>At Maggie's house, Victor and Maggie sat in her front room discussing Kinsey. "I thought I would have heard from Justin by now. I hope he can clear my name completely from this case during his meeting with Roman and the DA," Victor shared. He really wanted all of this over, so he could move on.<p>

Maggie agreed but stood up and headed for the door when the doorbell rang. "Excuse me. I'm not expecting anyone." Opening the door, Maggie smiled as she announced who was at her door. "Bo and Hope. It's so good to see you." Maggie's smile faded somewhat as she wondered if they were here on business. "I am hoping you're here with good news. Come in."

Bo and Hope walked in and greeted Victor. Hope raised her eyebrow to Victor as she shared, "We have news concerning Kinsey's case."

Victor stood up wanting to know what news they had. "Were you two sitting in on the meeting with Justin, Roman, and Woods?"

"No," Bo responded before continuing, "The station got a call from Kinsey's parents just moments ago. They informed us that they had heard back from their daughter and that Kinsey seems to be fine. Hope and I were out when Roman called us to let us know what happened."

Maggie immediately clasped her hands together as she turned to Victor with a big smile. "This is great news!"

As Maggie hugged him, Victor smiled a little at her as he remembered getting a call from Kinsey's parents a couple days ago. They called because they knew he was a suspect in Kinsey's disappearance and offered to cover it up if he gave them money. As Maggie let him go, he spoke, "Well, I am glad to be in the clear. I am guessing Justin and the DA already know about the call if Roman was the one to tell you two."

"Yes. They had just finished their meeting when Kinsey's parents called," Bo answered. "We told Roman we wanted to deliver the news ourselves while he talked it over with Justin and DA Woods."

Hope looked on with a smile of relief. "It's been a while since we've been able to share good news. I am glad that Kinsey and her baby are safe and that nothing happened to her. Now we can focus on other things." She walked over and gave her aunt a hug.

The four continued to celebrate until the doorbell rang once again. Maggie turned to Bo and Hope. "Are we expecting Justin and Roman to join us?" Bo and Hope denied Justin and Roman's coming from the station.

Maggie opened the door and said Chad's name when she saw him on the other side. Chad entered the house after Maggie invited him in. He looked around startled to see Bo, Hope, and Victor in the room. He wondered what Mia was doing.

"Chad, what are you doing here?" Hope asked.

"He's most likely here to see Mia," Maggie answered for him surprising Bo and Hope. She turned back to Chad and pushed him towards the kitchen door. "She should be in the kitchen. She's in there baking."

As Chad made his way to the kitchen, Victor asked Maggie, "How long has Mia been in town?"

"It's been a couple of weeks or so," Maggie answered.

Chad made his way into the kitchen and spotted Mia pulling out a batch of cookies from the oven. He announced himself calmly hoping not to startle her, "Hey. Maggie told me you were in here."

Mia put the tray of cookies on top of the stove and turned around amazed to see Chad there. "Chad, is Victor still out there?"

"Yeah, he is," Chad responded questioning if the fact that Victor, Bo, and Hope seeing him there would be a problem. "I was going to ask why you're hiding out in here, but then I remembered that you're trying to avoid Victor at all costs. It's got to be awkward for you staying here with Victor and Maggie being so close."

Mia gave Chad an uncomfortable smile and tried to play it off. "Yeah, I don't want to face Victor, but I think it might be best if I keep away from everyone. I'm trying not to get attached to Salem again since I know I will be leaving soon." Mia moved in closer to Chad and made direct eye contact with him. "It's going to be really hard to say goodbye to you after we have been able to reconnect again – at least that is how I feel."

Chad scratched the back of his head feeling somewhat uncomfortable. "I can feel the connection, too," he admitted. He thought about his discussion with Celeste about his confused feelings towards Mia. He didn't expect for this to happen. He couldn't let it happen. "Mia, we still need to tell Will that you're in Salem, and that we've been meeting about Grace. I know that you're afraid about what Victor might do, but…"

"Is this the only reason you came to see me?" Mia interrupted Chad playing the hurt card. "You want to talk about Will? Is it always going to be about Will?"

"No," Chad said to answer Mia's first question but quickly realized it sounded like he didn't want his life to revolve around Will. "Look, I think you have nothing to worry about because Victor is in the next room and hasn't tried to do anything. I think we can tell Will."

Mia separated herself from Chad, as she couldn't believe he was pushing this again. "Chad, it's only been a day since we talked. I'm not ready for this. Victor is still a threat." She shook her head and gave Chad a look of concern as she continued, "Even if Victor wasn't a threat, I am not sure what I would say to Will. I haven't seen him in years, and now I know he's gay."

Chad gave Mia a silly look. "I'm gay, too, Mia," he reminded her before realizing something. "You don't want to accept that I'm gay, do you?"

Mia looked away from Chad not wanting to have this conversation. She tried to clear her head as she recognized that she could use this conversation to her advantage. "I'm sorry I don't want to accept it. I can't because of what we used to mean to each other. I don't want to believe it because I know – Chad I know – deep down, you know that even if you like kissing Will, every single part of you does not like it. You're not completely sold on this gay thing."

Chad looked down and suddenly felt a bit light headed as Mia had clearly struck a nerve. He balanced himself by leaning on the island in the kitchen. As much as he tried to deny it, he knew Mia was right in that a part of him still questioned his relationship with Will. A part of him continued to question where he stood sexually.

Mia caught on that Chad was overwhelmed by what she had said to him and decided to back off a bit so she didn't push him away completely. She grabbed his hands to pull him closer as she gave him a softened look. "Look Chad, I know that things are different and what we had was so long ago, but I want you to know that I believe I will always love you because when I look into your eyes, I see the eyes of our beautiful daughter." Chad looked down into Mia's eyes unsure of how to respond. All he could think about is what happened with Mia in his dream.

Back in the living room, Hope and Bo had already left. Victor and Maggie were toasting to everything working out in the end. Victor smiled at Maggie after the toast and shared, "I told you everything would be okay."

Instantaneously, there was a knock on the door interrupting their celebration. Maggie stood up and commented, "I swear; my house has suddenly become a train station." Answering the door, she was surprised once again to see Sonny standing there. "Sonny, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry to intrude, Maggie, but I need to speak to my great-uncle right away," he insisted.

Before Maggie or Victor could say anything, Mia followed Chad out of the kitchen. "Where are you going Chad?' she called out to him with a worried look on her face.

"I have to go. I'm sorry," Chad answered back as he continued. He had no idea what to say to her and needed to think alone about everything.

Sonny forgot about his frustration for a moment and became flustered by the fact that Mia was there and seemed to know Chad. Making eye contact with Chad, Sonny caused Chad to freeze once he realized Sonny had caught him with Mia. Chad didn't know what to do at first because he wondered what Sonny thought about all of this and if Sonny would tell Will. He decided he didn't want to deal with this and decided to leave like it didn't happen.

Mia couldn't believe that Sonny was in Maggie's living room either. She decided to let Chad be and go back into the kitchen. "I should head to the kitchen. I think I forgot to turn off the oven."

"I'll go with you," Maggie decided so that Sonny could have some alone time with Victor.

After Maggie and Mia disappeared into the kitchen, Victor looked Sonny over before asking, "What is so important that you felt the need to come over to Maggie's home and interrupt my time with her?"

Sonny was still flustered by the fact that Mia had been at Maggie's house the entire time he was looking for Kinsey, but knew he needed to put that behind him so he could yell at his great-uncle for his unwelcome contributions. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding, "I came to tell you to stop interfering in my life. You keep making it worse!"

Victor gave his great-nephew a confused look as he remembered hearing good things from Justin and Adrienne. "I was under the impression that I was making it better."

Sonny gave Victor an aggravated look. "The point is that whether your intentions are good or bad, you putting a hand in how I run my life is ruining everything. You are a curse!"

Victor quickly became annoyed with Sonny. "Please stop talking to me like I know what has happened. Explain to me why you think I am a curse. Your parents told me you were happy with me because of my sending Kai to you in Colorado."

"Yes, you sent Kai to Colorado to make up for your past mistakes, but you should have told me what you had planned instead of surprising me!" Sonny yelled at Victor. "If you had warned me beforehand, I would have never cheated on Kai and lost him when I confessed to Kai what I had done!"

Victor stepped back as he became almost speechless at Sonny's confession. He realized that Sonny was taking out his anger on him. "Sonny, I admit that what I did to you was wrong and the way I responded to your sexual preference initially was horrible, but even though I am sorry for what happened to you, the person you should blame for losing Kai is you." Victor watched as Sonny stepped back staggered that Victor was pointing the finger at him. He continued to lay into Sonny, "Shame on you for not owning to your own mistakes and running around like a chicken who has just lost his head to the butcher knife."

Sonny didn't want to hear Victor's lecture and countered, "This is Dario's fault. He seduced me when he knew I had a boyfriend."

Victor didn't want to hear Sonny put blame on anyone else and moved past the shock that it was Dario Hernandez who Sonny cheated with. "Yes, it takes two to tango, but for heaven's sake, stop acting like you're the victim in this situation when the real victim here is Kai. I remember when Philip cheated on Melanie with that hussy, Chloe. At first, Philip tried to put the blame on that slut and everyone else, for that matter, but quickly showed he was a man by owning up to his mistake. You should do the same and man up!"

Sonny quickly became quiet as Victor's words remained in his thoughts. As much as he hated it, he knew Victor was right. Rattled by the truth, Sonny wanted to break down at how much his life was ruined, but stopped himself because he was in front of Victor.

Victor watched Sonny and realized he had gotten through to Sonny on accepting what had happened. He cooled his mood, so that he could approach Sonny lightly. "So you cheated with Dario Hernandez? Did you and Dario sleep together because you've always wanted to be with Dario?"

Overwhelmed with too much truth, Sonny stepped back deciding not to answer his great-uncle's questions. "I appreciate you challenging me and making me see that this is my fault, but I have to go. I can't talk about this anymore." Sonny walked backwards to the door and left. Victor shook his head as he thought about what Sonny was going through. He wondered what this meant for Kai, but then realized he didn't get the chance to tell Sonny the good news about Kinsey.

* * *

><p>Jack arrived at the Horton house with a few hot drinks for the family. Walking into the living room with Jen, he told her, "I want to make it up to the family for being gone and there's no time like the present to start."<p>

Jennifer crossed her arms unsure if Jack's visit was a good idea after Abigail shut everyone out the day before and earlier this morning. "I don't know about this, Jack. Abigail isn't even here, but JJ's upstairs."

JJ rushed down the stairs when he heard his father's voice. "Dad! You're here!" JJ gave Jack a hug in excitement causing Jennifer to think that maybe this was a good idea for JJ's sake. She knew she couldn't and shouldn't keep the kids from their father.

Jack grabbed a hot cocoa and handed it to JJ. "I got you this. I hope it's still warm, just the way you like it." After JJ tried it and smiled, Jack continued, "Son, could you give me a moment alone with your mother?" JJ nodded and headed into the kitchen to find marshmallows.

Jen denied wanting a drink when Jack tried to hand her one. "I don't want private time with you, Jack. You should spend some time alone with JJ. He's happy that you're back."

Jack put the coffee down and argued, "We need to talk, and we should take advantage of the fact that Dr. Jonas isn't around. I'm guessing he's avoiding you now since I'm back."

Jen crossed her arms again and kept her space from Jack. "Daniel is working harder than ever at the hospital, and it has nothing to do with avoiding me because you're here. I can't believe you have the nerve to assume that you walking back into our family's life will make everything go back to how it was when you walked out on us!"

Jack didn't want Jennifer to be upset with him and wanted to put everything out in the open, so they could talk through it. "Look, I know that I have this pattern of walking out on the family, disappearing, and then returning to you, but…"

"Jack, this has nothing to do with the past," Jennifer cut him off. "I truly did forgive you all those times that you abandoned me and the family before. I am just talking about this most recent occurrence. Even though we were distant and focused on other things before you left, I thought we were happy."

Jack sighed and gave Jennifer a hesitant look. He had thought about what his story was going to be for why he was away for so long and believed he finally had a way of telling her without giving Tony's secret away. "I was, but other things got in the way. I can explain everything," he finally said with as much certainty as he could muster.

Before Jack could say anymore, Abigail rushed into the house clearly upset. When she saw her father talking to her mother, she quickly became infuriated at the sight of her father. "You! You have ruined my life! You have ruined who I am as a person!"

Jack stepped back unsure of how to respond to Abigail, while Jennifer attempted to step in and calm her daughter. "Abigail, I've been trying to talk to you, but you've been dodging me. Tell me what's going on."

Abigail ignored her mother, as she was not done letting her father share in her anguish. "You have hurt this family over and over. You have walked out on us numerous times. You have pulled mom back in only to break her heart piece by piece. She has had to pick up this family and hold us together so many times and that really is a testament to how strong of a woman she is. I told myself that I would never do the things you did to mom. I told myself that if I was half as strong as mom, then I would be okay. I would be fine… but it turns out I'm nothing like mom because I am weak. I am like you, and I hate you for it!"

This time Jennifer stepped back unsure of what to say. She wiped the tears that were falling down her face from having to see her daughter in such torment. Covering her mouth, she realized she had to try to calm Abigail down before things got worse. "Sweetie, I know that you're hurting, but you are strong," she said softly as she put her hand on Abigail's shoulder.

Jack felt horrible as well and tried to encourage Abigail. "Your mother is right. You are strong, and it's not because of me. It's because of your mother. You are nothing like me."

"That's where you're wrong!" Abigail countered back. She softly pushed her mother's hand off of her shoulder, so she could have free reign of her body once more. "Because of you, I have found a guy who has been so supportive of me and thrown it all away. I've broken his heart. I've thought of only my feelings and fears and ignored his own. I am completely selfish and ashamed of what is left of my life! My life is empty, and honestly, I don't know who I am. I'm afraid to let anyone in, and I try so hard to forget the pain that you have fastened to this family! You've killed my hope and faith in ever having a healthy and loving relationship."

Jack gave Abigail a confused look as he tried to hold his emotions in check. He looked over to Jennifer unsure of how to approach Abigail and asked, "Who is this guy?"

Abigail thought about Josh and all the hurt she had caused him since their time in New Zealand. She began to sob as she realized how she ruined everything and let things go too far with protecting her already broken heart. Jennifer rushed over to Abigail and held her to guide her to take a seat on the sofa. Abigail broke from her mom and with heavy tears shared, "Mom, I ruined everything with Josh. While we were in New Zealand, he proposed to me, and I freaked. I said no, and I've held him at bay ever since. I'm sorry I couldn't be as strong as you. I guess a part of me didn't want to feel the same hurt that you felt every time with dad."

Jennifer pulled Abigail in once more as she began to cry uncontrollably again. Jennifer looked up at Jack with sadness that Jack's return cracked Abigail into admitting what she was going through finally. Jennifer's eyes then shifted to the kitchen door where she realized JJ had stood the entire time. She gave him a sad look as well.

Jack put his hands in his pockets knowing that there was nothing he could really say to make this all up to Abigail. He looked at his daughter and hated that he damaged her so much through the choices he made. He wished with all his heart there was a way he could fix this for good and stop making the same mistake repeatedly. He really wanted to build his daughter back up. "Abigail," he said lightly as he took a seat next to her on the couch. "I know that this can never make up for the damage I've done, but I am truly and exceptionally sorry for what I've done. I want you to know that I am here now. I'm not going."

Abigail immediately stood up from the couch and turned to her father. "You don't get it!" she exclaimed clearly getting riled up again. "So what if you're here now? Who says that we want you here? Who says that we want to go through what we've been through my whole life? I want you to leave us alone!"

Jack and Jennifer stood up together and traded glances. Jennifer then looked her daughter over knowing that a break might be good for everyone at this point. She gave Jack a regretful look and said, "Jack, I think you should leave for now."

JJ, who had only been an observer up to this point, finally made his way into the room. "Daddy, don't go!"

Jack knew Jennifer was right. Trying not to hang his head too low, he turned to JJ and bended to his level. "I promise I'll be back."

Abigail glared at her father as she commented, "Please just leave before you ruin JJ's life, too."

Jack gave JJ a quick hug and headed to the door. Jen decided to follow him to let him know that she really did want Jack to reconcile with their children. "I'll call you later," she whispered to him by the front door.

Jen didn't know that Abigail had followed them to the door as well. "Mom, please stay away from dad because he will only hurt you more," she appealed. "Don't be a fool."

Jack tried his best not to be responsive to Abigail. "I'll go," he responded quietly after Jennifer gave him an assuring nod. After Jack left, Jennifer walked over to Abigail and gave her a tight hug while rubbing her back.

JJ watched them in frustration. "I hate you, Abigail! You ruin everything for our family!" he shouted as he ran up the stairs. Jennifer held Abigail for a moment longer knowing she would have to help JJ through all of this as well. She tried her hardest to keep it together as she told herself she needed to be strong for her children.

* * *

><p>In the basement of Maddalena's mansion, Ignazio paced in an empty room where construction could be heard. He couldn't believe that Ric had been released and had lied to him. His whole plan was now ruined, and he hurt his best friend in the process. He really thought he was doing the right thing for the family. Ignazio stopped pacing when he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around he spotted Azzura standing there. "What do you want?"<p>

Azzura gave Ignazio a disappointed look. "What is happening? I saw on the news earlier that Ric had been falsely arrested last night, but now they're saying that the case has been closed." Although Azzura thought the case being closed was a good thing, she still questioned what Ignazio's plan could have been to get Ric arrested for nothing.

Ignazio did not understand how the case could be closed if Ric had been set free. Feeling frustrated about the situation, he vented aloud, "That makes no sense. I sent Ric out to bury Kinsey's body. The cops discovered him out there doing so. He called me to let me know he had been released making me believe that he didn't bury Kinsey's body at all. How else could he have been released?"

Azzura shook her head at Ignazio for not being on top of things. "I am not sure, but the news report seemed to indicate that the case was closed on a good note," she surmised deciding she wanted to move on to a more important question. "What I want to know is what you're going to do about Ric since Ric cannot be trusted. Clearly, he might turn on the family since he has lied to you."

Ignazio couldn't think about dealing with Ric fully for his lies. He wasn't sure what he should do now, but didn't want Azzura to know that. He answered simply, "I need to find Ric and talk to him. He's not answering his phone because he's upset with me."

"You need to take care of this quickly," Azzura warned him wondering why Ric would be upset with Ignazio. "Get rid of this problem before you bring disaster and shame to the family."

Annoyed Ignazio raised his voice a tad and reminded Azzura, "You are not even family." He was tired of her acting like she had any say in what he did or did not do.

Azzura didn't want to hear Ignazio's shit. "I may not be blood related, but I can promise a success every time to Maddalena, while you have had your fair share of failures," she threw back at him.

"I will take care of it," Ignazio let out just wanting to get away from Azzura. "I don't need you around for me to accomplish anything." He walked out after throwing his arms at Azzura. Azzura just shook her head hoping that Ignazio could do something right for a change.

* * *

><p>Chelsea, Gabi, and Johnny arrived outside of the pub. With Johnny there, Gabi and Chelsea didn't really have much of an opportunity to talk about things, so before going inside, Chelsea made sure Caroline was in plain view for Johnny to go inside without them. "Johnny, go to Grandma Caroline and tell her that we're here. Gabi and I will be inside in a sec. Make sure you don't jump on her though." Johnny nodded his head and rushed inside to Caroline.<p>

As Chelsea watched Johnny as he approached Caroline, Gabi decided to ask, "What were you and my brother talking about when I came out of my room?"

Chelsea kept her focus on Johnny as she answered, "Oh nothing. He was just asking why I was over."

"So what did you want to talk about?" Gabi asked next. She knew Chelsea wanted to finish their conversation from yesterday, but wanted to make sure they were still on the same page first.

Chelsea turned around and smiled. "I hope I am not being intrusive, but I wanted to talk to you about everything that's going on with you. I understand that your mother is not well, and you had planned on talking to me yesterday when I offered to listen. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by Abby. What's going on? Do you still want to talk?"

Gabi looked down for a moment to collect her thoughts. She didn't know where to begin. "Yes, I want to talk to you, but my life is so chaotic I can hardly keep everything straight," she admitted.

"Well, why don't we start with what's happening with your mother? That's got to be something heavy for you and your family to deal with," Chelsea suggested.

Gabi remained quiet as she thought about the fact that her mother would be gone soon enough. "It's hard," she shared with a crack in her voice. Managing to keep her emotions in check, Gabi continued, "I am so tired of crying. I think my eyes are, too, because I can barely produce tears anymore. I have also started to seclude myself from those around me, so there aren't too many expectations from them or me. I don't want to feel comfortable. I don't want to feel really."

Chelsea gave Gabi a sad look. "That sounds really rough," she empathized. "I'm sorry that your life is such a mess and that it seems you have become numb to it all."

T and Will walked up to the pub and spotted Chelsea and Gabi talking outside. When they got closer, Chelsea and Gabi stopped what they were talking about because Gabi didn't feel comfortable talking about herself in front of T and Will. She wondered why Will and T were there together, but quickly remembered that she had told T that she could talk to him today. "T, what's going on?" she asked calmly.

"I came to talk to you," T answered. "You said that we could talk today since you were busy yesterday."

Will turned to Chelsea and suggested, "Chelsea and I can go in, so you two can talk alone."

Chelsea picked up that T and Gabi were about to talk about their relationship and agreed with Will. "Yeah, we can leave you two alone." Turning to Gabi, she said, "I can cover you before you start your shift. Don't worry. My grandmother will understand." Chelsea and Will walked inside the pub to let the two have privacy.

After a few awkward and silent moments, T put his hands in his pockets and said, "So you're not on the clock yet?"

Gabi gave T a look knowing he was stalling. "No – just like Chelsea said. We only got here and she's going to cover for me since we're not very busy."

T glanced into the pub as he tried to fight his nerves about having this conversation with Gabi. He really needed this to go in a positive direction. He finally turned his attention to Gabi and asked, "So where do you stand on our relationship? You've had time to think things through since last week."

Gabi tried to keep eye contact with T, but couldn't. She looked away as she thought about everything that was going on in her life and realized she hadn't really given her relationship with T much thought past the fears and uncomfortable feelings it would bring if it continued. She wasn't happy and didn't want to add the stress or disappointment that would come with a relationship. She knew she couldn't handle it. "T, I really do think you helped me out last year, but I still think we should break up," she answered.

T stepped back confused. Wanting to make sure he heard correctly, he asked, "Did you just say that you want us to break up?"

Gabi gave T an uneasy look, but knew this was the right decision for the both of them. "Yes. We aren't compatible anymore. Our lives are too different. I can't be your girlfriend anymore. I'm sorry."

"Are you serious?" T asked rhetorically. He was so blindsided that he couldn't even see how hard it was for Gabi to break it off with him. "I bet you didn't even take the time to think about us. I bet when I asked you to take your time last week, you told me you would even though you had already made up your mind. I can't believe you are breaking it off with me when I have done everything for you!"

Gabi stood there dumbfounded with how much this was affecting T. She expected him to be upset, but she didn't think he would accuse her of not caring about him. "Yes, T. You were a great boyfriend, but I don't want you to be my boyfriend anymore. You have your own problems, and I don't want to deal with that. I can't handle that." Gabi didn't want T to have to handle her problems either. The sacrifices they would have to make if they were in a relationship were too much for her to handle.

"So this is about Kinsey and the baby. Did you know I still have no idea where he is? Did you know that I might never see the son or daughter she's carrying?" T shook his head at Gabi as he became more frustrated with his situation. He couldn't believe that Gabi lacked the ability or care to sympathize with his situation. He thought about how his parents kicked him out of the house knowing that Kinsey was pretty much out of the picture. They claimed it was the principle of it all for sleeping with Kinsey and getting her pregnant, and now Gabi was pretty much saying the same thing. He couldn't believe she could be just as callous as his parents. "I've lost everything because of you. I almost lost my best friend because of you! I sacrificed so much to make you happy – to make you not give up on your life."

Gabi stood there taking T's frustration and accusations unable to respond because she knew this was the right thing to do. She was not a good girlfriend for T. She couldn't be the supportive girlfriend.

T continued, "How can you stand there and appear as though none of this matters to you? How do I not matter to you? I thought we had something special. I thought that we had this connection." T shook his head as he felt like everything he did for Gabi and their relationship was a waste. Water formed in his eyes and he hated that he was the one emoting when she gave him no sign of regret or remorse. He really wanted her to feel the pain he was feeling, so he decided to say whatever came to his mind to tear her down. "You're a bitch, you know that? I don't know why I wasted so much time with you. You got better with the sex, but it was never magical. Don't ever talk to me again, you slut!" In his frustration, T couldn't yell at Gabi anymore and decided to walk off.

Gabi continued to stand there feeling hurt by everything that T had said to her. She felt even more worthless and unimportant. As she looked around to take a seat, she realized something. Even though T had hurt her so much, she couldn't cry. She could no longer release her anguish and pain. She looked into the pub and spotted Will and Chelsea at the door. They had seen the whole fight. She looked away deciding to close herself off from everything and everyone.


	49. Chapter 49 The Chariot

**Chapter 49: The Chariot – Wednesday, January 4th, 2012**

At the Dimera Mansion, Sami and EJ stood in the main room as they discussed Johnny. Sami updated EJ, "So I have set up a meeting with a new child therapist at the hospital. The therapist wants us both to be there for the first meeting."

EJ knew that he and Sami had discussed this before, but he still had his reservations about Johnny going into therapy. "I know that Johnny needs help through all of his confusion concerning the family, but do you think a shrink is the answer? I mean, look at you. You've been through so much in your life, and you are perfectly fine now without having any therapy. Maybe the same will be true for Johnny."

Sami raised her eyebrow as she commented on her own life, "That's still up for debate... besides I sort of got therapy after I was in that coma thanks to Rafe." She put her arms around EJ's neck as she pulled herself closer to his face to help ease his doubts about therapy. "I think you're also forgetting that my mother is a psychiatrist, so in some ways I did get therapy growing up – although the fact that she treated me like I was her client probably screwed me over more than it helped me out."

"See. Therapy might scar Johnny, too," EJ said with a bit of concern on his face. He looked into Sami's eyes and noticed she was really close to him. He recognized that being so close to her distracted him somewhat in making the argument against therapy. A part of him wondered if Sami moved closer to him for that purpose.

Sami gave EJ a softened look knowing that this was hard for him. "EJ, things have changed. Yes, if therapists were the same as they were back in the day when I grew up, I would be iffy about sending Johnny to see a therapist, but now I know that they really do work well with children."

EJ could tell that Sami really believed in this. "I still have my reservations, but I will go to the first meeting to see what it's like if you truly believe that this is the best."

"I do," Sami shared as she placed her hand on EJ's chest. "Honestly, a part of me wishes I would have sent Will to see a therapist because maybe he wouldn't struggle so much in his relationship. His father and I have really done a number on him in that regard."

EJ could see regret in Sami's bright blue eyes. He questioned, "Are you saying that Chad and Will are having problems?"

Sami pulled herself from EJ for a moment as she thought about what she knew about the current state of Chad and Will's relationship. Walking away from EJ, she answered, "I'm not so sure they have what they need to make it as a couple. I could be wrong here, but I believe it has to be harder for them because they aren't your traditional pairing. I know that sounds all kinds of awful, but the odds are already against them."

EJ walked behind Sami and rested his chin on the top of her head. "Samantha, I wouldn't call us a traditional pairing. You love who you love, and I believe Chad and Will love each other enough to make it."

"You know what I mean," Sami let out turning around to face EJ once again. Running her fingers down his arms to grab his hands, she explained further, "Will and Chad really don't have the best example to look for when it comes to how relationships should work because there really aren't any gay couples around to dish out advice." Sami sighed as she realized she was making a bigger deal out of the gay thing than she wanted. Digressing, she started a new thought on the situation, "Will was alone when he came here to see Lucas and Allie off. Chad wasn't with him because he had other things to do, and that bothers me."

EJ pulled on Sami's hands so they could embrace. "Samantha, sweetheart, Chad was most likely helping Lexie. I don't think he's going off and spending time with another person. No way is he choosing anyone over Will."

Sami still remained hesitant about everything as she shared, "I talked to your father after Will told me that they had a talk before lunch on Tuesday. Stefano told me that Chad was shutting Will out on some things, and they were trying to figure out why. I know Chad's keeping a secret."

EJ gave Sami a look of concern as he remembered something that happened. "Are you certain of this?"

Before Sami could answer, Chad walked in and looked around the room. "Hey guys. Father's not around, right?"

EJ and Sami separated from each other and turned around to face Chad. "Father and Kate are both out, but I am not sure if they're together," EJ answered.

"Why are you here, Chad?" Sami asked curiously. She wondered why he wasn't with Will as she continued to reflect on the fact that he didn't even bother to show up for lunch when Lucas and Allie left.

Chad didn't think Sami would ambush him, but he sensed she wasn't really pleased to see him. "I just wanted to check out my old room and do some thinking. Get my mind clear on some things," he admitted. "I'll talk to you two later."

As Chad walked out, EJ followed him into the foyer. In a whisper he asked, "Chad, I am curious if you need time alone to think about Mia." Chad responded by giving his brother a look of shock that he knew about Mia. By the look on Chad's face, EJ knew he was right. Trying to keep a level head, he cautioned, "Chad, whatever you do, make sure you don't screw Will over. Will deserves better."

"I know," Chad replied giving his brother a serious look. Chad tried his best not to show worry because he knew his brother would only lecture him more. Turning away, he decided to head back to his old bedroom.

EJ turned around to go back into the living room. He watched as Sami began to make a call. He wondered if she could be right about Chad and Will's relationship.

Chad walked into his old bedroom as a flash of memories entered his mind. He remembered when Will moved into the mansion and they were forced to share a bedroom. Chad sat on his bed as he reflected the times he and Will cuddled under the guise that they got the best sleep when they did. Chad laid on his back as he smiled at the closeness he and Will experienced in his old bedroom. They were so innocent then, and the sky was the limit.

After all the great memories, Chad then reflected on the not so great ones. He remembered when Will wanted to move out and shut him out on his feelings. He remembered the conversation he had with his father after Stefano caught him kissing Will. He remembered his conversations with Nathan and Lexie about being unsure of how to deal with Will. Chad felt guilty that he still wasn't 100% sure of how to approach things. He had so much to think through, but time was not on his side. He thought about what EJ had just told him in the foyer. "Will does deserve better," he said to himself.

* * *

><p>Henderson walked Kai into the main room in the Kiriakis mansion, where Victor stood finishing a phone conversation with Justin about Kinsey's case being closed. After Victor put his phone away, he turned to Kai and shared, "I've been expecting you."<p>

Kai gave Victor a confused look and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Victor could tell that Kai seemed suspicious of him and wondered if he was just transferring his anger about Sonny on to him. "Sonny told me what happened. That's all I meant." Kai didn't respond because he had nothing to say about Sonny, so Victor continued, "I know that what Sonny did to you is still fresh on your mind, but is there any chance you might try to work things out with him after some time has passed?"

Kai didn't come over to discuss his relationship with Sonny, but he figured it was a potential topic when he decided to pay Victor a visit. He tried to keep his answer as short as possible, but it was a struggle for him as his anger and pain seeped through his response. "At this point, my answer is a definite no because Sonny lied to me so many times and betrayed me in the worst way possible."

Victor noted Kai's animosity and decided to back off. "I am sorry if my question put you in a difficult place. I had to see if I could convince you otherwise as Sonny is family, but I know that I can't and probably shouldn't. I apologize that things didn't work out with my great-nephew and for bringing you from home early to have this happen."

Kai tried not to think about his own regrets. "I came here because soon I will need a place to stay in Salem. I'm currently staying with a friend, but I know that I can't stay there much longer. You had mentioned before at my parents' house that you would take care of me. I'm here to collect on that."

Victor thought about the internship he offered Kai to get Kai to come back for Sonny's birthday. He hoped that what happened with Sonny did not get in the way of that. "Understandable. You can stay here at the mansion until the second week of school when I will keep my promise that Titan will fund a new furnished apartment for you to stay during your internship."

Kai was a bit surprised to hear Victor mention the internship, but felt skeptical at the idea of moving into the Kiriakis mansion. "Are you sure moving here is a good idea?" he questioned thinking of all the possible uncomfortable moments that could come with such a move.

"It's not going to be a problem," Victor answered assuringly as he could hear the apprehension in Kai's voice. "Sonny rarely comes to visit me, so it's not like he would be here a lot. I won't tell him that you're moving in. It will only be for a couple of weeks depending on when you move in."

Kai realized Victor assumed his answer was yes. He questioned if he should take Victor's offer so soon. "Give me a week, and I will let you know. I believe I can stay at Brett's place for that long before school starts and his roommate returns. It might be best anyway if I avoid Sonny's family for a bit longer."

Victor nodded his head at Kai to let him know he understood. "Whatever you think is best, but you can move in whenever you like."

Kai gave Victor a look of gratitude. "I really appreciate you looking out for me even though things didn't work between Sonny and me."

Victor patted Kai on his back and responded," I'm a businessman, and I don't back out on a deal." Victor put his hand out to Kai.

Kai took Victor's hand and shook it. "Thanks again." He decided he should head back to Sonny's apartment to get the rest of his things since he had the spare key to the apartment. "I'll let you know when I am going to move in."

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Dario tried his best to get his mind off things as he worked another shift. He tried focusing on the customers and their problems, so he didn't have to focus on his own. Winning Sonny over only to lose him the same night still affected Dario more than he wanted. So far, it wasn't so hard because he hadn't seen Sonny, but it was rough earlier because he had a few awkward moments with Adrienne and Justin.<p>

Adrienne took note of Dario's focus from a table by the pool table. She looked over to Justin, who sat across from her and wondered how he could not look at Dario differently with what they knew now. She lightly tapped the table to get her husband's attention. "Justin, where are you?"

Justin looked over to Adrienne and then to his watch before answering, "Sorry. I am just thinking about Sonny. I wonder what's taking him so long to get here. Do you think Sonny will show up at all?"

Adrienne understood now why Justin was somewhere else. She could see the concern in his eyes. "I'm sure he'll be here. Just give him time. Things are confusing – at least what we know from what your uncle told us earlier." Adrienne shook her head as she placed both of her hands on the sides of her face in frustration.

Jack walked into the bar and spotted his sister and brother-in-law talking at a table. As he got closer to them, he announced himself by joking, "Do the owners of a bar make profits when they become the customers?"

Adrienne looked up a bit surprised to see Jack. She was so focused on Sonny that she forgot Jack was back in Salem. She stood up and gave him a hug as she informed him, "Justin and I are waiting for Sonny. We're going to have a family meeting."

Justin shook Jack's hand as Jack took a seat. Jack turned to Adrienne as she sat back down as well, "I promise I won't get in the way of whatever you need to do, but I need help in approaching Jennifer and Abigail in a better way. Both really want nothing to do with me, and it's hard."

Justin looked at his phone and decided to give Adrienne and Jack some time to talk amongst themselves. "I'm going to reply to a few emails while we wait for Sonny to arrive. Pretend like I'm not here, so you can discuss what you need to." Justin began to mess with his phone.

Adrienne gave her attention to Jack as she thought about what the best approach for her brother could be. "Have you tried just being honest with them about where you've been and why you left them for so long in the first place?" she asked realizing she would like answers to those questions herself. "I'd like to know that myself because truthfully I can't think of one good reason for you to have been gone this long. Even so, honesty is your best option. So why don't you practice on your sister? Tell me where you have been and why you've been gone so long."

Jack sighed as he thought about how he tried to tell Jen the truth before Abigail arrived and exploded on him. "I was taken to some undisclosed clinic in Europe and was there for more than a year recovering from injuries I received after a pretty bad fall."

Adrienne gave her brother a skeptical look over as she commented, "You look physically healthy to me."

"Well, the people at the clinic held me longer than they needed to because they had no idea who I was," Jack answered. He began to realize the good in practicing his story with his sister before having to explain it to Jennifer.

Justin couldn't stay out of the conversation anymore. He glanced at Adrienne as he asked Jack, "Did you have amnesia or something?"

"No," Jack shook his head. "It was like they were holding me hostage for some reason, but then let me go eventually," he shared realizing that he would have to keep most of his story as vague as possible. He didn't want to get caught in a trap of telling anyone about Tony even if it made his story much more interesting. Deciding he didn't want Adrienne or Justin to question what he just said, he added, "I would never leave my family like that and for that long if it was up to me. So much has changed and it feels like it might be too late since everyone seems to have moved on."

Adrienne wasn't sure what to think of Jack's story, but decided to set him straight on what he was trying to do. "Jack, your focus should not be on getting things back to what they used to be, but how you can make things better for everyone involved at this point."

Jack nodded his head understanding what his sister had just said as Dario looked away after hearing their conversation. Dario thought about his mistakes and realized he couldn't let them continue to live with him in his present and future. Dario looked to the door when he heard it open, but when he saw that it was Sonny, he quickly turned to a customer and started talking to her.

Sonny decided to look away from Dario as well because he didn't have the energy or the strength to face him. He quickly spotted his parents sitting at a table with his uncle Jack causing him to forget about Dario. Surprised and confused to see Jack, Sonny rushed over as he wondered if Abigail knew that her father was back, and if she did know, how she must feel. "Uncle Jack."

Jack turned around and spotted Sonny. "Wow, you've grown so much," he commented as he stood up realizing that he needed to give Adrienne and her family a break. "I'm just leaving. Sit and enjoy your parents." Jack turned to Justin and Adrienne and thanked them.

Before Jack could walk away, Adrienne asked her brother, "Where are you staying? I forgot to ask you before."

"I'm at the Salem Inn for the time being," he quickly answered before leaving.

With Jack gone, Adrienne and Justin stood up to give Sonny the proper greeting. Sonny noted that they seemed to overdo their hellos and hugs. Sonny glanced over to the bar and then back to his parents before asking, "So are we talking out here?"

"We can go in your mother's office," Justin suggested. Adrienne nodded her head and led Justin and Sonny back to her office, so they could talk in private.

Dario watched as they walked off and observed how Sonny carried himself. He noted that Sonny didn't look too good and questioned if Sonny already told Kai. Dario wondered if Kai broke things off with Sonny. That would mean Sonny was single again. Dario almost smiled at the thought but stopped himself because he felt guilt and self-loathing for wanting Sonny at the expense of another. It bothered him that he still had an interest in Sonny even after everything that happened between them over the weekend.

To fight his feelings, Dario reminded himself of the constant hurt he had put on Sonny and himself. No matter how close they got, it always seemed to blow up in their face. Dario's thoughts wandered to how he had been confronted by Melanie and Adrienne about something happening between them. It was possible that people would discover what happened between him and Sonny even though things didn't work out in their favor. Worry began to hit Dario as he thought of the possibility that it would get back to his mother. Dario quickly realized that he had lost focus again and allowed his thoughts to run rampant into an area he didn't want them to go. He needed to refocus so he could get his job done.

Back in the office, Adrienne and Justin leaned against the desk as Sonny took a seat across from them. Justin glanced at Adrienne as he remembered what they had discussed earlier on the best way to approach Sonny and his issues. "Your mom and I wanted to give you an update on Kinsey and her baby first."

"If this is about Uncle Victor being taken down to the police station for possibly being the one to make her disappear, then I already know," Sonny publicized.

Justin stood up and took a seat next to Sonny. "No, that's not the latest news. Kinsey and the baby are fine. She just left Salem because her secret was out. We got this information from her parents when they called the police department."

Sonny felt some relief in knowing that Kinsey and her baby were okay, but thought about how he would never find out what all happened that night with Kinsey leaving Salem once again. "Well, I guess I just need to move on and forget all the problems she caused me." He found that task a lot easier than his current issues.

Justin put his arm around Sonny and rubbed his back. "Son, I know that you wanted answers from Kinsey as to why she lied to you. I'm sorry you won't get any answers from her now."

Sonny nodded his head as he continued to think about his bigger problems. "I guess it doesn't really matter since I have other things on my mind that take precedence over her and T's baby."

Adrienne tried to make eye contact with Sonny, but he avoided looking up high enough to make eye contact with his parents. She asked softly, "Are you talking about Kai breaking up with you?"

Sonny raised his head and made eye contact with his mother first and then his father second. Surprised to hear his mother share knowledge he didn't know she was aware of, he took a moment before asking, "How do you two know about that?" He quickly became conscious of the answer before they could reply. "Victor told you, didn't he?" he posed with frustration in his tone.

Picking up on Sonny's frustration, Justin tried to calm him down by continuing to rub his back. "Your great-uncle is just worried about you, and honestly, your mother and I are concerned, too. Do you want to talk about it?"

Sonny became embarrassed by the thought of having to admit to what happened and hurriedly shook his head. "No, I don't want to because I made a lot of mistakes, and I'm not ready to talk about them with you two."

Adrienne stopped leaning on the desk and took a seat on the other side of Sonny. She asked, "Is one of those mistakes sleeping with Dario?"

Mortified that his parents knew that much information, Sonny became speechless for a moment as his face felt flushed. Tears began to form in his eyes as the embarrassment of his mistakes reached a higher level. Adrienne and Justin remained silent to let Sonny know that they were ready to listen to him when he felt like it. "I feel so guilty about cheating on Kai," he finally said not fully answering his mother's question. "I never thought I would cheat on a boyfriend. I always thought I was better than that. I wanted to beat that gay stereotype, but I failed miserably."

Adrienne placed her hand on Sonny's arm and held onto it. She hated seeing him look so disappointed and helpless. "We all make mistakes, baby. Your dad and I have had our fair share of relationship problems – trust me. You are not alone in this, and this has nothing to do with you being gay."

"Straight people cheat, too," Justin added. "What's important is that we don't let our mistakes define us. Feeling bad for a mistake is one thing, but holding onto the guilt so you can continually punish yourself is not healthy."

Tears fell down Sonny's face not ready to let go of the guilt. Wiping his face, he claimed, "I have to punish myself because I'm a horrible person."

Adrienne quickly stopped holding onto Sonny's arm, so she could hold him and pull him close. She did not like hearing her youngest son saying that about himself and tried her best to show him love. She glanced at Justin with a worried look.

Outside of the office, Jack walked back into the Cheatin' Heart and walked up to Dario after realizing that his sister and her family were not at the table anymore. Handing Dario a piece of paper, he requested, "Please give this to my sister, Adrienne. It's my room's phone number from the Salem Inn."

Dario looked the paper over to make sure it was legible. "I'll give it to her."

"Thanks," Jack replied before leaving once again.

Not thinking, Dario headed back to the office to deliver the number to his boss. Before going into the office, he stopped when he heard Sonny's voice. Sonny sounded horrible.

Sonny exchanged a short glance with Justin and Adrienne as he reflected more on his feelings, "I can't help but feel guilty still. There's still so much that is wrong with me."

"Is there anything else you're feeling guilty about?" Justin asked.

Sonny nodded his head in shame and confusion before admitting, "Even through everything that has happened, I think I might still be in love with Dario." When Dario heard Sonny's confession from outside of the office, he smiled, but still felt sadness. Sonny turned his head to his father and questioned, "What does that make me?"

"Human," Adrienne answered as she rubbed Sonny's back. She made eye contact with her husband and widened her eyes. She and Justin were very surprised to hear that Sonny was in love with Dario.

Sonny turned his head to face his mother as her answer sunk in. He didn't really like her answer and began to put up walls because his parents were treating him like he didn't do anything wrong – at least that's what it felt like to him in that moment. He didn't want to mope about how things were messed up and believed he didn't deserve what his parents were trying to do for him. Standing up and distancing himself from his parents, Sonny shared, "I'm going to make this right and fix everything."

Sonny then headed out of the office bumping into Dario. Their eyes quickly met as Sonny realized that Dario must have overheard everything. Giving Dario a disappointed, embarrassed, and disgusted look all in one, he let out, "What is wrong with you? Do you not realize what it means to want space? Stop being an ass and leave me the fuck alone!"

Dario froze flabbergasted by what Sonny had said to him. He watched Sonny walk off and then turned his head back into the office where Justin and Adrienne sat there giving him quizzical looks. He awkwardly walked into the office and handed Adrienne the sheet of paper. "Boss, your brother asked me to give this to you. He said it's his room's phone number." Pointing out of the office, he added, "I'll get back to work now." On his way out, Dario wondered if Adrienne was going to fire him since she and Justin knew about him sleeping with their son.

"Should we follow him?" Adrienne asked Justin as she moved closer to him folding the piece of paper.

Justin put his arm around Adrienne as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. "We just need to give him some space. Hopefully he'll be able to get out of this funk. If not, we'll step in."

* * *

><p>Rushing into his apartment, Will called out to his friend, "T, wait! You need to calm down." T finally stopped but kept his back facing Will. Will couldn't believe what he had witnessed between T and Gabi outside of the pub and had followed T back to his apartment after T ran off. "I know you're upset," Will acknowledged hoping that T would remain calm with him so they could talk about what happened with Gabi.<p>

Unfortunately, T didn't calm down and showed how furious he was when he spouted off, "Gabi has lied to me to keep me away from you and my other friends." He finally turned around to face Will as he continued, "I let her take control. I want to get back at her for being a selfish bitch and destroying my life."

Will knew that T's wounds were fresh. He needed to tread carefully if he was going to get him calm. As Will began to respond, Kai walked out of Sonny's bedroom with his things, but stopped in the hall when he heard Will say, " Revenge won't get you anything. I'm sure Gabi already feels bad after what you said to her. This was a bad situation for everyone involved."

"I never thought I would say those things to her," T started before a brief pause to collect his irritation. He finished his thought, "…but at this point I don't care because Gabi really is an awful person."

Will's thoughts went to how Gabi seemed to have the worse luck with everything in her life. Between her mother being terminally ill and finding out that T was going to be a father through Kinsey, she had to be hurting. Will also thought about how things ended with him and Gabi. He still felt guilty for the not being honest with her upfront about how he was feeling. He blamed himself for ruining the friendship they once had. He questioned if Gabi pushed T away because he pushed Gabi away when he was going through a lot when they were dating.

T saw that Will was deep in thought. He quickly noted that Will still blamed himself and became bothered that Gabi still had that power over him. He informed his best friend, "Will, don't let her get to you either. You're not to blame for this because I know you're a good friend and want what's best for everyone. She, on the other hand, will make you feel bad for choices in your life that you don't agree with."

To get T to see that Gabi wasn't an awful person, Will countered, "Gabi has been a good friend to me."

T didn't buy it as he thought about the times he talked to Gabi about Chad, Will, and Sonny. She didn't like spending time with them because of their 'chosen' sexuality. "That's bullshit, Will. I know you've picked up on the distance she set when she found out you were gay. You being gay is the reason she kept me away from you. She has this fear…" T stopped mid sentence as he got an idea of how to get back at Gabi. "I've got it," he shared with a smile. He put his hands on Will's hands and declared, "You should kiss me."

Kai, who still stood in the hall, covered his mouth in shock. He couldn't believe what was happening and wondered what Will would say. A part of him wondered if Will would make the same mistake Sonny did.

Will removed his hands from T's hold and looked at T as if he were insane. "Did you just ask me to kiss you?" he asked to make sure he heard right. "I'm not kissing you."

T looked past Will's 'what the fuck' face offsetting it with another question, "Do you find me attractive?"

Will shook his head in disbelief that this conversation was really happening. "Yeah, T. You're attractive, but I am with Chad. I love him."

"It doesn't have to mean anything," T assured Will. "I'm not gay. I just want to send a picture to Gabi to piss her off." T grabbed Will's arm with his right hand and pulled him closer. "Come on, Will. Do this for me. It doesn't mean anything."

Will continued to shake his head at T. He felt shocked by T's proposition and eagerness to do this. "T, this is a horrible idea. Chad wouldn't appreciate it whether the kiss meant anything or not, and I'll never cross that line. It's still called cheating."

T could see that Will was not going to kiss him and decided to back off on the idea. He began to focus on other ideas to get back at his now ex-girlfriend. Trying to stay calm, T replied, "I respect your decision, but I still want to make Gabi feel the same pain that I'm feeling right now."

Kai decided to make his presence known by clearing his throat as he walked into the main room. "I agree with Will," he shared with T. "It would be cheating either way."

Will stood up from the couch confused to see Kai there hauling his luggage out. "Kai, what's going on?" T wanted to know as well.

"Sonny and I broke up, and I'm not staying here anymore," Kai confirmed as he handed Will the spare key that Sonny had given him at the park. T couldn't believe that Sonny and Kai had broken up after seeing them appear so happy on their trip back from Colorado. Not wanting to sit around and have Will and T ask him questions, Kai decided to leave. "I guess I'll see you later. I'm heading to Brett's house for the time being."

T and Will watched as Kai left before T asked Will, "What happened between Sonny and Kai? I thought they were happy with each other."

Will put the spare key in his pocket as he replied, "I guess things weren't meant to be between them."

T shook his head and felt depressed about everything. He hated how things were. "Life after high school sucks major balls. I don't know how much more I can take of this."

Will watched as T's irritation turned into deep sadness. He wanted to comfort his friend, but he no longer felt completely comfortable with T. Grabbing the back of his neck, he suggested, "Maybe you should try to take a nap in my room or something. Get your mind off things."

T thought about Will's suggestion and decided he was tired of life. "I don't know if I can, but I'll try." T stood up and patted Will on the back. "I'll see you around." T headed into Will's bedroom. Will pulled out the spare key from his pocket to look at it. He wondered if things would go to shit for everyone.

* * *

><p>Carrying a small bag on his back, Chad walked down a path to the shore of the cold yet thriving beach. He pulled his bag around so he could look through it to make sure he still had the fruit from the fruit tree with him. He smiled and turned his head ahead after spotting it in the exact spot he placed it. As he walked along the shore, Chad began to have difficulty in moving forward. He felt something pulling his body in the opposite direction. Something was holding him back.<p>

Turning his head, Chad spotted silhouettes of Stefano, Maddalena, Mia, and André holding him back to keep him from continuing his journey. Looking forward, the wind began to push against him. He didn't understand what was going on and tried to fight back, but the wind and those holding him back were too strong. Giving up for a moment, Chad stopped fighting and turned to the cold waves crashing on the beach. He watched as the waves arrived on the beach trying to reach their destination only to return back into the dark blue ocean. He felt that his journey was the same. It was a struggle to get where he wanted to go with all these people and things working against him.

As he continued to focus and study the crashing and descending waves, Chad noticed that there was still some water that remained on the beach. Soon after he realized he could make some leeway forward, but he didn't feel like it was far or quick enough as he still felt bogged down with the struggles that existed in his life. Chad heard and felt something from behind coming towards him in the distance. Looking over his shoulder, he could see a cloud of sand rising and coming towards him. Feeling a bit of fear, Chad began to walk closer to the water as whatever was running through the sand came closer. He tried to move back more, but his feet remained frozen thanks to the forces holding him still. Finally, Chad spotted a chariot being pulled by two huge and strange animals.

On the chariot sat an armored warrior sitting on a gold and silver throne-like chair. Getting a closer look as the chariot stopped in front of him, Chad realized that the man sitting in the chariot was his brother EJ. Chad looked closely at the animals in front of the chariot as they stood still in place and realized they were sphinxes. He had never seen such creatures and studied the differences between the two. They seemed to be direct opposites of each other. The sphinx to his right was mostly black mixed with some gold, while the other sphinx to his left was mostly white with silver mixed in. Both got comfortable as they sat to rest since EJ seemed pleased with their current destination.

Chad returned his gaze to his brother and studied the armor that covered most of EJ's body. Symbols of the moon and the sun were intertwined all over as blue and yellow highlighted the gray metal-plated armor. He could not believe his brother was dressed this way, but knew it worked because EJ seemed to live a successful life.

Chad looked up to his brother in awe, as he really seemed to have life set up like he wanted. Wanting more information he acknowledged, "You appear to be some sort of warrior who knows a thing or two about how to be victorious. I am standing on this beach unable to move. What should I do to be successful like you?"

"First, you must armor yourself," EJ informed Chad as he struck his breastplate with his fist causing his armor to ring out. EJ grabbed his bordered rod and winged shield to show the strength of the armor he had to protect him. "Next, you must focus on your goal."

Chad continued to study EJ's armor and noticed a canopy above the throne in the chariot. The canopy contained thousands of brilliant and immaculate stars. His eyes looked into his brother's as he asked, "Goal? What do you mean?"

EJ put his rod and shield down as he answered with his own questions, "Where do you want to go? What exactly is it that you want to do? Who do you want to be with?"

Chad thought about how he struggled with the idea of being pulled in different directions by his family and by Will. "I have multiple goals, but they are working against each other. I fear I will have to lose one when I pick the other. It seems I continue to get stuck in the same place. How do I make this work?"

"You are not listening to me," EJ shouted to Chad. "Let me be clear to you, dear brother. What is your goal? All these goals you speak of must lead to one goal." Chad gave EJ an unsure look, as he still did not fully understand him. EJ stood up and motioned to his sphinxes. "My beasts are the ones that keep the wheels of this chariot moving. This chariot is what holds me as I fight my battles. But it is me who directs where my beasts take me and this chariot."

Chad looked at the bigger picture before him as he realized what EJ was trying to tell him. "It's about unity. Even with only one piece missing, this would never work properly. Even the sphinxes seem to be of different worlds pulling in different directions, but it is you who guides them where you want to go." It became clearer in Chad's head as he realized he needed to unify the opposing forces in his life. "The white and black, the dark and light, and everything in between must be brought together through me. I must take the lead and bring Will and my family together."

EJ nodded his head to let Chad know he understood his message. "Yes. Separate me from the chariot and my beasts or separate all three, and my plan of attack will never work. We all will do our own thing and nothing will be accomplished. Put us all together with the same goal in mind and there's no stopping us."

Chad nodded his head as it made sense in theory, but then wondered if it was easier said then done. "What if someone or something stands in your way?" he asked.

EJ coolly met Chad's gaze as he answered, "You run them down. Don't let them distract you or stall you from your destination. Your aim is victory, and to be victorious you must be confident in what you want to accomplish. You must be confident in your ability to get what you want. Don't question it. Don't doubt it. Never lose focus. Never lose motivation."

EJ's answer inspired Chad greatly as he realized how he needed to approach things. He needed to use everything he had to get where he wanted to go. Impressed with his brother, Chad shared, "Thank you for your guidance. I believe I know what I must do to live a successful and flourishing life. I will go now."

"Wait," EJ called out to Chad causing Chad to freeze in place. "There is one more thing I must explain to you."

Chad turned around to give EJ his full attention again. "What is it?"

EJ took a seat on his throne as the sphinxes stood up to prepare to leave. "Remember that a victory does not mean an end. A victory is a beginning. Make sure you keep that in mind before you enter any challenge. Ask yourself if you will be able to handle the pressures that come with the victory." EJ pulled out a tarot card as the sphinxes began to pull the chariot away. EJ threw the card to his brother as the wind picked it up. Chad grabbed the card and turned it around.

Chad woke up from his dream and looked around confused for a moment before remembering that he had come back to his old bedroom. He looked at the time and saw that it was two in the afternoon. Sitting up in his bed, he realized he must have fallen asleep while trying to figure out what he should do. Grabbing his phone, which was next to him on the bed, he figured it would be best if he called Celeste to check in with her.

When Celeste picked up, Chad immediately informed her what had happened. "I had another dream with a tarot card. This time it was EJ dressed as a warrior in a silver and gold chariot. We were on a beach and there were sphinxes!"

Celeste had to take a moment to figure out what was going on. Once she realized she was talking to Chad and was describing his latest dream, she replied, "'The Chariot' card. Were you inspired by his message?"

Chad thought about Celeste's question before answering, "Yes, I am inspired, but I think I still have more questions to think through. The good thing is that I know how to approach everything now. I just need to come up with my plan to be successful in obtaining my goal."

Celeste smiled to herself as she heard confidence in Chad's voice. "We will have to meet soon – possibly tonight. Lexie and Theo are in the next room, and I have started dinner for later."

"Sure. Lexie asked me to come back tonight, so I will see you later," Chad replied feeling that maybe his journey was finally turning around.

* * *

><p>While Celeste was on the phone in the kitchen, Stefano arrived to spend time with Lexie and Theo at the Carver house. Lexie looked her father over, but decided to let him in giving him the benefit of the doubt. "Come in," she said as she turned to Theo with a smile. She hoped that Theo didn't pick up on any of the awkwardness between her and his grandfather. "Your nonno is here to see you!" she exclaimed to him in a childlike voice.<p>

Stefano gave Theo a great smile as he beamed, "Theodore! It's so good to see you!" As he gave Theo a hug, he looked up to Lexie questioning her welcoming mood. After the hug, Stefano pulled out a small wrapped box and handed it to Theo. "I found something that I know that you will really enjoy."

Theo's face lit up and began to unwrap the gift to find a new Hot Wheels car. "It's a new car to drive around with my other cars!"

Lexie watched as Stefano and Theo played with his new toy. Even though she knew her father brought the gift to appease her, she could not call him out because Theo looked genuinely happy. She thought back to when Abe and Theo used to play with his cars together and let out a sigh of sadness. If Abe never returned to them, Theo would need a positive male role model in his life.

Thinking about a positive role model caused Lexie to look at Stefano and Theo's interactions differently. She remembered what Hope said about the case and realized that Hope possibly believed that Stefano could be involved in the black market organ scheme. Lexie made her way over to Theo and suggested, "Why don't you show your grandma Celeste your new car in the kitchen? You know how much she likes it when you show and talk about your cars!" Theo got excited and headed into the kitchen to talk to Celeste.

"He seems to be doing well," Stefano commented trying to make small talk with Lexie. He really didn't want to get into an argument with her once again.

Lexie took a seat and thought about how she could approach her father on her suspicions without causing a scene. She looked over to him and shared, "I know Theo is aware that something is different because Abe hasn't been around to read to him, tuck him in at night, or say the prayer before dinner. He thinks Abe is on a long trip, and I feel horrible for lying to him. The guilt is killing me because he's my son and no parent should ever have to keep the truth from their child." Even though Lexie did feel guilty for lying to Theo, she hoped that her father would take the hint.

Stefano felt more relaxed because Lexie was sharing her experience with him and not chewing him out. He turned to her and placed his hand on her leg to let her know he was there for her. "We will find out what happened to Abraham, Alexandra. I will help you with Theodore. He will be cared for."

Annoyed that Stefano didn't take the hint that she wanted the truth from him, Lexie sighed as she thought about the influence Stefano could have on Theo. She continued to struggle with how he had influenced her in the past when she turned dark. She truly believed Abe influenced her for the better, and with Abe gone, she worried what that would mean for her and Theo. "The other day, I started thinking about all that organ trafficking business that happened between the prison and the hospital. Dr. Ben Walters was setting things up at the hospital, while Warden Jane Smith was making sure female prisoners were dying."

Stefano turned to Lexie and wondered why she was bringing up stuff that happened in the past. He tried to study her as she spoke and believed it was possible that she was trying to get a rise out of him. He wondered if she knew about his connection to the organ trafficking business, but then realized there was no way she could know.

"With what's going on with Abe, I have to wonder if there's a connection to what happened to Abe and the bodies that have gone missing in the last month or so," Lexie continued as she tried to read her father. She knew he was hiding something and believed it was connected to what she was saying to him. She hoped if she continued, it would strike a nerve with him, and he would come clean. "Have you thought about looking into that?"

Stefano became uneasy with the direction of this conversation. "I hadn't," he answered simply so he could change the topic. "I don't want you to worry about the investigation in finding Abraham. Just be assured that we will find out what happened. I will try my best to bring him back alive."

Lexie sighed again because she knew her father was avoiding real answers. "Maybe I'll go visit them in prison to get answers," she suggested not wanting to drop this. "They have to know if someone is continuing the business they got in trouble for being involved with – although you have your connections. Do you know anything about that?"

Stefano couldn't take it anymore as it was now obvious to him what Lexie was doing. "Enough Alexandra. I can see that the only reason you are talking to me about Abraham and this organ business is to bait me into admitting something I have no connection to."

"So you're not connected to and are completely clueless about the trafficking business that occurred in the hospital and women's penitentiary?" Lexie asked letting loose. "You are Stefano Dimera. You have to know something."

Stefano knew he needed to take control of this conversation before Lexie lost it even more. "I know nothing of the trafficking business," he lied without an ounce of doubt in his voice. "My daughter, you have to see that you are trying to put blame where blame should not be placed. I did not do this to Abe. Abraham and I have been getting along greatly and you know that is true."

Lexie closed her eyes and bowed her head as she shook it. She realized that if she was wrong about her suspicions, she was really putting the fire under her father for false reasoning. Even with that realization, she was not ready to give up on her resolve. "Don't you feel guilty at all? I know that there is something you're not telling me. You may think you're protecting me, but I want you to see that you're hurting me and Theo by keeping us in the dark!"

Stefano stood up and moved so there was distance between him and Lexie. "In the dark? Why do you have such a hard time believing me? Why are we arguing when we've been able to come together after everything that happened with Bo, Hope, and Isaac."

Lexie wanted to scream at her father, but remembered that Theo was in the kitchen. Even though her volume was not as loud as she wanted, she kept the intensity in her voice. "Because my world has been turned upside down and the last time I felt fear and pain like this, it was your influence that brought me there. Abe is gone, and I am afraid what will happen to me in his absence. I don't want to go back there, so I have to keep my distance. I have to push you away! You have tortured others in the past, and so have I when I welcomed you completely into my heart and psyche. Abe was my moral compass, and now he's gone."

It broke Stefano's heart to see Lexie become so unhinged and questioning if she had the ability to be a good person without Abe. He realized now she was overcompensating due to Abe's absence and pushing him away because she truly believed she was evil. "Alexandra," he said softly. "The Dimera name does not make you a bad person. I know that your friends and many people of Salem believe that to be true, but you are a good person. You are beautiful, kind, and caring and Abe being gone will not change that."

Lexie didn't hear her father's message fully as she got caught up in his descriptions of her friends. "Whose fault is it that my friends and the people of Salem think evil every time they hear the name Dimera, father?" she asked trying to make him see that he played a major role in people's opinions of their family.

Before Lexie and Stefano could say anything else, the doorbell rang. Lexie gave her father a stern look as if to tell him their conversation wasn't over. She headed to the door and tried to leave her anger with her father as she opened it. Surprised to see Ignazio on the other side, she took a breath and smiled. "Ignazio, come in."

Ignazio walked in and looked around the room spotting Stefano. After nodding his head to Stefano, who seemed happy that he stopped by, Ignazio turned to Lexie to share his condolences, "I am sorry I did not come sooner, but I heard what happened to your husband, and I want to give you my apologies for what you must be going through. It must be hard."

Just then Theo rushed into the room from the kitchen and sensed sadness. He looked to everyone while asking, "What's wrong?"

Ignazio didn't realize that Theo was home and quickly gave Lexie an apologetic look. Stefano headed over to Theo to rush him back into the kitchen. "I'll make sure to keep him in the kitchen, so you two can talk."

Lexie watched as Stefano shuffled Theo back into the kitchen. She reflected on her conversation with Stefano and cringed at the thought of what Theo might turn into with Stefano spending so much time with him. She was thankful that her mother was in the kitchen because that meant Stefano wouldn't be completely alone with her son.

After he knew he was alone with Lexie, Ignazio figured now would be a good time to fish for information. He questioned what his grandmother and Azzura were up to in his head. "So is there any word on what happened to Abe and where he might be?"

Lexie gave Ignazio a look wondering how much he knew about Abe's disappearance. "I was there when Abe was brutally attacked," she shared first. "…but unfortunately, we have no idea where he could be, or if he's even still alive."

"I cannot believe you had to witness such horribleness. It must have been terrible," Ignazio commented feeling upset that it seemed Maddalena and Azzura were now keeping him the dark about certain things. The prospect made him question if his grandmother was starting to lose trust in him.

"Thanks for coming," Lexie repeated snapping Ignazio out of his thoughts. "You and your grandmother are some of the sweetest people, and I am thankful I am getting to know you two better. You definitely make the Dimera name look better."

Even though he was intrigued by Lexie's claim, Ignazio gave Lexie a hug after telling her he needed to head out. "I will be sure to say a prayer that Abe is returned to you alive." After Lexie thanked Ignazio again, he left.

Lexie took a seat on the couch and looked up when her father entered the room saying, "Celeste and Theo are having snack time." Stefano carefully made his way to his daughter as he continued, "I really want to finish our conversation. We need to discuss the current state of our relationship. I hope that you trust me or that you can trust me again. I don't want to change you. Whether you're good, bad, or in the middle you will always be a Dimera."

Lexie shook her head as she thought about what she knew thus far about her father. She gave him a stern look and answered, "The only reason I am not kicking you out is because I want as much normalcy for Theo as possible considering our current predicament." Lexie shook her head as she still struggled with Theo and Stefano's relationship. "I know my son adores you and that you adore him. I just don't want to see him have anything to do with the business or get lost in the grayness of the Dimera name just as I did."

Stefano gave Lexie a softened look as he asked, "Do you at least believe me when I say that I had nothing to do with Abe's attack?"

Lexie looked away from her father knowing he would not like her answer. "I don't know, honestly. I don't know anything about that because I can't think of anyone else who would do this? Abe was a good man and..." Lexie couldn't finish her thought feeling even more defeated.

Stefano shortened the space between him and Lexie as she hung her head. Deciding to argue his case, he shared, "Alexandra, there's no way I would have done this to you or the family. Why would I hire men to shoot at my own daughter?"

Lexie immediately raised her head to give her father a questioning look. "Wait. How did you know that they shot at me? I never told anyone about that besides the police when I gave my statement. I never told you, EJ, or the rest of our family. How did you know that they shot at me?"

Stefano couldn't believe that Lexie was turning on him again. "Why does that matter? What you should focus on is that I would never do that. I would never allow it, and I would make sure that I hired men who would never put my family in danger."

Lexie reeled over what her father was saying to her. She moved away from her father, as she no longer felt safe with him. "Do you hear yourself right now? You are saying that if you were responsible for the attack on Abe, your men would have done a better job at it. I would not have been shot at and Abe would have appeared dead so that we could just move on from it."

Stefano could see he was losing Lexie again. "Alexandra, you're reading too much into what I said. My point was that I am not responsible for this. We will find Abe."

Feeling she couldn't go back and forth with Stefano anymore, Lexie finally stood up and walked over to the door. "I need you to leave. We are done here." Stefano tried to protest, but Lexie remained adamant that he leave the house.

Stefano sighed realizing he slipped up. Heading out the door, he turned around to say one last thing, "I am not giving up on us. I hope you won't either." Stefano turned around and left. Lexie closed the door and leaned against it as she wondered what just happened. Did her father just confirm he was responsible?

* * *

><p>Azzura got out of her red Ford Focus when she spotted EJ pull up behind her. She wrapped her coat tighter around her body due to the cold air. When EJ got out of his car, she gave him a gracious look as she told him, "Thank you so much for coming out here. I heard you were once a race car driver from my signora, so I thought you could help me. I didn't know who else to call."<p>

EJ walked to Azzura's car and gave it a look over as he asked, "What seems to be the problem?" He wondered if Azzura had another reason for contacting him because he knew his aunt had tons of workers who could have helped Azzura with her car.

Azzura turned to her car as she explained, "Well, I parked the car, so I could do some shopping for your aunt, but then the car wouldn't start again." She opened the driver's side door of her car while asking, "Do you want me to open the front thingy of the car?" Azzura tried her best to dumb down her knowledge of cars to make EJ believe she was completely clueless.

EJ stopped Azzura from having to bend down and popped the hood for her. He made his way over to the hood while taking off his coat. Azzura grabbed his coat from him and placed it in her car as EJ raised the hood and locked it into position. EJ began to ask the preliminary questions, "What kind of noise does it make when you try to turn it on? When was the last time you had the car serviced?"

As Azzura answered EJ's questions with unsure answers, she thought about how she had come up with this plan to spend more time with him since Lucas wasn't in Salem anymore. She hoped that she had it in her to find out more about his past while slowly seducing him to forget all about Sami. No man had ever turned her down, so she figured it would not be too much of a challenge.

Azzura watched as EJ got in the driver's seat of her car to start it up to see if it would turn over at all. When it didn't EJ rolled up his sleeves, so he could check the oil to see if it was low. Azzura smiled at him as she pulled out a tissue from her purse. "Sami is definitely a lucky woman to have a man like you," she shared.

EJ checked the oil without a direct response to Azzura. He noted her smile and thought about her odd behavior when she arrived with the cake to see Lucas and Allie off. Even though it did seem that she was having a problem with her car, he still felt suspicious about why he was there exactly. "It seems your oil is fine," EJ said as he wiped his hands with the tissue Azzura gave him. "It doesn't seem to be your battery either."

"What do you think it could be then?" Azzura asked with convincing concern. She was disappointed that EJ didn't comment on how she believed Sami was lucky.

EJ looked at the time on his watch and figured he had time to look at a few more things. "I'll keep checking things on your engine. If I can't find anything wrong with it, I'll call a friend to come tow your car to a mechanic who can figure out what is wrong with it."

Azzura made sure to give EJ a look of appreciation. She wrapped her arms around her waist to heat up from the cold. She had set it up so that EJ would have to be under the car to find out what was wrong with her car. With snow on the ground, she figured he wouldn't dare to attempt that. She was counting on him calling in a tow truck and giving her a ride home. Deciding to make casual conversation while he continued to check her car out, Azzura asked, "So how are things going with Johnny? Sami told me that he was going to see a therapist."

EJ was surprised to find out that Azzura seemed to know a lot about his family with Sami. "Yeah. We are meeting with the therapist soon to help Johnny through some personal issues," he answered vaguely before commenting, "It seems you and my wife have spent a lot more time together. Do you two talk about everything?"

Azzura forced a smile, as she internally questioned whether EJ wasn't a fan of her becoming best friends with Sami. "Well, yes, Sami and I talk about many things. We've discussed our pasts and other casual things."

EJ stopped what he was doing and gave Azzura a funny look. "There is nothing casual about Samantha's past," he shared.

"I guess I was referring to my past," Azzura replied. "It seems Sami has lived a fuller life than I have, which makes sense I suppose since she is older. She has found love multiple times, whereas I have not," she added before inquiring, "Have you lived a full life? I bet you have considering your current state. You have the most beautiful family, as your children are all adorable. Your father is Stefano, and I am sure that came with it's own struggles."

EJ finished up and closed the hood as he stated, "It looks like your car will have to go to the mechanic." Pulling out his phone, he replied to what Azzura had said, "Well, I think you know that anything Dimera is always interesting. I am surprised to hear that you have never experienced love. You are a beautiful woman and seem to have a good head on your shoulders. I do wonder if Maddalena would ever let you marry."

"If I found the right man, I am sure she would allow it," Azzura answered with a wink. EJ immediately looked down and called the mechanic. While EJ was on the phone, Azzura grabbed his coat from inside her car and closed the door. As she placed her hand is his coat pocket, she wondered if his compliment to her was more than just a compliment.

After EJ got off the phone, Azzura handed him his coat and shared, "I have to say that you and your siblings have been very welcoming. I may not be a Dimera, but I definitely feel like one when I'm with you."

Not knowing how to respond, EJ placed his hand on Azzura's back to lead her to his car. "We can wait for the mechanic to arrive, and then I will take you back to my aunt's mansion." EJ walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for Azzura. Azzura made sure to thank him before he closed the door and got in on his side. Turning up the heat, EJ turned to Azzura and asked, "You mentioned that you came here to do some shopping for my aunt. Where are the things you bought?"

Without skipping a beat, Azzura explained, "After I picked everything out and paid what was due, I sent it with one of the servants. That's when I came back to my car and found it in its current state." She made direct eye contact with EJ hoping he would buy her excuse.

EJ nodded his head and didn't show any signs that he doubted her story externally at least. He thought about the conversation he had with Sami and Marco concerning Maddalena and those that lived in the house. They had come up with a plan to get more information on why Maddalena returned to Salem, but now EJ questioned if it was their best option.

* * *

><p>At the police station, Bo, Hope, and Roman met in Roman's office to discuss their top cases. Hope, who was sitting in one of the seats across from Roman's desk, shared, "I am glad that Kinsey's case is closed, but it also ruins one of our leads in finding a connection to Abe's disappearance as well as the missing bodies."<p>

Bo, who sat next to Hope, looked directly to his older brother. "We need to find another lead quickly because it's almost been a week, and the more time goes by, the chances of Abe being alive decreases."

Roman thought about the missing bodies case. An officer had updated him earlier on the statistic of the case. "I was just told that bodies going missing has extremely decreased since Abe's attack. It's almost stopped completely." He then thought about their next move. "Is there any word from the ex-warden yet?" he asked hoping that they had made some progress with that lead.

Bo shook his head as he answered, "She's not biting yet, and at this point, she wants nothing to do with us. She is still claiming it was her that came up with this plan and no one else."

Hope looked down feeling frustrated. "She is lying and is probably protecting someone. I wish there was a way we could get her to speak and tell us who is responsible for all of this."

""What about the doctor? He was connected as well, and most likely knows if someone else was pulling the strings of this whole operation." Roman glanced over to Hope as she was assigned Dr. Walters.

Hope gave Roman a hopeless look as she shared, "At the moment, that lead is bleak. Apparently, he was attacked and beaten severely earlier this week. It's all suspect, but we can't talk to him because he's currently in a coma."

Roman agreed that the attack seemed suspicious due to the timing. Either way, he knew they could not give up. "We must keep trying to get through to both the warden and the doctor. They are our only viable leads at this point."

* * *

><p>After driving around to cool down from Ignazio's betrayal, Ric arrived at Maddalena's mansion finally. Ignazio rushed down the stairs as he had kept tabs on Ric's whereabouts and had been told Ric had arrived. "I don't understand what happened. Tell me what happened," Ignazio demanded confrontationally.<p>

Ric couldn't believe how Ignazio just swooped into him immediately. He shared, "How can you come up to me and act like you don't know. You betrayed me."

"You betrayed me," Ignazio opposed. He reflected on the information he had received as to why Ric was released. "What the hell were you thinking? Why would you bury a cat when that was not what I asked you to do?"

Ric gave Ignazio a frustrated look. "Why did you set me up to get arrested and thrown in jail?" Before Ignazio could answer or respond with another set of accusatory questions, Ric went on, "What happened to us, Nazio? We were friends. We were brothers."

Ignazio looked into Ric's eyes and felt the guilt of what he had done to Ric. He did it for his grandmother and the family. He wanted to make sure they were protected, but he also wanted to prove that he could put his feelings aside and do what he needed to do. Even though he felt his guilt, his pride would not allow him to admit to what he had done. "I have no idea what you're talking about. You are important to me, Ric. You are my brother, but I am not sure with your lies coming out if I can trust you the same. Tell me why I should forgive you, so we can move on."

Ric began to shake his head. "We are not able to move past this. How can we when you set me up the way that you did?" he argued in disbelief. He couldn't believe that Ignazio was still pretending like he did not set him up. Ric thought back to what Ignazio said about the plan and realized that Ignazio had hinted at what he was going to do the whole time. "You seriously stood right in front of my face and repeated that you had to take care of the family. I am not a part of that family. I am just some slave boy whom you use how you see fit."

Ignazio continued to feel horrible, but focused on Ric's lie. "You have no idea how hard this entire situation is on me because Ric you are important to me, and I care about you as my own brother. It eats me up inside that you have put me in a situation like this, but you told me you killed a young woman. Do you know how that gets in the way of what my nonna is trying to do? What am I supposed to do with you now?" Ignazio gave Ric a look to show he was sincere in not wanting to hurt him in this way. "I shouldn't cloud my judgment with what you mean to me. Fortunately for you and me, it's over now, and you are not in prison because you lied to me, too. You told me you had Kinsey's body ready, but instead you were burying a dead animal. Why did you lie to me about this?"

Ric wasn't sure what to believe as he heard Ignazio's excuse, but remembered how he did lie to Ignazio. If he had been up front with his friend in the first place about what really happened, they would have never been in this position. He panicked and didn't want Ignazio, Azzura, or Maddalena to know what truly happened. He decided he needed to clear the air as he started, "You are right, Nazio. I have lied to you."

"Ricardo, please leave so I can have a moment alone with my nipote," Maddalena said as she entered the room. Ric turned around and obeyed her instructions right away. Maddalena looked Ignazio over and could see that he seemed upset. "I am sorry I interrupted your time with your right hand, but I really need to talk to you about something."

Ignazio tried his best to put his frustration to the side, so he could talk to his grandmother. He didn't want her to start asking questions about why he was upset with Ric. "What is it, nonna?"

Maddalena gave Ignazio a smile. "I heard you stopped by Alexandra's house, and I wanted to know why you went over there."

"I visited to give my condolences on what happened to Abe," Ignazio answered. He began to wonder if his grandmother was now tailing him and checking his every move.

Maddalena continued to smile to show her grandson that she was not interrogating him in any way. She asked her next question, "When you talked to Lexie, did you mention anything about what you saw in the basement?"

Ignazio gave Maddalena a questioning look. "Of course not," he answered with a tone that told Maddalena he was offended by her question.

"Ignazio, I mean no offense by my question," she quickly responded. "I just need to be extra cautious about everything. I really didn't want you to see what you saw down there, and I would appreciate it if you stayed away from that area." Ignazio remained silent as he thought about her request. Deciding to move on, Maddalena asked, "Have you thought about how to scare Chad away from the family business?"

Ignazio didn't have time to fully think about why Maddalena wanted him away from Colin's lab in the basement. That had never really been the case before. "I have an idea," Ignazio responded without a thought. He didn't really have an idea or a plan, but he didn't want Maddalena to know. "I want it to be a surprise for you," he added quickly so she wouldn't ask for details.

"Sounds exciting!" Maddalena said with a smile. She gave Ignazio a hug and patted him on the back. "I hope you know that I am very proud of you."

Ignazio looked into his grandmother's eyes as he nodded. Even hearing Maddalena say she was proud of him could not put his mind at ease completely. He still had his doubts with the way she was questioning him as well as the things Azzura had said to him. He knew he needed to prove his ability to stay on top of things to his grandmother soon. He needed things to return to normal.

* * *

><p>Later that day, Chad decided he needed to talk to Will. After Will informed him via text that he was at their apartment alone, Chad arrived and found Will on the computer in their bedroom. "I am extremely sorry for what happened yesterday," Chad said when Will looked up at him. "I'm sorry for being so jealous of your friendship with T."<p>

Will stood up and stepped away from the computer, so he could stand next to Chad in the middle of the room. "I hope you know you have no reason to be jealous of T."

"Actually, there is a reason," Chad started unsure of where this conversation was heading. All he knew is that he felt horrible for how things were between them and needed to do whatever to bring them back together. "I was upset with myself, and instead of admitting to my own failure as a boyfriend, I took it out on you."

Confused, Will questioned, "Did you do something?"

Uncomfortable fear hit Chad as he realized he was talking without thinking and needed to take control of the conversation. His mind closed himself off emotionally somewhat so he could think things through before answering Will's question. He remembered his promise not to tell Will about Mia being in Salem, and he intended to keep that promise even if the guilt was eating at him. Chad told himself that in time he would be able to tell Will everything.

Chad looked into Will's eyes and realized that he was now concerned. "Will, I didn't cheat on you or anything like that," he finally answered. "I know with everything that has happened between Kai and Sonny you might think that."

Will looked away from Chad feeling relieved. He felt somewhat guilty for immediately thinking that because of Sonny cheating on Kai. He looked over to the desk and saw the spare key that Kai gave him earlier. Looking back to Chad, he insisted on some clarification, "What did you mean when you said you failed me as a boyfriend then?"

Chad looked down as he scratched the back of his head. "This is going to sound bad, I know it, but I need time. I am working on fixing things, and you'll understand everything soon!" Chad then turned his eyes back up to Will's hoping that Will would allow his lack of an answer. "I just want you to know that I love you, and that I don't want to lose you to another guy."

Will could tell Chad was really struggling with something. He moved in closer to Chad and placed his hands on Chad's arms. "You won't," he persisted giving Chad a serious look. "I love you, and I know that I struggle in our relationship, too, by keeping my distance from you at times, but I do love you."

"This isn't your fault," Chad maintained. "You have been the perfect boyfriend. I'm the one who messed up here. I know now that nothing is ever going to happen between you and T. I shouldn't have let my jealousy take control of me the way that it did when I accused you of all those things. I shouldn't have been jealous anyway because I know deep down you would never cross that line."

Will looked down as he remembered T propositioning him earlier. "Chad, there's something I need to tell you."

Hearing those words suddenly made Chad feel painfully nervous. "What is it?"

Will continued to hold onto Chad as he answered, "Earlier today, T and Gabi got into it, and I am pretty sure that their relationship is over. He was angry, hurt, and started talking about getting revenge. He came up with this ridiculous idea that he and I should kiss, so he could piss Gabi off by sending her evidence of the kiss."

Will lifted his head to look into Chad's eyes, but noticed that Chad couldn't look at him. Will moved his right hand onto Chad's cheek to get him to look at him. When he did, Will noted the anger in his eyes, but also observed that Chad seemed to try his best to fight it. "Chad, I said no. I should have said that up front. T and I didn't kiss. I would never do that to you even though T really isn't gay and just wanted Gabi to feel horrible. You're the only one I want to kiss."

A tear fell down Chad's face as he continued to fight the irritation he felt from T actually asking Will to kiss him. "I know you wouldn't do that. It's not who you are," Chad finally said. "I'm not mad at T either. It was just a stupid idea coming from his anger."

Will wiped the tear from Chad's face with his thumb impressed with Chad's ability to let this go. "I just wanted you to know. I'm trying my best in not keeping secrets from you, although I feel like there still are secrets between us."

Chad grabbed Will's right hand and took it in both of his hands as he began to massage it. "Will, I want to fix it so that no one can come between us or break us up." Will echoed Chad's desire before Chad carried on, "I know that we went before the family last week and stated we were in committed relationship and even told them we wanted to marry, but a part of me feels like it was a rushed show. There's still so much we need to do to make sure we are on the same page and continue to grow more committed to each other."

"I think I know what you mean," Will said welcoming Chad's honesty. He thought about how he still felt so unsure about their relationship because he didn't trust Chad would want him for the long haul. He didn't want to hold Chad back from living the best life he could have. Breaking eye contact to look at Chad's hands massaging his, Will tried his best to be honest, too. "I think it was pretty quick of us to tell our family that we wanted to get married because I really do believe we're not ready for that. I think we said it because we wanted to prove something to them and possibly ourselves, but now we really need to be honest about it all."

"I agree," Chad said as he bit his lip knowing that he couldn't tell Will everything even though he wanted to. He thought about Mia and hated that things were so confusing and complicated. "I promise you that I love you and choose you."

Will looked up into Chad's eyes deciding he needed to get something off of his chest. "I've avoided having sex with you because in the back of my mind, I worry that if we have sex, it will only hide the problems we need to confront and deal with. I don't want an instant fix that really never fixes anything," he admitted.

Chad thought about the times Will pushed him away when they got too close. He finally understood Will's decision to do so. "Will, sex isn't supposed to fix things. It's something two people do as an experience of love that we don't share with anyone else."

Will smiled at the way Chad structured his response. Even though it made sense, the melodramatic feel of it made Will feel somewhat uncomfortable. "You always have a way with words."

Chad picked up on Will making fun of him, but decided not to question Will on it since he wanted to keep things positive for now. "Well, isn't it?"

"You're right," Will said. "I love you."

"I love you," Chad echoed making sure he put emphasis on 'you'. "Will, I promise that no matter what happens, I will always fight for you."

Will smiled and repeated, "I will always fight for you, too."

Will and Chad pulled each other into a long passionate kiss that led them onto their bed with Chad on top of Will. Will grabbed the back of Chad's shirt to lift it up. Chad sat up to take his shirt off and immediately went back to kissing Will. "I love you so much. My brain can't understand it," he said as he put his right hand under Will's shirt to feel on his hard body.

Will smiled and playfully bit Chad's ear as he moved his hands into the back of Chad's pants. "It doesn't make sense why I held you back for so long. I've missed this so much!" Chad pulled himself off of Will and the bed causing Will to sit up confused. "What's going on?"

Chad smiled as he excitedly explained by swiftly taking the rest of his clothes off. Will immediately jumped out of the bed and did the same. Both jumped back into the bed pulling each other close. They were connected. They made love.

After they finished, Will and Chad held onto each other for a moment before speaking to each other. "I stayed the night last night at my sister's because she asked me to. She told me she feels safer with me there."

Will turned to his side and began to move his finger up and down Chad's chest. "Is she okay?"

"She's struggling. I can tell she feels so lost without Abe," Chad answered. "I hope this won't upset you, but I told her I would stay with her for as long as she needed me to."

Will sat up more and dropped his hand on Chad's chest. "So you won't be sleeping here tonight?" He watched as Chad looked away feeling guilty. Will recognized that he was being selfish at the moment. "Even though I will miss waking up next to you, I think it's great that you're helping your sister out. She needs you."

Chad turned back to Will with a questionable smile. "Are you sure about that?"

Will began to move his fingers across Chad's chest once again. "Yeah, I'm positive. Besides, Sonny and T aren't in good places at the moment. They might need me to help them through their breakups."

Chad ran his hand through Will's hair and smiled sweetly. "You're a good friend, but you're a better boyfriend. I love you."

"I love you," Will echoed before lowering his head to give Chad another kiss.


	50. Chapter 50 Sneak

**Chapter 50: Sneak – Thursday, January 5****th****, 2012**

The next day, Will sat with T at the dining room table as he reflected on not waking up next to Chad. "It's so weird. I think back to the beginning of last summer when I moved into the pub and had my own room. I slept alone in my bed and even though I did feel somewhat lonely, I could handle it. Now, it's the second morning I've woken up without Chad, and I feel like my day has been ruined. I know Chad is helping his sister out, but I really do miss waking up to him."

T shook his head at Will but encouraged him. "I'm sure he'll be back in no time. It's only for a little while, right?"

Will gave T a look as he realized T was trying to encourage him. He appreciated T's looking out for him, but he felt foolish for complaining over something so trivial when T had to deal with so much more. "Yeah, I'll be fine. How are you doing with everything?"

T raised his eyebrows and blew out some air as he thought about how overwhelmed he felt. "Well, it's been a few days since my parents kicked me out. It still hurts like hell. I can't really think of any happy or good things as I've felt horrible about every aspect of my life," he admitted with resentment in his voice.

Will sensed anger and placed his hand on T's shoulder as he suggested, "You need to let go of that anger…"

"It's the only thing that's keeping me going," T interrupted. He stood up causing Will's hand to drop from his shoulder. "I should take a shower so I can try to do something productive to keep my mind off things," he decided. "Sorry, Will. I can't talk about this right now and keep a level head like you want me to."

Will watched as T rushed out of the room. He leaned his head on his hand as he questioned his ability to help T through this. He didn't really understand why T wanted to hold onto anger and frustration.

Sonny walked into the room and grabbed a bowl, spoon, and a box of cereal. Will watched as he noted it was another cereal day for Sonny. Deciding to try his luck with Sonny, Will commented, "You must have a busy day." Sonny didn't respond as he poured milk into his bowl, so Will tried again, but more on topic. "You will be okay again. The real Sonny is in there somewhere."

Sonny remained silent as he awkwardly took a seat at the table. Chowing down on his cereal, he tried his best to ignore Will because he wasn't sure if he could talk it through with him. He didn't think much about himself and hearing Will's attempts at encouragement kept him wanting the distance he created with everyone. Sonny also tried to avoid looking at Will because he knew he would want to open up to him if they made eye contact.

Will wondered if he should give up on trying to get through to Sonny for now as well, but decided to make one last plea, "We are best friends, Sonny, and I'm here for you."

Sonny finally looked up to Will and sighed knowing he couldn't avoid talking about Kai and Dario anymore. "Sorry. I know you're my friend and that you want to help me, but I am not sure I want that."

"Why wouldn't you want that?" Will asked confused. First, T didn't want to let go of his anger and now it seemed Sonny didn't want to let go of the guilt.

Sonny dropped his spoon in his bowl as he placed his hands over his face to rub the tension out. "I messed up so bad. I need to continue to punish myself for what I did to Kai," he explained. "I can't do that again."

"It's not healthy to keep punishing yourself this way," Will countered hoping Sonny would see the harm in holding onto the guilt.

Sonny stopped rubbing his face and began to eat his cereal again. "I don't care," he said before putting a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. After swallowing what was in his mouth, he decided to change the focus of the conversation. "How are you and Chad? I don't see Chad around."

Will decided to allow the subject change for now as Sonny seemed stubbornly set on holding onto his guilt. "Chad's not here because he's helping his sister, Lexie, out with some things. He's staying over at her house for the time being due to a family emergency," he shared deciding he probably shouldn't tell Sonny everything. He thought about his relationship with Chad and wondered if Sonny asked about Chad because he questioned how they were doing. He shared, "Chad and I aren't perfect, but we're great."

"I'm so jealous of you and Chad," Sonny said somewhat under his breath. "You guys seem to work through everything."

Will shrugged his shoulders as he claimed, "Like I said, It's not perfect, but I do believe that things are finally working out between Chad and me." Will remembered how he felt completely hopeless about his relationship with Chad towards the end of the fall semester. Even though he still had insecurities telling him they weren't meant to be, he decided not to share those with Sonny because he didn't want to bring his friend down with his own problems.

Will then reflected on how he was jealous of Sonny and Kai's relationship at one time because they seemed to have everything together. His personal insecurities heightened a bit knowing that in the end Kai and Sonny didn't work out. Will felt bad and wanted to encourage Sonny any way he could, but figured it would be in poor taste if he told Sonny how he used to be jealous of Kai and Sonny's relationship. Instead he attempted to encourage Sonny by confidently saying, "You can have what Chad and I have, too. Don't give up, Sonny."

Sonny stopped eating again – this time for good – as he responded, "I'm starting to believe I was never meant to be happy."

Will hated seeing Sonny so down on himself. It was the opposite of what he was used to seeing. Will moved closer to Sonny to try to comfort him. "I don't believe that. There is someone out there who will make you happy."

Sonny continued to mentally pull away from Will's attempts at comforting him through his guilt. "I am not ready to give up on Kai just yet," he shared.

Before Will could say anything else, Chad walked into the apartment arriving from Lexie's house. He could tell Will was surprised to see him and smiled. "I needed to come check in with you. I hated having to leave you alone last night."

Sonny watched as Will stood up and greeted Chad with a hug and kiss. He was happy for them but didn't really want to watch them love on each other. He decided to break their short reunion by asking Chad, "How is your sister doing?"

Chad scratched the back of his head as he thought about his sister. "Nothing new to report really. I know that she appreciates me staying with her. She's all about me spending a lot of time with Theo, too."

"That's because you're an awesome uncle," Will stated as he leaned his head onto Chad's shoulders.

Chad looked over to Will and gave him a smile. "I try my best," he responded before giving Will a solemn look. "I had to see you, but my time is limited. I have to go back to Lexie's. She wants to run some errands and asked me to hang out with Theo while she's gone."

Will gave Chad an understanding look. "See. You're a great uncle. I'm sure you and Theo will have fun."

"I think you'll make a great father someday," Sonny commented without thinking.

Feeling bittersweet about Sonny's comment, Chad thanked him. He then decided to check in with Sonny to see how he was doing. "So any changes since the last time I saw you?"

Sonny looked down. "Well, I guess I have nothing new to report either. I'm still a horrible boyfriend who does nothing but lie to the ones I love."

Hearing Sonny's description of himself caused Chad to feel a bit disheartened. "Dude, don't beat yourself up. It's not worth it."

"I've been trying to tell him that, too." Will informed Chad while giving Sonny an emphatic look.

Chad moved closer to Sonny. "Sometimes things are just out of your control," he stated as he reflected on his own issues. "Abigail and I had a conversation while we were in Colorado, and she made me realize something: everything is not set in stone. She questioned if soul mates exist, and if they do exist, would we really know how it all works. She said that it's possible that one person's soul mate may have another soul mate who isn't the same person." Will gave Chad a questioning look as Chad finally got to his point, "Maybe it's possible that Kai isn't your soul mate."

Sonny slammed his hands on the table as he forced himself onto his feet. Angry, he shared in a raised voice, "I already told Will that I am not giving up on Kai. I love him, and I will make things right in the world." Frustrated with his current situation and that he lost it on Chad, Sonny turned around and walked to his room to be alone in his thoughts.

Will and Chad turned to each other unsure of what to say because of how Sonny stormed out. Will thought about what Chad shared concerning Abigail's thoughts on soul mates. He wondered if that was also a trigger to Chad's jealous behavior. He definitely didn't want to agree with Abigail's thoughts on the subject, but Chad seemed to believe it. Will couldn't help but question the possibility because he feared his insecurities were true in that Chad had another soul mate out there. Someone who was more exciting and more on Chad's level in terms of life dreams and goals.

Before Will could broach the subject, T walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen not expecting to see Chad there. "Oh, Chad. Hey bro," he greeted him while making sure his towel stayed on properly.

Chad quickly glanced at Will before replying to T. He wanted to make sure he showed Will that T did not threaten him. "Hey, T. Rumor has it that you tried to seduce my boyfriend," he said before adding with a smile, "I know he's good looking and all, but I'm sure he's not really your type."

At first, T thought that Chad was upset, but when he saw his smile he wasn't sure. "I apologize for trying to get Will in on my plan. I shouldn't have asked Will to kiss me because it was disrespectful to your relationship. Trust me, I know better."

"Thanks for the apology," Chad said. Will was pleased that T and Chad seemed able to move on from what happened. "So anything new with you and Gabi? When I dated her, she seemed like a nice and understanding girl."

T gave Chad a look of realization. He had forgotten that Gabi once dated Chad. He looked over at Will and shook his head. "I can't believe that all three of us have dated Gabi. What a slut!" T continued to shake his head as his feelings towards Gabi only worsened. Looking away, T decided, "I need to get out for some air." T gave Chad and Will one last look before heading back into Will's room to get dressed.

Will moved over to Chad with a smile. "I appreciate what you tried to do there. He's still upset about everything, but you handled it the best you could." Will and Chad kissed as they reflected on the night before.

Chad held Will tight as he looked into his eyes. "I hope that whatever comes between us, we can work it out."

"It's hard to continue thinking positive when I'm surrounded by misery," Will admitted as he reflected on Sonny's and T's situations. "I am committed to helping them, but I am much more committed to you."

Chad gave Will another kiss before running his fingers through Will's hair. "Maybe we can meet at our special place, so we can help each other recharge."

Will smiled as he remembered when Chad took him to the spot he used to spend time with his mother. "I'd really like that. I hope we get the opportunity soon!" Chad and Will kissed again before letting each other go. Will moved so he was facing Chad's side so he could slap his butt. "Now go be an awesome uncle!"

Chad jumped a bit and let out a chuckle. He wanted to stay a little longer with Will, but knew he had to head out to help his sister and Theo. "I hope that I can be a good boyfriend soon." Chad pulled Will into a long kiss goodbye.

* * *

><p>Down in the secret room in the lab of the basement in Maddalena's mansion, Maddalena and Colin stood next to each other looking Abe over. "Things seem to be going well. He hasn't opened his mouth or made any movements from what I can tell," Maddalena commented.<p>

"Everything is moving even slower at this point, but it's hard to run tests on him to see if anything is going wrong such as bad side effects or if he's truly going to survive all of this," Colin reported.

Maddalena ignored most of what Colin had to report because she was concerned about other things. She asked, "How long will the solution keep him unconscious?"

Colin looked at his notes to make sure he was certain of the answer before he answered. "It should be about another month," he informed Maddalena.

Maddalena lifted her head to look up as she pondered how she felt about the lack of progress made on the solution. "That is not good enough. We were able to keep Tony down for years, but the best we can do is less than two months?"

Colin tried his best to calm Maddalena's disappointment. "Madre, we used André's solution on Tony, and we have been working hard to make the same solution. It's been a long process of breaking down what André was able to create. We only have so little left after we used what we had on Tony and Jack. Research has shown that the severity of the wound or injury also decides how long the patient will be in the comatose state. When we got Tony, he was basically dead."

Maddalena knew Colin made a good argument against her frustration. "Continue working. I need this to work longer." She looked over to Abe once again deciding to move on. "What do you have on the other solution – the quicker acting solution?"

Colin put his notes down as he responded to Maddalena in a calm tone. "I have a prototype that is almost done, but my main focus is on the one we are using on Abe Carver. I want to be certain there are no dangerous side effects in case I need to change anything."

"Well, you have some time to be certain as we still do not have a test subject to use for the quicker solution yet," Maddalena replied. "We need to tread carefully on who we use. I don't want anyone to catch onto what we are doing."

Just then, Ignazio entered the room as he asked, "What is the criteria for your test subject?" He clearly overheard their conversation.

"Nipote, I told you I don't want you wandering the basement," Maddalena reminded Ignazio.

Ignazio caught on that Maddalena was a bit unnerved by the fact that he was not respecting her wishes. Even still, he wanted to prove to his grandmother that seeing Abe in his current state was not burdensome. "What does it matter, nonna? I've seen lifeless bodies before."

Maddalena's patience began to grow thin. She really wanted Ignazio out of the room and hated that he already knew so much. "You came down here for a reason. What is it that you need?"

"I decided to come down to tell you I am reporting to Stefano and EJ today. They called and told me to meet them in their home," Ignazio reported. He did not like the look he was getting from Maddalena.

Maddalena changed the look on her face by giving Ignazio a smile. "I am glad that they are calling you in to work finally. I thought they were just toying you around. It's clear they struggle with trusting us still. Make sure you remain alert and keep your eyes open for everything."

"I know what I must do," Ignazio retorted. He thought about how he had been getting the same untrusting vibe from his grandmother and Azzura recently. He wondered what changed. "So about these solutions you have been working on? What are they for?"

Maddalena gave Ignazio a stern look. "No, don't ask questions we cannot answer," she denied him.

Ignazio then turned to Colin and asked him for answers, but Colin decided to remain mum on giving answers as well. "I will obey what your nonna wants."

"Fine," Ignazio let out clearly frustrated. "I'll leave you two alone to do whatever it is that you're doing." He turned around and left the room making sure to close the door behind him. Once he was in the lab, he quickly and quietly made his way over to Colin's desk to look through some of his notes. He pulled out his phone and took pictures of some important information. If his grandmother and Colin weren't going to give him answers, he was going to find them another way.

Upstairs, Ric walked into the mansion running into Azzura, who was about to head down into the basement because she had information on Isobel for Maddalena. "Azzura, have you seen Ignazio?"

Azzura shook her head at Ric when he approached her. "I am sure he's around somewhere," she answered before asking, "What happened between the two of you? Does it have anything to do with that girl's body?"

"Ignazio betrayed me by setting me up," Ric started to explain. "I went to bury the body at the exact location he sent me only to be discovered by the cops who received a tip from him. I was arrested for the disappearance of Kinsey."

Azzura made an impressed expression on her face. "Well, you did do the crime. I'm impressed though. Ignazio may have it in him to do what is necessary to promote his family in the right direction."

Ric gave Azzura a disgusted look since it appeared she didn't have a heart either. Before Azzura could ask him how he managed to escape arrest, he communicated, "This family is important to me, but I guess I was too stupid to see that the feeling is not mutual."

Ignazio made his way up surprised to see Ric there again. Azzura walked over to Ignazio and patted him on the back. "If you keep at it, you may get to know everything your nonna and I have been up to," she commented to get a rise out of Ignazio. Ignazio gave Azzura an annoyed look as she recommended, "I think you should tell Maddalena what happened since everything is in the clear. Speaking of which, have you seen your nonna?"

Ignazio gave Azzura a look and opted to toy with her as well. "She's not here. I saw her leaving earlier for Lexie's house. She told me that she didn't want to be disturbed at all," he lied.

Azzura stepped back surprised to hear that. "Maddalena never told me she planned on visiting Lexie today," she replied deciding that she should just head back to her office to find something else to work on.

With Azzura gone, Ignazio turned to Ric noting that Ric still seemed upset with him. He didn't dare show he was sorry for what happened because of his pride, but couldn't help feeling hurt when Ric started shaking his head at him. "What?"

Ric continued to shake his head at his one time friend and asked, "Who are you? I barely recognize you."

"Don't dare judge me and pretend you are this highly moral person, Ric. You have done plenty to make me look like a saint," Ignazio advised.

Ric crossed his arms around his chest as he disputed, "The things you are referring to were done for you and your family. I would have never turned on you. You should know that by now."

"How can I be sure?" Ignazio questioned somewhat rhetorically. "You're not even family." Ric stepped back and looked down feeling hurt that Ignazio would actually acknowledge that Ric meant nothing to him. Seeing the hurt in Ric's eyes caused Ignazio to look down as well. He decided to ask about something else. "So how did you manage to get the case closed?"

Ric thought about the phone call he made to take care of Kinsey's case with the police since he really didn't have the body. He was glad he made that call but didn't want Ignazio to know what he had done. "It doesn't matter. I don't trust you anymore."

Ignazio swallowed some of his pride as he commented, "You're right. It doesn't matter. We should be able to move on from this because everything worked out in the end. You're not in jail, and the case has been closed."

"Move on?" Ric questioned with a slight laugh.

Ignazio could see it would be hard to convince Ric that he really did want to start anew. "I was under a lot of pressure to take care of this, so I could impress my nonna," he attempted to explain.

Ric could see that Ignazio seemed to really want them to be friends again, but still had his doubts with how Ignazio betrayed him. "You threw our friendship away just so you could show the world che sei un ribelle."

Ignazio became upset with Ric's version of the events. "Watch what you say to me! You don't want to regret it!" he intimidated.

"Hold your threats," Ric returned. "Very soon you won't have to worry about me because I am going to Maddalena and asking her if she can send me back to Italia. I am done with you and want nothing more from you." Ric didn't bother allowing Ignazio to respond and walked away. Ignazio's frustration of the situation only amplified.

* * *

><p>In the Salem University Hospital cafeteria, Abigail joined her mother for a light breakfast. Jennifer looked to Abigail with concern as she thought about the things Abigail said to Jack at the house. "So is there any change on your relationship with Josh?"<p>

Abigail wasn't in the mood to talk about Josh. She was more concerned about what was going to happen between her mother and father. "No changes as I haven't talked to him," she replied quickly dismissing the topic of Josh. "What are you going to do with dad? I think you should tell him to step off."

Jennifer gave Abigail an anxious look. She took her daughter's hand and tried to help her calm down. "Look, I know that your father has hurt this family, but it is my duty as your mother to try my best to make peace with your father for yours and JJ's sake."

"I don't want you to do that," Abigail disclosed. "No matter what you do, I will always have a bad relationship with dad. We weren't meant to have a consistent loving relationship."

Jennifer sighed as she squeezed Abigail's hand. "Abigail, I don't want to talk about your father anymore right now because you're still upset. Why don't you tell me about Josh? Are you really afraid to experience love?"

Abigail took her hand away from her mother as she turned her head to the side. She didn't want to answer her question, as she felt ashamed and embarrassed by the whole thing. "I don't want to talk about it, mom."

Jennifer leaned into the table hoping to catch a glimpse from Abigail. "Sweetie, I am worried about you. Until yesterday, I had no idea that Josh proposed to you while you two were in New Zealand last semester. I remember the conversation we had over the summer when Kate made you really angry about your chances with Chad. Are these fears with Josh just a continuance of that?"

Abigail faced her mother as she realized that her issues with commitment seemed to stem from the failure of her parents' marriage. "You're right," she informed her mother. Looking up as she remembered her relationship with Chad, she continued, "I came so close to losing myself when I dated Chad. I tried my hardest to make it work, and I was completely wrong about that relationship. He's gay now with Will."

"Yes, you put a lot into your relationship with Chad," Jennifer acknowledged. "But I don't want you to give up hope. Relationships take work, but there are some that can be worth it in the end. I had my doubts about your relationship with Chad, but with Josh, it's different."

Abigail leaned back in her chair and blew out some air. "So you're telling me I should be with Josh and not look back?"

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do," Jennifer clarified. "I'm just saying that maybe you already know what you want to do, but you're afraid. Maybe fear is why you turned down Josh's marriage proposal?"

Abigail looked up to work through her thoughts hoping for some clarification. She began to reflect aloud to her mother, "Josh has been so supportive and patient with me through all of this. I feel horrible because I have taken advantage of him completely." Abigail looked down to her mother, as she believed she knew what she needed to do. "I really need to talk all of this out with Josh. I can't really decide what I want until that happens."

"Just take your time, Abigail. I hope you know that you have me if you ever want to talk things through," Jennifer reminded her daughter.

Abigail browsed the cafeteria and spotted Daniel grabbing a snack in the cafeteria. Making eye contact with him, she realized he was coming over. "I should go. Daniel's about to come over, and I think you two should talk."

Jennifer and Abigail began to clean up as Daniel walked over with his snack. After Abigail left, Jennifer greeted Daniel with a hug and kiss. "It was a bit weird not riding with you to work this morning," Jennifer shared.

"Yeah. I am not sure how I feel yet about starting really early today," Daniel responded. "My schedule seems to get busier by the hour."

Jennifer rubbed Daniel's back knowing he had to be somewhat exhausted if not completely drained from all the extra work. "Hopefully things will calm down soon."

Daniel took a bite of his blueberry muffin before asking, "How is the family doing with Jack's return? Even though I have been busy, a part of me thinks that maybe we need to have some space between us since Jack is back."

Jen responded first by giving Daniel a nervous look. "Space?"

Daniel grabbed Jen's hand to calm her nerves. "I'm in no way saying that I want to break up with you. I still have every intention of marrying you so we can spend the rest of our lives together. I think you should just take this time, while I'm distracted with work, to reconcile the kids with Jack. I don't want to get in the way of that and cause confusion for anyone."

Jen nodded her head to let Daniel know she understood but didn't want to talk about Jack anymore. "Are you heading upstairs? We could spend more time that way."

Daniel gave Jennifer a smile as he stated, "Only if I get to walk up with you."

Jennifer leaned into Daniel for a hug as they made their way to the elevator. Once they were inside the elevator, she turned to Daniel and asked, "So who do you have on the schedule today?"

"Well, Caroline is coming back in for her monthly check-up. She's been progressing very nicely." Daniel tried to remember who else he had. "Oh, and I'll be checking out Isobel Hernandez since Lexie is not working. She's one of the patients I got from Lexie."

As the elevator doors opened, Jennifer massaged Daniel's back and said, "Don't keep too busy. Make sure you take plenty of breaks."

Daniel smiled and gave Jennifer a kiss before she headed away to her office. Daniel looked around and spotted Isobel standing with Arianna, Dario, and Gabi. He walked over and reintroduced himself to Isobel. "Hi, Ms. Hernandez. I'm Dr. Jonas, and I am covering for Dr. Carver for the time being. I hope that is okay with you. If you have an objection to having a male doctor, I am sure we can find someone to take the case."

"No, you're fine," Isobel said warmly before adding, "I do have one request. I would like to go in alone in this appointment. My children can wait for me out here."

Gabi, Arianna, and Dario all protested the idea because they wanted to be in the room to hear the latest on her condition. Gabi was tired of the push and pull she received from her family and wondered if it would be better if she gave up on them as well. She hated her life.

Dario gave Isobel a look of concern. "Mama, we need to know what's going on so we can help you to the best of our ability."

Isobel turned to Daniel to take control of the situation. "I do have the right to decide who gets to come and who knows what, correct?"

Daniel sighed. He didn't like being put in the middle of this, but he had the answer Isobel was hoping for. "As a patient, Ms. Hernandez, yes, you do have the right and final say on who is involved in your treatment." To appease, Arianna, Dario, and Gabi, he shared, "I am just going to take your mother in to get some tests at the moment anyway. She can decide after what everyone knows when we get those results."

"Thanks, Dr. Jonas," Arianna said trying to keep her mother stress free.

Daniel smiled and looked to Isobel. "Are you ready to get things rolling?" Isobel nodded her head and followed Daniel into a hallway.

Dario turned to his sisters unable to hide the worry on his face. "It's going to be bad news. I can already feel it. She's been weaker."

"It's not like we should expect good news anyway," Gabi retorted offsetting Dario's reasoning. "She has been weaker as expected. She's dying."

Arianna looked to her younger siblings and bit her lip as she tried to avoid the stress of the situation. "Have you two actually noticed her feeling weaker? I mean, I have noticed some things, but I thought she would be worse off than she is at the moment. She made it through last weekend without incident, and she still has the spunk to tell us off."

"I think she's been able to hide most of it well," Dario responded. He tried his best not to let Gabi's remark get to him. "Just like she's trying to keep us out of her appointment, she's doing the same at the guesthouse. She thinks she's doing it to protect us most likely."

Gabi rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of annoyance. "So just like everyone in our family, she's running away from the truth. We can never face the truth. Why can't we just have an honest moment here?"

Arianna noted Dario was ready to release his frustration on their baby sister, so she stepped in. "We won't avoid this Gabi. We haven't been. Mama, is scared. We all are, but don't be discouraged by our past mistakes. We have to work to make the time we have left better."

Gabi shook her head and retreated to the chairs next to the coffee. Dario and Arianna followed suit and sat down. All remained quiet.

Chelsea arrived with Caroline for her appointment. Walking out of the elevator, they made their way to the nurse's station to check in for their appointment. After signing in, they spotted Ari, Dario, and Gabi and decided to join them. "Hey guys. Are you here for your mother?" Chelsea asked.

Gabi turned around to answer Chelsea's question. She wanted to pretend she didn't get a lecture from Arianna. "Yeah. She's doing testing now. Who is watching the pub while you're both here?"

"Sami and Bo are," Caroline replied. "They should be fine. They've had plenty of practice over the years."

Daniel made his way over to take Caroline to her room. The nurse would have done it normally, but he wanted to observe her ability to walk to the room first hand. But first, he decided to update the Hernandez siblings first on their mother. "Isobel is with a nurse and technician at the moment." He then turned to Caroline and asked if she was ready.

Caroline nodded her head before telling Chelsea, "I will be right back. You can stay here and talk to your friends."

As Daniel and Caroline walked towards an empty room, Melanie walked out and smiled at her father when he walked by. She spotted Arianna and the others and headed over. "Hey. I need to talk to one of you about your mother's health since the last appointment. We want to make sure we have a second opinion on her health. If one of you could follow me, we can get going on that."

Arianna stood up and volunteered. "I'll do it."

"Great!" Melanie smiled at Gabi and Dario ready to lead Arianna into a separate room, but she remembered something. She turned to Arianna and Gabi as she shared, "I am glad you and your sister are both here because I want to meet up with both of you soon to talk about my wedding."

Gabi and Arianna agreed that they could meet later. Chelsea pretended she didn't hear anything by keeping her focus on Dario. Arianna turned to her brother and sister and told them, "I'll be right back. We will be okay."

After Arianna and Melanie left, Chelsea turned to Dario and Gabi. "So how long have you two been here?"

"It hasn't been too long," Dario answered. He wondered if he should have gone with Arianna to help her answer questions about their mother but didn't want to leave Gabi alone.

"We'll probably be here for a while though," Gabi added. She rubbed her stomach realizing she hadn't eaten anything. She looked Chelsea and Dario over and decided to give them some time to themselves. "Do you guys want anything from the cafeteria?" she asked as she stood up. Dario and Chelsea told her they didn't, so she headed into the elevator leaving Chelsea and Dario alone.

Chelsea took a seat next to Dario and commented, "I hope the tests are positive for your mom."

Dario couldn't help feeling pessimistic about everything. "I don't think there's any way it could be positive. Gabi reminded me earlier that she's dying and to expect the worst."

"I know this has to be hard for you and your family," Chelsea observed. She wanted to help Dario through this and wondered what usually helped him feel better about things. "Who do you talk to when you're down?"

Dario turned his head to give Chelsea a silly look. "I guess you don't really know much about me. I don't. I usually keep to myself when I feel out of control. I find some place to escape."

"What about you and Sonny? I've heard you two were close and helped each other through a lot," Chelsea shared.

Dario quickly turned his head and looked down. "I… Sonny and I were close, but some things got in the way," he let out wondering what exactly Chelsea heard about him and Sonny. "Sonny and I were best friends – nothing more – but we didn't agree on some things and decided it would be best if we stopped hanging out."

"Oh," Chelsea said. She didn't know what else to say to that because Dario had denied anything more happened between him and Sonny. She wasn't sure she fully believed him, but she didn't want to push it either. "If you ever want to talk, I'm game. You don't know me that well. I hear it's easier that way."

Dario thought about his conversations with Ignazio and nodded his head. "It is easier that way, but I have a feeling you won't always be a complete stranger to me." Dario and Chelsea traded smiles. Chelsea wondered if Dario had just implied he wanted to get to know her better. Dario questioned if he had inconspicuously flirted with Chelsea.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera Mansion, EJ and Stefano sat in the main room discussing the family situation concerning Abe. "It's been a day since Celeste picked up Theo. She told me Lexie wants him home for good, and it appears Lexie isn't going to back down and ask for help."<p>

Stefano poured himself a glass of water to take some medication. "Does Celeste trust Alexandra has the strength to keep Theodore?"

"She did not say, but I got the feeling she did not think Theo returning home was a good idea," EJ answered. He scratched the top of his head as he considered what would be best for Lexie and Theo in this situation. "How is the search going for Abe?"

Stefano finished taking his medication and turned to his son. "We have not been able to find anything. It is ridiculous. The man is nowhere to be found." Stefano sighed and began to pace close to his chessboard. "I told my men to look close by the pier and the Horton Town Square again. There are so many new businesses, it's possible that someone rented space to keep him hostage."

EJ decided to pour himself a glass of water. As he poured it, he glanced up at Stefano with a perplexed look. "Father, are you saying you think Abe is still alive? You told me before that you believed we would find his body."

"I do not know, Elvis," Stefano admitted. "Anything is possible. Alexandra is not taking this well, and I worry what will happen to her and little Theodore if Abe is in fact dead. I cannot be callous around them because it only makes her more upset. I hate that she's staying in that house with only her mother. She should be here with family."

EJ walked over and took a seat on one of the love seats. "Celeste is her family, father. Besides, Celeste told me yesterday morning that Chad stayed the night per Lexie's request."

Stefano watched as EJ casually took a drink. "Chad is staying with Lexie?" he asked for clarification through a smile. EJ nodded his head and took another sip of his water. "Hmmmm… so my son has not given up on the family completely. He still wants to be a part of us."

"I'm still unsure of how you and Chad got to this point where he might not want to be a part of this family," EJ shared before finishing his glass of water. He stood up to put the glass on the table. EJ waited in silence for a moment, but Stefano did not have an answer for him. He looked at the time and informed his father, "Ignazio should be here any minute. I called him in today."

Stefano looked up from his thoughts of Chad and asked, "I'm assuming it's for work. What do you have planned for my great-nephew?"

EJ paced over to his father in thought. "I just decided I am going to take him out to help search for Abe. We can cover more ground around the pier and Horton Town Square if we help out."

Stefano crossed his arms around his chest. "What goal do you have in mind with this plan?"

"I want to see how much Ignazio wants this," EJ answered ambiguously before clarifying, "I think he may not see this as part of his job description, but it may be good for him to see how the family works. This would be a good way to initiate him into the family."

Stefano thought EJ's idea was good, but wanted to clear something up. "Son, you know there truly is only one way to initiate Dimera men into the family. You must stick with tradition. If and when you think he is ready, you should set up a plan similar to how we initiated Chad, but I want you to make one small change. I want Chad to be involved in this."

EJ nodded his head to his father to let him know he understood, but he still had questions. "Why is it important that we include Chad in this?"

Stefano took a seat at the chess table as he answered, "I want to make sure Chad still feels connected to this family. I remember his excitement when he found out what we did to initiate him. That excitement increases when you see it from the other side. I want him to be a part of every aspect of our family and family business."

EJ thought about how his father had stated before that he wasn't sure if Chad was cut out to be a part of the family business. He didn't agree with his father's fear that Chad wouldn't be accepted due to his sexual orientation, but wondered if Stefano had changed his mind altogether on the matter. "I am confused father because you told Chad to come back to the business after he got his MBA, and even when you told him that you weren't exactly sold on the idea of him returning. Now, it seems you want him to come back full time. Am I assuming too much here?"

Stefano looked down at the chessboard in thought. He knew that he had his reservations about Chad working for the family, but he had to put those to the side to make sure the family didn't fall apart. "Yes, I have changed my plans. I'm afraid if we don't get Chad back into the family business we may lose him forever. We need him close so we can protect him."

"Protect him? Protect him from what?" EJ asked for clarification even if he had somewhat of an idea. Before Stefano could answer, he and EJ heard the doorbell ring. Harold opened the door to let Ignazio in.

Ignazio walked into the main room from the foyer and greeted EJ and Stefano in formal Italian. After, he shared, "I am here to work."

"Excellent. Today, we will be on the move," EJ informed Ignazio. "We are going to help with the search for Lexie's husband, Abe. I'll drive."

Ignazio bowed his head to Stefano and followed EJ out to EJ's car. He wondered why they were doing the work of servants and hired men but elected not to make anything of it. Getting in EJ's car, he did ask, "Are there any leads on where he might be? He's been missing for a week now, and I'd think we'd be closer in finding him." Ignazio wanted to know if they had any suspicions towards his grandmother.

EJ drove out of the garage and into the street to head to the pier. Keeping his eyes on the road, he replied, "Unfortunately, we are no closer to when we first found out what happened. It seems no one besides Lexie saw what happened that night, and no one has seen anything since. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. I just wish we knew why they did this. It doesn't make sense."

"Did Abe have many enemies? There hasn't been a call or a ransom set?" Ignazio followed up.

EJ shook his head. "That's the thing. No one has tried contacting us. They took the mayor of Salem and nothing. I worry it really had nothing to do specifically with Abe or the fact that he is mayor in that it was just a random attack. On the other hand, his tires were slashed, so that at least tells me it was premeditated."

Ignazio felt relieved because it appeared Stefano and EJ were clueless on what happened that night. As much as he got an untrusting vibe from Maddalena, he didn't want to see her get in trouble. He still wanted to protect her. "So why go looking for him? It seems it is a lost cause. Lexie's husband is as good as dead if he wasn't taken for some kind of ransom."

"It is important we look out for each other because we are family," EJ answered. "Yes, things are looking bleak, and it might be easier to just accept defeat, but my sister needs answers and our job is to help her get those answers so it doesn't continue to eat at her or fester. Ignazio, I hope you see the importance of family here. I don't know if you have siblings that you're close to, but I hope you can feel close to your family here in Salem."

Ignazio nodded his head. He really respected EJ, and felt bad for keeping secrets from him. Even so, he knew he had to protect his grandmother. He trusted she had the best interest of the family by doing whatever it was she was doing. "Since Abe really has no enemies, who are the police blaming?"

EJ and Ignazio arrived to the pier. After parking the car, they got out. EJ led Ignazio to the stairs that led down to the pier as he answered, "It happens every time something goes wrong, but we are usually the first the cops go to because of our inherent evil hearts." EJ looked over to Ignazio with a slight smile. "The Dimera name is somewhat tainted in this town, and when people find out you're a Dimera, those people will usually judge you for it. It's all a part of the Dimera curse. Dimera men are especially susceptible to this curse, so you must be extra careful."

Even though EJ playfully patted Ignazio on the back when he told him about the curse, Ignazio wanted to know more while questioning if he suffered from the same curse. "What's the curse precisely?"

EJ could see the seriousness in Ignazio's eyes. He questioned if his spirited warnings struck a nerve with his second cousin. "Well, I suppose to outsiders the Dimera name innately makes us evil, but I honestly believe our ambition and drive are just misconstrued." EJ patted Ignazio on the back again to lead him down the stairs. He didn't want to talk anymore of the curse so they could focus on their search. "Let's see what we can find out here." Ignazio nodded his head, but he couldn't get the curse off his mind. He questioned if he had the Dimera curse because of the darkness he felt in his soul.

* * *

><p>After leaving Theo alone with Chad and Celeste, Lexie made her way to her first stop: the Police Station. Spotting Hope looking through a file, she rushed over and asked, "What has the force uncovered? Please tell me some progress has been made."<p>

Hope quickly stopped what she was doing, so she could focus on her friend. "Lexie, what are you doing here? You should be at home taking care of yourself. If you wanted an update you could have just called me, and I would have come to see you."

"I appreciate that, but I can be proactive as well," Lexie shared trying to be appreciative and less annoyed that her friends were trying to look out for her. "I don't want to sit on the sidelines while the PD is out looking for my husband. So tell me, please. Is there news from Dr. Walters and Warden Smith?"

Hope knew that Lexie needed answers, but she didn't want to do it here and now. "Lexie, please. I think you should go home. I will update you when we find something new. I know you want to be as involved as possible, but what you can do is wait at home to see if anyone calls."

Lexie did not appreciate being treated like she was too fragile to help with anything. "Hope, the last thing I want to do is get in the way of your case in finding my husband, but I will go crazy if I just stand by and wait for a phone call that will most likely never come. It's been almost an entire week and no one has tried to contact me, you guys, or the mayor's office."

Just then Roman exited from his office with the Press Secretary of the Mayoral office saying, "Thank you, Mr. Olsen for coming forward with the information you had. It may be helpful in finding the mayor and bringing him back home. Your part in this will remain anonymous."

Hearing Roman's statement caused Lexie to rush over. "Mr. Olsen, what did you tell Roman? What do you know about my husband?"

Mr. Olsen froze feeling uncomfortable with sharing what he knew with Lexie. Fortunately for him, Roman stepped in, "Mr. Olsen, if you do not want to answer that question, you do not have to. I told you we would keep you out of this."

Lexie gave Roman a look as she questioned what he was trying to hide but then realized that Roman was either trying to protect Mr. Olsen or her. She decided to back off, "I'm sorry, Mr. Olsen. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

Mr. Olsen nodded his head to Lexie before saying, "I am really sorry that you're going through this, Dr. Carver. I hope that the mayor is found ASAP."

Lexie looked down as she fought the voice that told her to throw in the towel. "Thanks." Turning back to Hope, she shared, "I am going to head home. I can't be here."

Hope gave Lexie a hug and then watched her leave. She wondered what caused her friend to change her mind so quickly in wanting to help in the investigation. Turning to Roman and Mr. Olsen, she asked, "So we have a new lead or just new info?"

"It's possible," Roman answered. "I'll fill you in later in my office," he explained. Turning to Mr. Olsen, he asked, "Is there anything else we can do for you?"

Mr. Olsen, who seemed somewhat agitated, did have something he wanted to know. "The media has been calling me a lot to find out more about Abe's family emergency. It's getting harder to make things happen without the mayor. What are we supposed to do if Abe is never found?"

"What do you mean?" Roman asked for clarification on what Mr. Olsen wanted to know.

"If we don't find Mayor Carver, we will need to vote in a replacement so we have an acting mayor in Salem again. We can't do that behind closed doors," Mr. Olsen explained.

Hope picked up on Mr. Olsen wanting to go to the press about Abe's disappearance. "Mr. Olsen, you can't go to the media about this at all. Please be patient. We can't let the media get a hold of this just yet."

Mr. Olsen was not happy to hear Hope's response. "Well, it's been a miracle we've been able to contain this story for this long. I will continue to make sure that no one from the office says anything, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. The media has its way of finding things out." Mr. Olsen's cell phone made a sound prompting him to adjust his coat. "I should head back to the office. Let me know if we can help in any way." Roman and Hope nodded their heads as Mr. Olsen walked out.

Outside, Lexie walked through the parking lot and made her way to Mr. Olsen's car. When he arrived, she gave him a smile. He put his keys back in his pocket and asked, "Dr. Carver, is there something I can do for you?"

"Let me help you," Lexie answered with a smile. "I want to help the mayor's office by doing what I can to make sure things run as smoothly as possible. I can help with the upcoming projects my husband should have been a part of."

Mr. Olsen gave Lexie an impressed smile. "Sure, but we shouldn't talk here. How about the Horton Town Square? I have a few meetings, but I can reschedule them or move them there if I have to."

Lexie looked around to make sure no one was around before she uttered, "We'll have to keep a low key profile, but that works for me. I'll see you there in ten." Mr. Olsen nodded his head. Both got in their separate cars and headed for the town square.

* * *

><p>At the pub, Sami and Bo worked side by side to make sure things ran smoothly without Caroline there. Things began to calm down, so Bo decided to take the opportunity to talk to Sami about her in-laws. "So have you talked to Lexie much since last week?"<p>

Sami, who was trying to put dirty glasses on a tray, replied, "Not really. I've spent some time with Theo, but Lexie has pretty much stayed away from the Dimera mansion. How are things moving along with the case?"

Bo didn't want to give Sami too much detail because of who she was married to. "It's been difficult because we don't know where to look for Abe. Do you know what EJ and Stefano are doing to try to find him?"

Sami finished stacking the dishes, crossed her arms as she turned her body to face Bo, and gave him a suspicious look. "Uncle Bo, are you trying to get information out of me?" Bo gave her a look that told her wasn't going to deny it. "Honestly, I have no idea what happened to Abe, and I don't think Stefano and EJ know either. I do know they have men out looking for Abe as well. They want Abe to come back home to Lexie just as much as the cops do."

As Bo and Sami continued talking, T and Josh arrived and found an empty table. A waitress walked over and took their drink orders first and headed out. Both guys felt miserable about their love lives, but T was bitterer about everything. "Gabi is such a bitch. It's good that it appears she's not working today. I'd probably have to leave this place. I hate that slut."

Josh gave T a look of doubt. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea for T to talk so bad about Gabi at the place she worked. "I get that you're upset, but maybe we should try to keep ourselves distracted from the annoyances of girlfriends. That's why you called me to hang out, right?"

"You don't have anything to say about Abigail?" T questioned his friend. "Come on, Josh, say something you hate about Abigail. She's been playing you this whole time, too."

Even though Josh was miserable about the situation he was in with Abigail, he couldn't sit there and talk bad about her. "I can't. I'm not into slamming Abby because I still love her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" T asked offended. "Are you saying that I didn't love Gabi? Because I did."

Josh wasn't sure what to think of T's claim, but he had his reservations. He countered, "Well, you sure are throwing around the words 'bitch' and 'slut' a lot to describe someone you claim to love. Even if Abby has her moments, I would never call her those things."

T gave Josh a frustrated look. "That's because Gabi really pulled a number on me. She broke my heart and played me for a fool. I loved her, but that doesn't mean she's not a bitch."

"T, keep your voice down," Josh warned. He didn't want to cause a scene and make his day worse. He couldn't believe how hostile T seemed. He understood T's situation wasn't the best, but the fact that he couldn't relax at all worried him.

Kai and Brett walked into the pub next. Kai looked the place over and gave Brett a questioning look. "I'm not sure if this was a good idea to come here. Sonny could be here because this is his roommate's family's pub."

Brett thought it was worth the risk. "They have the best brunch here in town! Trust me. You'll love it." He patted Sonny's back before saying, "I am going to wash up. You should find us a table."

As Brett headed for the back, Kai looked around for a table. He thought about how Sonny and Will seemed to always want to avoid the pub, but he was never given a direct answer as to why. He did figure it had to do with Will being gay because after they arrived from Colorado, Sonny and Will seemed to avoid the topic for the most part.

Kai found a table, but before he could sit down, he spotted T walking over towards him. T looked upset. "Hey T. What's up?"

T had stepped away from his table to cool down. He knew Josh was right to try to calm him down and figured some fresh air might help him. Seeing Kai caused him to relax a bit. "Hey. Just hanging out with Josh. What are you doing here?"

Kai looked to where Brett disappeared to and then back to T. "I'm here with a friend. He claims this place has the best brunch in town." Kai spotted Brett making his way back over. "There he is right now."

Brett walked up making sure to look T over. He seemed familiar. "Hey, I think I've seen you around campus. What's your name?"

T put his hand out and shook Brett's hand as he answered, "The name is Tad, but all of my friends call me T. You're Kai's friend, Brett?"

Brett nodded his head and traded a glance with Kai. "If you want, you could join us for brunch."

"I'm actually here with a friend, but I am not sure I am going to stay anyway." T looked over to Kai and pulled out his phone. "I had a lot of fun with you and Sonny on the way back from Colorado. We should hang sometime if you want. What's your number?" Kai smiled and pulled out his phone, so he could get T's number, too.

As Kai and T exchanged numbers, Abigail walked in and spotted Josh sitting alone. She hoped she could have a moment of his time. "Josh, I am so glad I ran into you. We need to talk."

Josh felt uneasy about talking to Abigail. He really wanted to move on from her, but every time they ran into each other it caused him to have to start all over. "Abby, I don't think we really have anything else to say to each other. You don't want what I want."

"Maybe I do," Abigail quickly responded catching Josh's full attention.

T walked over interrupting Abigail and Josh from saying anymore. "I'll leave you guys alone. I just need my stuff." T grabbed his things and nodded at Josh to wish him luck with everything. On his way out he made sure to tell Kai to call him some time.

Brett, who was now sitting in a booth with Kai, watched as T went out the entrance. "So who is this T guy? Rebound? He's cute."

Kai rolled his eyes at Brett. "T is just an acquaintance who is unquestionably straight. Don't get any ideas! I just broke up with Sonny, and I'd rather avoid him and any talk about relationships."

Brett gave Kai a look to let him know he wasn't particularly convinced that Kai wanted to forget Sonny. "I don't believe you," he shared. "You want to know why? You're moving in with his great-uncle. If you're trying to get over Sonny that is definitely a step in the wrong direction."

"Brett, I told you it's only going to be temporary," Kai reminded him. "I will probably move in next week before your roommate returns for the semester and be in that mansion for a week before Mr. Kiriakis hands me keys to my own place. I'm not going to let Sonny get in the way of a good opportunity."

Brett smiled mischievously. "Right. Okay. I know that what Sonny did to you was horrible, but I find it hard to believe you can just turn off your feelings like you and Sonny never happened. I think you need to be careful." Kai looked down and picked up the menu to focus on something else.

Abigail and Josh continued to talk at their table. "Josh, I am deeply sorry for the way I behaved with you. I apologize for shutting you out, and I want to prove to you that is not how I want things to continue."

Josh tried his best to not let his optimism take control. He didn't want to get hurt again. "So when you said that you might want what I want…"

"I need to be upfront with you on our relationship," Abigail cut him off before he went on further. "I am afraid. It's not because of anything you have done as a boyfriend because you have been great, but I need to deal with some things concerning my father. He's back, and things are complicated." She took a deep breath before looking Josh directly into his eyes. "I cannot commit to anything until things are worked out with my family. I know that it puts you in that position you don't want to be, but I don't want things to end between us permanently. I need time."

Josh couldn't help but feel somewhat hopeful that maybe things would work out between him and Abigail. She was opening up to him, and he could understand her situation as he had his fair share of father or more precisely parent issues. "I understand, and I can wait. Just let me know when you've made your decision. I'll try my best to be patient." Abigail gave Josh a smile of relief and appreciation.

Sami walked by Josh and Abigail and smiled at both as she delivered drinks to another table. She looked towards the entrance when she heard the bell ring due to the door opening. She smiled wider when she saw Will walk in with Sonny. Sami made her way over to greet them. "Hey boys. Uncle Bo and I just thought that things were going to quiet down, but it seems everyone had a different idea. What can I get you?"

Will looked the pub over for Caroline and asked, "Where's great-grandma?"

"She is at her monthly check up to see how she is progressing from the stroke," Sami informed Will.

Sonny looked around the pub and spotted Kai sitting at a booth with Brett. "Excuse me, I'm going to talk to a friend," he shared as he walked off.

Will quickly realized who Sonny was going to talk to and felt uncomfortable with Sonny approaching Kai, but he decided to continue to talk to Sami. "So I just realized I forgot to tell you I saw Uncle Eric while I was in Colorado," he shared surprising Sami.

"My twin brother was in Colorado?"

Knowing it was safe because his great-grandma wasn't around, Will chose to tell her more about what he and Eric talked about. "Yeah. He heard I was there and decided to surprise me since the last time we saw each other was at yours and EJ's wedding. We had a good conversation about me being gay."

Sami delightedly smiled because she was happy Eric seemed to be okay with Will's coming out. "Eric has always been good and accepting. He's definitely the good twin," she winked. "What exactly did he say?"

Will grabbed the back of his neck as he remembered their conversation. "Well, he kept telling me he was proud of me, and then we talked about who didn't know and how I would tell them."

Sami looked around to make sure all the tables were covered because she wanted to make sure Will could have her full attention. "What did you decide to do?"

Will wasn't sure if he had a definite plan. "I'm not exactly sure what I will do, but I was thinking about writing a letter to everyone or making it public on a blog everyone could have access to or something like that," he shared feeling a bit nervous about his plan. "How do you think I should tell all of the family?"

"Are you going to have a coming out party?" Bo asked as he walked up. "I'm sure everyone will want to celebrate with you."

Will stepped back and gave his great-uncle a troubled look. He didn't know that Bo knew about him being gay. He then turned to his mother wondering if she knew how Bo knew about his sexual preference. Sami's face turned a lighter shade of red confirming she was the one who told him. "I'm sorry I told Uncle Bo about you, but I had to because of your great-grandma and what happened last time."

Will still couldn't fully understand what was happening. Bo decided to step in realizing his butting in on their conversation most likely felt extremely intrusive for Will. "Your mother told your grandpa Roman and me about what Ma did to you before the stroke since we were helping out with her and the pub. We knew she was stressed about something, but we didn't know what changed. Not saying that you changed as a person, but Ma definitely did with the way she treated you and Sonny. Your mom just wanted to make sure we didn't slip up in front of her while she recovers."

Will turned to Sami and questioned if he heard right. "Grandpa Roman knows?" He shook his head as his mind caught up to the latest updates on who knew and who didn't. Will thought back to his conversation with Eric and realized he hadn't thought about what he was going to do about his great-grandmother. "What do I do about Grandma Caroline when I come out to the rest of the family?"

Sami looked to Bo to answer the question. Bo scratched the side of his neck with his index finger as he looked away. "She has been getting better and a part of me wants to believe that when you do tell her she'll take it better. There was a lot going on in Ma's life before she had the stroke, and I hope you don't blame yourself for what happened because it definitely was not your fault. I think you should just talk it out with her."

"Her memory is coming back slowly but surely," Sami added. "I believe in the end Grandma Caroline wants to see you happy. She may remember how she pushed you away and will try her best not to make the same mistake again." Will rubbed the back of his neck fearing the worst when Caroline found out about being gay again. He didn't want to lose her like he did before.

In the interim of walking away from Will and Sami, Sonny awkwardly made his way to the booth where Kai and Brett were seated. Keeping his hands in his front pockets, he announced himself, "Hey guys."

Kai looked up clearly displeased to see Sonny there. Picking up on it, Brett stood up and offered, "I'll go ask the waitress to change our order to go."

Sonny quickly realized this was his opportunity to talk to Kai alone. As Brett headed to the bar, Sonny took a seat across from Kai. "Kai, I know you're still upset with me, but I can't just stop thinking about you. I want this to work again, and I promise it can."

Kai wanted to get up and leave, but he also wanted to nip this in the bud so Sonny would just leave him alone. "Sonny, this is never going to work. You cheated on me, and that's the ultimate betrayal in my opinion. Leave me the hell alone."

Sonny tried to grab Kai's hand, but Kai would not allow it. "Babe, I am sorry. What I did to you is awful, and I really do hate myself for it. If you want me to stay away, I do have one request."

Eager to get Sonny off his back, Kai replied, "What is it?"

"Please don't ever forget me," Sonny requested.

Kai stood up from the booth and leaned in with both hands on the table as he responded softly, "That's the problem." Brett walked up in time with their food, so they could leave. "Please stop trying, Sonny. We're done."

Kai and Brett headed out walking by Will and Sami. Will looked over and saw Sonny moping in the booth now. After telling his mother he would talk to her later, he headed over and took the spot Kai once occupied. "Sonny, are you okay?"

Sonny turned his head to the side as he tried his best to hold it together. Sami walked over and shared, "I'll go get you two some drinks. I'll be right back."

With his mother gone, Will took Sonny's hand. "Things are going to be okay. Maybe there just needs to be space."

Sonny kept his face turned away from Will as he finally responded, "I don't know if I can take this anymore." Will watched Sonny with great concern as he let out, "Maybe you and Chad were right earlier. I need to give up on Kai."

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, Mr. Olsen and Lexie found a table in Mandalay Café to talk about the upcoming events planned for Salem. "I know that the New Year's Eve Party here at the square was the last thing my husband planned, so I am wondering if there are any events that I can assist with."<p>

Mr. Olsen took a quick drink of his cappuccino before informing Lexie, "The New Year's Eve Party was not the last event Mayor Carver was involved with. Yes, we spent most of last week making sure things were coming together for that event, but there were other events we started working on."

Lexie perked up at the thought that Abe's involvement in Salem was still present. "What events? Are they soon?"

"Well, there is one event coming up next Friday," Mr. Olsen started. "At the end of the year last month, the office sat down and threw out ideas of how we would make 2012 a more exciting year for Salem. Someone in the meeting mentioned that there will be three Friday the 13ths this year and that they will each be thirteen weeks apart."

Lexie felt a chill when she heard that and tried her best to keep a level head. She couldn't help but think about her mother and the warnings she gave before Abe's attack. She looked to Mr. Olsen trying to forget the supernatural world of her mother. "Next Friday is the first of the three then?"

Mr. Olsen nodded his head as he described what they had planned, "We decided to have these special parties for each Friday the 13th this year – this month, in April, and then in September. The first one will be a masquerade ball type party held at Chez Rouge."

"So we're having the gowns, suits, masks, and the music for a masquerade ball?" Lexie asked for clarification. Knowing that Abe had other plans in motion caused her to want to be more involved than ever. After Mr. Olsen nodded his head and explained the party more, Lexie exclaimed, "I have to be involved in this. With everything that has happened, I want to make sure my husband's legacy continues."

Mr. Olsen was excited that Lexie wanted to be involved but felt awkward about the situation they were in. "Dr. Carver, we want you to be involved, but we need to be careful what we say in public. News can't get out. If you want, we can talk more at the office about what we need to do for these events."

Lexie nodded her head to Mr. Olsen. "Of course," she let out as she thought about how it seemed more and more that she was accepting that Abe was gone to her forever. It had been only a week, and she felt extremely guilty about it.

"Well, I am supposed to meet with someone in Salem Books soon, so I will try to get in contact with you soon," Mr. Olsen informed Lexie.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lexie made sure to put her hand on Mr. Olsen's arm to make sure he was not leaving. "Before you go, there is something I want to ask you. I need to know."

Mr. Olsen gave Lexie his full attention even if he still felt uncomfortable. "What can I do for you, Dr. Carver?"

Lexie leaned in after letting Mr. Olsen's arm go. "Please tell me the info that you gave the cops about my husband's case," she whispered.

Mr. Olsen gave Lexie an uneasy look before looking around to make sure no one was in hearing distance. Seeing the desperation in Lexie's eyes made him see he could not keep this from her. "Please do not shoot the messenger," he said in a whisper. After swallowing, Mr. Olsen shared, "Last Friday at the office, Stefano Dimera arrived unannounced and caused Mayor Carver to pause our meetings. They went into his office to talk. I got a call and needed to ask Abe a question, but when I got to the door, I could hear them arguing about something. I couldn't really make out what it was about, but it sounded pretty heated."

Lexie couldn't believe it. Her father got into an argument with Abe the same day he was attacked. She gave Mr. Olsen a look of loss. "So you think my father might be responsible?"

"I'd rather not answer that question," Mr. Olsen pleaded. "I just thought the police should know to help them find your husband. I'm so sorry, Dr. Carver."

Lexie knew she had already made Mr. Olsen say more than he wanted to, so she decided not to push him even further. "Thanks for letting me know. You have your meeting to attend, and I should probably head back home to be with my son. Call me when you're available so we can talk details about the masquerade ball."

Mr. Olsen stood up with Lexie as he nodded his head to her. "Please let the office know if there's anything we can do to help you out. We are all praying for your family." After a brief handshake, Lexie and Mr. Olsen went their separate ways.

* * *

><p>Chad sat with Theo as they played with cars on the living room floor of the Carver house. Chad noticed Theo seemed focus on making one of his cars follow the same path repeatedly. Wanting to check in with him, Chad asked his nephew, "Where is that car trying to go?"<p>

Theo ignored Chad's question and instead replied, "I'm glad you are here, Uncle Chad." Theo continued with his fascination with his car taking the same path on the floor.

Celeste walked out with some cookies and milk for everyone. "I have snacks for everyone," she announced. She looked over to Theo and noticed he didn't budge or move. Seeing a look of concern on Chad's face, she realized she needed to get Theo's full attention. After putting the tray on the coffee table, she made her way over and said Theo's name clearly to catch his gaze. "Theo, I made cookies and poured everyone a glass of milk."

Theo finally realized what was happening and stopped moving his car. He quickly stood up and rushed to the cookies and milk. "Which one is mine?"

Celeste and Chad walked over to the tray of cookies and glasses of milk. Celeste helped Theo with his glass and put a few cookies on a napkin so he could enjoy them. "Here, darling. Be careful and try not to make a mess."

After grabbing a few cookies, Chad joined Celeste on the couch as he thought about what just happened. With a look of concern, he shared, "I know about Theo's diagnosis, but I don't really know much about what it all means. Lexie has told me some stuff, but she said he was doing a lot better. His focus on his car – was that normal?"

Celeste nodded her head. "Yes, but it seems to be happening a lot more," she informed Chad. "I think it probably due to his father not being around."

Chad looked over to Theo who was now focused on eating his cookies a certain way. He sighed as he thought about how hard Lexie seemed to have it. She was so much stronger than him in everything, but at the same times she seemed so fragile.

The doorbell interrupted the moment of silence in the room. Celeste stood up and answered the door. She crossed her arms when she opened the door. "Stefano, what can I do for you?"

Stefano walked in and spotted Chad and Theo. "I wanted to visit my daughter and grandson," he replied. He didn't want Chad to know that he was really there to talk to him.

Before Celeste could tell Stefano that Lexie was not home, Theo jumped up in excitement to see Stefano. "Nonno! You're here!" Theo rushed over and gave Stefano a hug.

Chad, who was trying his best not to acknowledge his father, stood up and watched Theo with Stefano. He couldn't believe how his father had such an effect on his nephew. Seeing Stefano's gentle approach with Theo caused Chad to think about the things he didn't get as a child from his adoptive father and Stefano. "Father, Lexie is not here."

Stefano stopped interacting with Theo and looked into Chad's eyes. "Son, it's good to see you here spending time with your nephew and sister. I hope we can have a moment to talk."

Celeste quickly picked up on the real reason Stefano decided to visit. She was certain he was aware Lexie was out of the house and that Chad was here thanks to his men guarding the house. She took Theo's hand and said to her grandson, "Can you help grandma clean up the mess I made in the kitchen?" Theo nodded his head as they made their way back into the kitchen.

Chad put his hands in his pockets as he looked down. The direct eye contact with Stefano was too intense to hold. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"I want you to come back into the family business," Stefano revealed. "I know you have school and want to focus on that, but I could really use you now."

Chad tried his best to read his father without making direct eye contact again. A part of him was excited to hear his father say that, but he also wanted to be cautious and aware of his father's motive in saying the family needed him. "I don't know. The spring semester starts a week from Monday, and I am not sure it would be good if I worked for you while I am taking classes. Besides, you seemed eager for me to take a break from the family business the last time we talked about it."

Stefano put his hands up in surrender. "You are correct. I made the mistake of letting you go when you decided you wanted a break from the family business. You said you wanted to help out when you could, but I never pushed it because I don't want to see you get hurt." Stefano put his hands down as he continued, "Look, your brother will be approaching you soon on the help that we need at the moment. I hope you will accept his offer. You are still family."

"I will definitely need to think this through," Chad answered. He wanted to jump at the chance of proving to his father and everyone else that he was still capable of delivering what he needed to even if he was gay, but he felt so confused about what his father was trying to do by asking him to work for the family again.

* * *

><p>Back at Salem University Hospital, Daniel stood in a patient room with Isobel holding the results from her tests. Giving Isobel a look over, he gave her a questioning look. "I don't know how you're doing it, but you seem to be hiding the decline of your health very well."<p>

"I know, Dr. Jonas. I can feel it deeply that my time to leave this world is coming sooner than expected," Isobel informed him. "You don't have to read out the results to me because I already know. I already know death is knocking at my door."

Daniel gave Isobel the best empathic look he could. "I know that you mentioned earlier you didn't want your children involved in this appointment, but I think it would be a good idea if they knew what we both know."

A tear fell down Isobel's face as she thought about leaving her children behind. She didn't want to see them suffer. She couldn't let that be the last thing she saw of them on earth. "I don't know, Dr. Jonas. I don't want to see them fall apart. I can't bear the thought of my children looking so broken when I tell them to prepare for my funeral."

Daniel looked down and grabbed Isobel's hand. He could tell she needed a hand to hold during this time. "I am so sorry I couldn't give you good news, but I really do think it would be better if you told them now."

Isobel could hear the certainty in Daniel's voice. "Fine," she caved reluctantly. "Can you just send them in? I'd like to tell them myself – alone." Daniel nodded his head and left to get Arianna, Dario, and Gabi. Isobel leaned back in the electric bed as she thought about how life seemed too short. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to her kids. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to the grandchildren she would never get to hold. She was on the verge of tears when Dario, Gabi, and Arianna walked in. Wiping her face, Isobel sat up to talk to them. "Hey, my loves."

Arianna shared glances with her siblings as she asked her mother, "What is it, Mama? What did Dr. Jonas tell you?"

Isobel put her hands out, so she could hold her children's hands. They moved closer so she could take them. "Things have slowed down," she started. "I'm not in the danger zone at the moment, and it appears I've gained some more time to spend with you all, so no worries, okay?"

Dario smiled widely as his sisters followed suit. Seeing her son and daughters so happy brought a smile onto Isobel's face. "So the tests came back positive, Mama?"

Isobel nodded her head continuing her lie. "Yes, I haven't been cured, but I have more time with you."

Gabi immediately went in for a hug first. For the first time in a long time, she felt a little hope in her heart. "We're going to keep fighting together, Mama. Together we can beat this."

Isobel began to tear up but was able to play them off as happy tears. Giving each of her children a hug of triumph, she thought about how she lied to her children about her condition. She had to. She didn't want to bring them down.

* * *

><p>Maddalena walked around the Horton Town Square as she tried to get in touch with Azzura over her phone. After getting Azzura's voicemail once again, she decided to try one last time, but when she spotted Mr. Olsen she decided to hang up. Walking towards him, she put her hand out to force him to take it. "Hello, you work in the mayor's office, correct?"<p>

Mr. Olsen took Maddalena's hand and shook it. "Yes, I'm Anthony Olsen, the Press Secretary for the Mayor," he answered. "Do I know you?"

Maddalena smiled as she introduced herself. "My name is Maddalena Dimera. You probably don't know me, but you may know my brother, Stefano."

"I know who you are now," Mr. Olsen cut in with a smile. "I recognize your name from that big check we received last month as an anonymous donation."

Maddalena smiled and nodded her head as she tried to play off the check she gave Abe. "I can't confirm anything as the donation was anonymous," she replied modestly before informing Mr. Olsen why she approached him, "I want to set up a meeting with you and the rest of the mayor's cabinet."

"I'm sure we can set something up," Mr. Olsen said pleased. He hoped she wanted to make another donation for the city.

As Mr. Olsen and Maddalena continued to talk, EJ and Ignazio arrived from looking around the pier for Abe. Spotting Maddalena with Mr. Olsen, EJ and Ignazio wondered what they were talking about. EJ looked over to Ignazio and commented, "Looks like your nonna is keeping busy with the mayor's office." Ignazio managed to keep an impervious look on his face, but he wondered if EJ had just put two and two together.


	51. Chapter 51 Don't Want to Hear It

**Chapter 51: Don't Want to Hear It – Friday, January 6th, 2012**

Waking up to the smell of breakfast, Chad pulled himself from the couch after stretching his arms. He looked around as the smell of eggs, sausage, bacon, and homemade biscuits permeated the air in the living room, but his attention turned to the stairs when he heard footsteps creaking down them.

Celeste made her way downstairs and put her attention on Chad when he asked her, "Did you make breakfast or something?" Celeste denied it and turned her attention to the kitchen door with concern.

Lexie walked out of the kitchen dressed as if she were going into work. She smiled as she casually stated, "Good, you two are awake. I made breakfast. I hope you two are hungry."

Celeste and Chad looked Lexie over deciding they needed to be cautious with the smile Lexie presented them. She appeared to be in better spirits, but both questioned the authenticity of the good attitude adjustment. "Darling, what are you doing? You know I could have made breakfast," Celeste reasoned.

Lexie picked up on her mother's and brother's skepticism by the look on their faces. She decided to explain why she wasn't moping around anymore. "I need to take complete control of my life, so I can make sure things happen. I have a lot to do today."

As Chad finally stood from the couch, Celeste anxiously inquired, "Are you going back to work in the hospital, Alexandra?"

Lexie shook her head, as she answered, "No, the hospital has granted me a leave of absence while I get my things in order with what has happened with Abe."

"That's good I guess," Chad responded.

Lexie nodded her head as she agreed, "Yes, it's a good thing, but I do wish things were back to normal." Lexie realized she had lost her focus and decided not to allow such feeble thoughts into her brain. Turning to her mother she requested, "Mom, can you wake Theo up for breakfast?" Celeste agreed and headed up the stairs.

Chad followed Lexie into the kitchen asking. "If you're not going in for work, what do you have planned for the day?"

"I want to stop by the family mansion," Lexie filled Chad in as she grabbed four clean plates from the cabinet. "Will you get some forks out?"

Chad nodded his head and grabbed clean utensils for them to use for breakfast. As he handed Lexie the forks, his phone made a sound. Chad quickly opened the text and read it to himself before informing his sister, "EJ wants me to stop by today."

"Well, we should just go together," Lexie resolved. "I was planning on asking my mother to take Theo to his therapy appointment anyway."

Chad grabbed a few glasses to pour orange juice in. He began to fill the glasses, but he made sure to keep an eye on his sister to make sure her sudden emotional state wasn't some euphoric episode. "Sure. Did you have anything else planned?"

Lexie grabbed some napkins and placed them on the breakfast table. "I also have a meeting with the mayor's office to help them with a few upcoming events."

Chad thought about the fact that Abe's attack happened outside the mayor's office. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked with concern. He didn't want to see his sister overdo it and come crashing down only to feel worse than before.

"I think so," she replied simply but decided to explain why this was important to her, "I want to make sure Salem continues to be active in Abe's absence. Abe would want that."

Chad walked over to his sister and placed his hand on her arm. He wanted to be supportive in whatever decision she made. "If you ever need to lean on me for anything, please tell me."

"You're already doing enough, baby brother," Lexie replied with a smile trying to avoid an emotional reaction from Chad's care for her. She needed to distract her thoughts to accomplish emotional avoidance. "So tell me, Chad. How are things in your life?"

Chad immediately thought about his relationship with Will, but he didn't want to burden his sister with his own issues. "Things are okay. School starts soon, so I am sure things will pick up in that regard."

Lexie thought about how Chad agreed to stay at her house for as long as she needed him. "I hope you staying here isn't an annoyance for you or Will."

"No," Chad immediately refuted. "I am happy to stay with you, Theo, and Celeste. Besides, Will understands that I need to be here. Will and I are in a good place, so don't feel like you might cause problems between us." Chad gave his sister a smile to ensure everything was okay in his life, but when he actually thought about his relationship with Will, he questioned if things were really okay. He began to struggle with doubts that he and Will were in a good place because he hadn't told Will about Mia yet. He hated withholding information from him even if Will was aware of him keeping it.

Lexie interrupted Chad's thoughts when she jerked from accidentally burning her hand on the stove. "Ouch!"

Chad rushed to his sister as Lexie held her hand to look the burn over. "Are you okay?"

Lexie dropped her hand as she answered, "I'm fine. I think my response was more for the surprise, so no harm done." She looked up and noticed her brother still had concern on his face. "Chad, it was an accident. Are you okay?"

Chad wiped his hand over his forehead realizing he caused Lexie to worry. "Sorry. I guess I overreacted. Life has just been so intense recently, I... I don't know what I was thinking."

Lexie gave Chad a softened look and pulled him in for a hug. "Chad, life has been intense, but I believe things will be okay again no matter what happens. I know that, deep down, now. I have to believe that now."

"I hope so," Chad said as he squeezed Lexie closer. "Things will be okay," he said with more assurance knowing he should be the one comforting her. Lexie held onto Chad as she thought about what she and Mr. Olsen talked about at the square.

Just then, Celeste walked in from the living room with Theo and Marco. "Marco, said you called for him, so I led him back here," she informed her daughter.

"I did," Lexie confirmed.

"What can I help you with, Dr. Carver?" Marco asked.

Lexie walked over to Marco and pulled him away from the others. "I just had a question. Were you driving my father around last Friday?"

Marco didn't think much about Lexie's question and answered honestly, "No. I was here watching you, so he had another one of his men drive him around."

"Thanks, that's all I needed," Lexie said as she patted him on the back. She didn't really enjoy the fact that her father still had men watching her every move, so she took pleasure in informing him, "Oh – and a heads up – Chad is going with me to run some errands later, so you don't need to follow me anywhere. He's man enough to protect me."

Marco decided to let it go since Lexie turned around and began to eat breakfast with Celeste, Chad, and Theo. He walked out of the house and decided to give Stefano a call. Lexie smiled at the others in the room. She knew she could no longer mope around. She needed to be a woman of action.

* * *

><p>Azzura walked into Maddalena's office at the mansion. Maddalena looked up from her desk and commented after seeing it was Azzura, "I didn't see you yesterday."<p>

"I was told you didn't want to be disturbed," Azzura mentioned as she questioned if Maddalena was disappointed that she kept her distance from her.

Maddalena gave her full attention to Azzura giving her a confused look. "That's absurd. I never said such a thing."

Azzura quickly realized Ignazio had lied to her. "Hmmm. That's odd." She wondered why but chose not to dwell on it because she didn't want to inform Maddalena just yet of Ignazio's deception. Moving on, she shared, "No matter, I have some important information for you about Isobel Hernandez." She brought the file over to Maddalena to look at as she admitted, "It may not be the most recent information since Isobel had a doctor's appointment yesterday with Dr. Jonas. I had planned on giving you this file yesterday before the appointment."

Maddalena decided not to take the file from Azzura's hand. Instead, she waved her hands up and to the sides. "Before I look at anything, I want you to get the information from her last appointment."

Azzura nodded her head feeling frustrated with Ignazio for getting in the way of presenting what she had. Just then, Ric pulled his head into the room. "Signora, I hope I am not interrupting," he called out.

Maddalena motioned Ric into the room. "Come in Ricardo. You asked to see me earlier, but I was busy and could not meet with you. Tell me, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Ric stepped forward giving Maddalena a look of respect. "Signora, I must tell you that I appreciate you bringing me here to the USA to help you, but I think I would be better used if I returned to Italia."

Maddalena was astonished to hear Ric's request. "Where is this coming from?"

Azzura studied Maddalena's reaction and realized Ignazio never told her what happened with Ric and Kinsey. She knew that Ignazio keeping mum on what happened would only cause more trouble for the family. Crossing her arms, she mentally shook her head as Ric didn't give Maddalena much of an answer.

Maddalena wasn't pleased either and turned her attention to Azzura. "Azzura, per favore andare a prendere mio nipote." After Azzura walked out to find Ignazio, Maddalena turned to Ric. She motioned at him to take a seat across from her. Once Ric sat down, she decided to interrogate him. "Tell me, Ricardo. Am I missing something? Did something happen between you and Ignazio?"

Ric thought about how he felt disappointed in Ignazio. He wanted to get away from everything because Ignazio was someone different now. He didn't want the bridge between them to be completely destroyed, but it seemed it was too late. "As you know, I have worked with Ignazio for years. I have learned a lot under his guidance, and I truly believe I have helped him through many things… but I believe it is time for him to find a new second as I have reached my limits."

Maddalena studied Ric and sensed that he was still keeping the truth from her. "You did not fully answer my question. Are you upset with my nipote, or is he upset with you? Why do you suddenly want to return to Italia?"

Ric put his head down in shame. He figured he needed to tell her something of more substance without awakening Maddalena's suspicions even more. "It has nothing to do with Ignazio. Honestly, I want to return to Italia because I am simply homesick. Adjusting to life in America has been difficult. I hope I am not failing you here, signora."

Downstairs, Azzura found Ignazio and immediately tore into him, "What the hell are you thinking? Why haven't you told Maddalena about your mistake and lies?"

"It does not matter," Ignazio shot back.

Azzura lowered the volume of her voice as she informed Ignazio what she thought of him, "You are definitely not ready to play with the adults because you're still too attached to your feelings."

"Are you serious here? I set up Ric to take the fall for everything with the cops. He was completely clueless, and I threw that friendship away to protect the family!" Ignazio reminded Azzura.

Azzura crossed her arms unaffected by Ignazio's claim. "I was impressed when I found out you did that, but I still have my doubts. Tell me something, Ignazio. Tell me why you can't tell your nonna about Ric's mistake." Azzura waited for Ignazio to answer, but he could not. "I guess this is my cue to answer for you. The reason you cannot tell Maddalena what Ric did is because you still care about Ric and you know what she will do to Ric once she knows the truth."

Ignazio turned his back to Azzura trying his best not to lose it on her. "Why are you here? Did you just find me to make me feel like shit?"

"Your nonna asked me to come find you because Ric is in her office right now. They are waiting," Azzura explained aggressively.

Ignazio turned around and followed Azzura to Maddalena's office. Once he was in the office, he studied his grandmother and friend hoping to discover what they were discussing. "Nonna, you wanted to see me?"

Maddalena stood up to allow Ignazio to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Your right hand is here with a request. He claims that he can no longer be of assistance to you. He wants to return to Italia – away from this place and you," she enlightened her grandson. She made sure to watch Ignazio closely and noted the sadness in her grandson's eyes. "Nipote, tell me what is happening here."

Ignazio traded a glance with Ric knowing he needed to fix this. "Ric is upset with me," he admitted. "We had a disagreement recently, and I put him in this position, so please forgive him for wasting your time." Ignazio looked directly into Maddalena's eyes as he stated with assurance, "I can fix this. I just need a moment alone with my friend."

Even though she was frustrated with the lack of answers and the fact that Ric lied to her, she decided to take Ignazio on his word. "Fine. Fix your problem and make sure it does not interrupt my work again." Turning to Azzura, she motioned for her to leave the room with her. "We'll give them their space. We have other things to discuss downstairs."

After Azzura and Maddalena left the room, Ignazio walked over to Ric and leaned on the desk. He knew that if he was going to fix this situation, he would have to forget about his pride. As much as he tried to shut off his emotions from the tasks he was to accomplish for his grandmother, he knew Azzura had a point in that he felt horrible for what he did to Ric and didn't want to see something happen to him. "Before you say anything, please let me say my piece," he started. "Mi scuso. I made a mistake in sacrificing you and our friendship."

Ric was surprised to hear Ignazio's outright apology and decided not to shut him out the way he did before. "How was it so easy for you to turn on me?" he asked.

Ignazio shook his head and looked away from Ric because his pride wanted to stop him from continuing this conversation. "I'm not entirely sure. It is possible something Chad said to me while I was in Colorado got to me." He remembered when Chad accused him of having romantic feelings for Ric. The reminder alone made him sick to his stomach. The nerve of Chad to think that caused Ignazio to become frustrated. "I cannot believe I let Chad get under my skin in that way."

Ric tried to follow what exactly happened, but he knew Ignazio left the details out for a reason. "Can you explain? What did he say?"

Ignazio gave Ric an uneasy look. "It does not matter because what he said was untrue. I let it cloud my judgment concerning our relationship, and I regret what I did to you." Ric remained silent as he processed through Ignazio's vague response. "I want us to be able to trust each other again," Ignazio appealed.

Ric continued to think through Ignazio's apology and claim leading him to sort through his own faults. "I haven't been completely honest with you about everything," he admitted.

"I don't care," Ignazio responded immediately. He wanted them to forget the Kinsey mess, so they could return to the friendship they had before it. He wanted to prove to Ric that they could trust and protect each other again. "I need you on my side. I need you to help me prove to Maddalena and Azzura that I am capable of playing in the big leagues. I promise this time I won't throw you under the bus. You are my best friend, and I don't want to see you go anywhere else. I want you by my side – how it's supposed to be."

Ric smiled at Ignazio for the first time in a long time. "I will tell Maddalena I will stay here then." Ric walked over to Ignazio and gave him a hug. Ignazio patted his friend on his back pleased he had convinced him to stay and help him.

On the stairs, Maddalena sensed Azzura wanted to say something about Ignazio but kept it to herself. "Share what you're withholding. I will not be upset."

Azzura felt uneasy about being the one to tell Maddalena about Ignazio's mistake, but she knew her signora needed to know the truth. "I am concerned that Ignazio has decided to do things his own way and keep us in the dark about it – you especially," she shared first. She went on to explain, "Ignazio has not been honest with you concerning his part of our plan because he is putting his friend, Ric, before you."

Maddalena gave Azzura a look of concern but stopped her from saying anymore. "I want to hear more, but I would rather we head down to the basement to talk."

Azzura slightly bowed her head to let Maddalena know she understood. Once they were in the basement, she continued, "I believe Ignazio told you about the girl who caught them stealing the cargo from that ship last month. He told you that Ric dealt with it, but I don't think he ever told you how."

Maddalena nodded her head, "Yes, I remember. I trusted him to do the right thing and let the girl go with some money if he couldn't convince her that she had stumbled upon nothing."

"That's not what happened," Azzura quickly informed her boss. "Ric apparently killed the girl and got rid of her body. Ignazio tried to handle the situation by having Ric move the body to a specific spot, so that the cops would catch Ric with her body. He believed Ric wouldn't turn on you or the family and spend the time in jail for his crime."

Maddalena put her hand to her chin feeling a bit aggravated that they had a dead girl's body on their hands. Still, she was impressed that Ignazio would turn on his friend to protect the family. Understanding now why Ric wanted to leave for Italy, she questioned, "You say he has put Ricardo before the family, but his plan shows the opposite. Did something else happen?"

Azzura bit her lip before she answered, "Yes, Ric lied to your grandson when he said he had the body ready and was caught burying a dead cat instead." She shook her head at the stupidity of it all as she continued, "We're still uncertain of where the girl's body is, but the case was closed presumably because Ric took care of it another way. I told Ignazio to come clean about what happened, but he decided not to because he fears what you will do to Ric for his idiotic decisions."

Maddalena became more aggravated and upset. "I am glad you told me. For now, I will make sure to keep a closer watch on Ignazio and Ricardo's friendship." She began to reflect on André's relationship with the gardener's son all those years ago. She hoped it was not a replay of that.

"I will be sure to keep a careful watch as well, signora," Azzura shared.

Wanting to focus on something else so her mind didn't play out awful memories, Maddalena changed gears, "Everyone in this house will be keeping a lower profile than normal. We must remain underground because we have so many plans to set in motion. I need everyone available to me, so I can set up tasks for everyone."

"Are you not going out at all?" Azzura asked to be sure she understood correctly.

Maddalena nodded her head. "Over the weekend, I will almost certainly remain here. On Monday, I have a meeting set with the mayor's office to discuss something important. It's time the public of Salem knew of Abe's disappearance. I need the pressure to be on the mayor's office if I hope to accomplish the next step of my plan." Maddalena turned to Azzura and gave her a mischievous smile.

* * *

><p>Will walked into the pub and immediately spotted his great-grandmother. He remembered talking to his mother about coming out to his family and fearing what that would look like when it came to telling Caroline. After taking a deep breath, he decided today was not the day to find out. Walking over, he surprised Caroline with a hug and a smile. "Good morning. Mom told me about your doctor's appointment, so I thought I would check and see how things went."<p>

Caroline glanced at Chelsea, who was in earshot distance of the two, as she replied, "Things are improving. Soon Chelsea won't have to baby sit me anymore."

Chelsea walked closer after hearing her name and shared, "Grandma Caroline, I don't mind, really."

"What are you going to do when she kicks you out, Chelsea?" Will asked somewhat as a joke causing everyone to smile. He knew Caroline did not enjoy everyone watching her every move and would welcome the freedom when the time came.

Chelsea thought about what she would do, but couldn't think of anything specific. She admitted, "I am not sure actually."

Caroline put her hand on Chelsea's back giving her a look of love. "I hope you stay in Salem no matter what you decide to do. You have no need to return to London since things have gone sour there."

"Has Grandma Kate been spreading rumors again?" Chelsea questioned aloud as she remembered telling Nathan in Colorado what happened between Max and Billie.

Caroline was unable to answer Chelsea's question because she spotted Kate walking into the pub. "Speak of the devil," she said under her breath. "I should head to the back to make sure nothing is burning," she told Chelsea and Will to dismiss herself. "Chelsea, you should talk to her."

Kate walked up and watched Caroline walk away. She gave Chelsea and Will both smiles as she shared, "It's good to see you two – my favorite grandchildren." After giving Chelsea and Will a hug at the same time, she turned to Will and asked, "How are things going with you and Chad?"

Will continued to think about how Caroline was still in the dark as he looked around to make sure she wasn't nearby. He gave Kate a look as if to ask her what she was thinking asking him that question there. "I guess things are okay," he answered quickly and simply.

Chelsea placed her hand on Will's shoulder to calm his nerves, "Grandma Caroline is in the back, so no worries."

Will felt guilty for continuing to keep the secret from Caroline because of what happened the last time she found out. He didn't want to lose that relationship again. Will snapped out of his thoughts when he received a text message. Opening and reading the text message, he decided to excuse himself. "I've got to go. I'll see you two later," he said as he gave Kate and Chelsea hurried hugs to get out of there.

After Will walked out, Kate took the opportunity to confront Chelsea about what happened with Billie. "Chelsea, you don't have to worry about me asking what happened between you and your mother because I already know exactly why you left London." Chelsea remained silent as she wasn't sure if this was just a ploy Kate concocted for her to talk. Kate continued with a softened look, "I am sorry that Billie and Max betrayed you."

Chelsea wanted to deny what Kate had just implied, but knew she was tired of keeping it from her. Trying to keep her distance emotionally from her grandmother she asked, "How did you figure it out?"

As Chelsea moved away from her, Kate followed Chelsea close to the condiments' bar to explain how she found out what Billie and Max did. "Well, I put every vague thing you said to me together since you've been back, and it made sense. I know you still want to keep me at a distance because I did something similar to you, but I want to be here for you."

"I appreciate that, but I don't really want to bring up what happened in the past," Chelsea cautioned to make sure her grandmother didn't push the subject more. "I need to live in the present and look forward."

Kate gave Chelsea a smile and a nod in her outlook. "I can respect that. So are there any new men in your future?" she asked curiously.

Chelsea began to organize the different condiments as she answered, "I'm not sure," she maintained.

Kate was intrigued, but knew Chelsea didn't plan on divulging anything more. "Well, if you ever want to talk about him, I am open to talk about him. You don't even have to tell me his name if you're afraid I might snatch him away. I promise I won't though unless it's Stefano Dimera."

Chelsea gave Kate a slightly frustrated look, while Kate gave her an innocent and playful smile. Chelsea digressed and allowed a smile on her face. "If it goes anywhere, I will let you know." Kate was pleased enough with that.

* * *

><p>Arianna and Gabi walked through the Dimera guesthouse to make sure everything was clean. Both continued to replay the good news that their mother reported about her health in their minds. They wondered what it meant. Gabi cautiously contemplated if things would positively change for their family.<p>

Melanie arrived outside placing her phone back into her purse. After adjusting her purse over her shoulder, she knocked on the door lightly hoping she wasn't disrupting anything. When Arianna answered the door, Melanie quickly put on a smile saying, "Hey, is now a good time?"

Arianna motioned her inside and then led her to the couches, so they could talk. "Yeah, what's going on?"

Melanie made sure to make eye contact with Gabi as she replied, "I want to talk to you two about my wedding." Gabi walked over and took a seat on the couch as well. "I want you both to be in my wedding party. Gabi, I want you to be a bridesmaid, and Ari, I want you to be my maid of honor."

Gabi looked to Arianna with a look of enthusiasm. "Of course! I mean, I can't speak for my sister, but I would love to be in your wedding. If she says no, I'd be okay with being your maid of honor." Arianna gave Gabi a surprised look. She didn't know what to make of Gabi's sudden elated attitude.

Melanie smiled at Gabi's sudden excitement and looked to Arianna for her answer. "What do you say, Ari?"

Arianna gave an unsure look to Melanie and tried to keep it for as long as she could. Eventually, she cracked a smile and responded, "Yes, I would be honored to be your maid of honor. I'm so glad that you and Nathan are getting married!" All three girls immediately stood up and hugged each other in excitement.

Realizing that they were getting too excited, Gabi quickly stepped in. "We should probably keep our excitement down because Mama is resting in the next room." Gabi couldn't believe she lost herself in the moment. She hadn't done that in a long time.

Melanie quickly covered her mouth to contain her excitement. She removed her hands and dropped them, so she could ask, "How is your mother? I didn't see you when you left the appointment."

"Apparently, it was good news, but I think everyone is trying to be cautiously optimistic," Arianna answered. "She seems to be improving health wise, but I don't think she's out of the woods just yet."

Melanie felt bad for Gabi, Arianna, and Dario. "I can't imagine what all of you must be going through. I really do hope that things turn around for your family."

"It's been really hard," Arianna admitted as she traded glances with her sister. "I think everyone has tried to be the strong one in this situation, but I think it's causing tension with everyone." Gabi struggled a lot when she heard Ari's take on their situation. She felt that everyone in her family was just running away from each other that way.

Melanie looked around for Dario but didn't see him anywhere. "How is Dario doing with all of this in your opinion? I've noticed some things, and I don't think he's doing too well with what happened between him and Sonny."

As Gabi took note of Melanie mentioning Sonny, Arianna answered, "Dario is struggling, too. He's trying to keep busy with work." Arianna began to think back to when Isobel asked Dario about his friendship with Sonny when she found out about Sonny's homosexuality, but her phone began to ring. She went over to the table and picked it up. "Sorry, I need to take this."

Arianna headed into another room to take the call. "Roman?" Arianna said as she picked up. "What's going on?"

"I need you to come in when you can. I have a proposition for you," Roman said on the other side.

Arianna was intrigued with Roman calling her, but then thought about her mother. "I can't make any promises on being able to come to the station soon. I need to be here with my mother to make sure she takes it easy."

Roman didn't want Arianna to dismiss him so easily. "Just come by. It won't take too much of your time," he said hoping to convince Arianna that she could come by. He then got another idea and suggested, "I could stop by and talk to you where you are now if that would be more convenient."

Arianna didn't like that idea and quickly replied, "I think it would be best if I came to you because I don't want to bring any outside stress here with my mother. I'll be at the station Monday if possible."

Roman realized it would be better if she came to him but wasn't sure if he could wait until Monday to talk to her. At this point, he really had no other option. "I'll try to be patient, but if you find time please come in sooner."

Meanwhile in the main room, Gabi and Melanie continued to talk about Isobel and Dario. Gabi gave Melanie a questioning look as she inquired, "Why did you bring up Sonny earlier when you asked about Dario?"

Melanie thought about her conversation with Dario at the hospital earlier that week, and then what she heard and saw at the Kiriakis cabin. "Well, I know that Sonny and Dario were really close, but now they're suddenly not talking to each other. I wonder if it's possible that their friendship was deeper than a friendship."

Gabi couldn't believe Melanie was picking up on things between Sonny and Dario. She wondered what all happened in Colorado. Trying to hide her nerves, Gabi told Melanie, "Sonny and Dario weren't really that close. I think they just hung out because they had mutual friends, and Dario works for Sonny's mom." Feeling as though she wasn't going to be able to keep her nerves in check, Gabi quickly looked to the time and announced, "I have to be at work soon, which means my mom will be up shortly. It might be better if you left because your presence might not be so welcoming to my mother."

Melanie didn't know what to make of Gabi's sudden rush but decided not to argue with her. "Okay. I guess I'll see you around. Tell Arianna I'll talk to her later about the maid of honor duties."

Gabi stood up with Melanie and gave her hug. "Congrats once again!" she shared before adding, "Sonny and Dario were just friends." Melanie nodded her head and left. Gabi let out a long sigh as she wondered what Melanie's questions would mean for her brother and family.

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Dario worked in a daze because he couldn't stop thinking about his mother. Even though he was happy things looked good for her, it concerned him that her answers were short and vague, and that she hadn't said anything else about it since they left the hospital. She even got short with him any time he brought it up. It all made him very suspicious.<p>

Adrienne had been watching Dario closely and picked up that he wasn't fully present with the customers or what he was doing behind the bar. Resolving to help him behind the bar, she hoped she could help him focus again. With what happened with Sonny, she knew there was tension between them. She didn't particularly like the position they were in, but wanted Dario to know that she didn't hate him for what happened. "What's going on with you? A few customers have allowed you to make them the wrong drinks because they like you so much."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I made any mistakes," Dario replied wanting to avoid any conversation with Adrienne because he still felt guilty for what he did to Sonny. If he didn't need the money, he would have quit when it all came out.

Adrienne picked up on how uncomfortable Dario felt talking to her because he seemed on edge. She knew – in some ways – it had to be hard for him to come to terms with his homosexuality, and questioned if he wanted to deny it now that he and Sonny weren't together. Adrienne then remembered that Isobel had a doctor's appointment the day before. "Is it about your mom?" she asked before realizing she wouldn't get a response. "Dario, if you need to take time off, I completely understand."

Avoiding eye contact, Dario said simply, "I should focus on my work. I'll try not to make any more mistakes, boss." Dario's thoughts wandered to the looks on Justin's and Adrienne's faces when Sonny stormed out of Adrienne's office. He hated himself for causing strife in their lives.

"I'll let you get back to work, but there's something I want you to know." Adrienne walked over to Dario and gave him a hug causing him to almost lose it.

Dario looked down as Adrienne let go of him. "I don't deserve your support for what I did to Sonny," he shared.

"I want to talk to you, Dario, about that very subject," Victor said appearing out of nowhere.

Adrienne was not keen on the idea of Victor talking to Dario. Even though it seemed he had come around on his belief about gay people, she knew he had a thing for stepping over the line to 'fix' things. "Victor, I don't think Sonny would appreciate you talking to Dario about him. Maybe you should walk away from this."

Victor didn't want to walk away. "I just want to talk to the boy," he said not moving a muscle.

Dario turned to Adrienne to give her an assuring look. "It's okay. I'll be fine."

Adrienne gave Victor a pensive look for a moment. Her cell began to ring and when she saw it was her brother calling, she decided to take it. "Dario, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. I still care about you very much."

After Adrienne walked away to talk to Jack on the phone in her office, Dario and Victor stood there quietly. "Do you want something to drink?" Dario asked Victor to break the ice.

"No, thanks," Victor said putting his hand up. "I want to talk to you about Sonny and Kai. I know what happened in Colorado. What I want to know is what your intentions are concerning my great-nephew?"

Dario felt uneasy that Victor knew about what happened between him and Sonny. He cleared his throat to collect his thoughts. "My intentions? My intentions are to leave him alone, so he can make his own happiness."

Not convinced of Dario's answer, Victor claimed, "The only reason I am being easy on you is due to my great deal of respect for Arianna. Your brothers were both messed up, but Arianna has vouched for you more than once claiming you're truly a good one."

"You don't have to worry about being easy or anything else with me because I am staying away from Sonny," Dario countered. He didn't know Arianna had talked about him with Victor, and he wasn't sure what to think about it. He didn't feel like a good guy.

Victor gave Dario a firm look. "I just have one more question that I really don't expect an answer for. Who is telling you to stay away from Sonny? I'm not." Victor gave Dario one last look before walking away.

Dario instantly thought about the possibility that he and Sonny could be in a relationship again. He questioned if Victor just gave his blessing for him to make another go with Sonny, but Dario remembered the things Sonny said to him outside of Adrienne's office. He began to doubt the possibility once again and felt foolish for going there after everything that happened. Sonny was definitely telling him to stay away.

Dario began to wipe down the bar when he heard someone say "fag" in his direction. Looking up, he cautioned the guy sitting at the bar, "That word is not welcome in this bar. My boss will not have a problem kicking you out if she hears you."

Brett looked Dario over. He noted Dario's attractiveness, but he didn't like what he did to Kai and Sonny. "You didn't deny what I called you," he commented trying to get under Dario's skin. Kai had told him some of what he knew about Dario.

Frustrated because he had no idea who Brett was and why he was calling him 'fag', Dario asked, "What do you want?"

Brett stood up from his stool and put his finger in Dario's face. "You are an asshole and a home wrecker. You are scum for what you did to Kai and Sonny."

Before Dario could say anything, Brett rushed out as he said what he wanted to say to Dario. Distraught, Dario struggled even more with being able to focus on work. He didn't know Brett, but Brett seemed to know what he did with Sonny. His heart began to race as worry took over his body, but he became somewhat distracted when he saw someone walk into the bar from the corner of his eyes. When he saw it was Sonny, he quickly turned his body around and pretended he was facing the bottles of liquor.

Sonny looked over to the bar and watched Dario for a moment before deciding to talk to him. He felt bad for the way he went off on Dario and wanted to make sure he was okay. Sonny walked over and took a seat at the bar. He remained silent for a while because he was unsure of how to approach him. Sonny really wanted Dario to turn around and face him, so he could look into his eyes, but Dario didn't budge. "Staying away from you, Dario, hurts me, too," he finally let out.

Dario froze for a second, but quickly overcame it by continuing to move bottles around. Hearing Sonny say those words confused the hell out of him, but it made him feel better about things. Before he questioned if Sonny hated him, but knowing it was hard for Sonny, too, helped him deny those thoughts. Dario realized he was being rude by not saying anything to Sonny. Deciding he needed to say something to Sonny, he turned his body as he said, "It doesn't.…" When he fully turned around, he stopped talking. Sonny was gone.

* * *

><p>"Chad should be here soon," EJ informed his father as he took a seat in the Dimera living room.<p>

Stefano joined EJ as he reflected on Chad. Even though I made some leeway with Chad at Lexie's house yesterday, I am a bit wary of talking to Chad because he could turn against me again at the drop of a dime." Stefano took a drink of water before asking, "What are your thoughts concerning Chad's take on Abe's disappearance?"

EJ's eyes went up as he thought about what he noted of Chad. "Well, he seems to be taking it hard. He's worried about Lexie as he should be. We all are, but he did ask whether you were responsible. You said you made progress with him?"

Stefano nodded his head but still gave EJ an uncertain look. "Let's see if I can keep things continue in the right direction. I need to convince Alexandra that I am not the bad guy here. Something or someone has turned her against me."

Marco walked in to report to Stefano. "Mr. Dimera, you asked for a report of what Lexie has done in the last twenty-four hours."

Stefano stood up to hear what Marco had for him. "Yes, I heard she was mobile."

"Yes, Mr. Dimera," Marco confirmed. "She went to the Police Station, and then went to the Horton Town Square to meet with Anthony Olsen, the Press Secretary of the mayor's office."

Stefano put his hand over his chin as he thought out loud, "I wonder what she's up to."

"Maybe she's just trying to keep busy and wants to help in finding Abe," EJ answered as he remembered seeing Maddalena with Mr. Olsen the day before, also. He was about to share what he saw when Marco received a text message.

Marco stepped forward and stated, "I just received word from my men that Lexie is on her way here with Chad now."

EJ stood up and gave his father a puzzled look. "Why would she come over unannounced?"

Stefano wondered the same thing. He questioned if she was trying to surprise him to catch him off guard. "I'm not sure," he said to appease EJ's curiosity. "I'll be in my office if you need me."

After Stefano walked back into his office, EJ turned to Marco and asked, "Did she say anything to you earlier about coming here?"

Marco shook his head denying he knew Lexie was going to come to the mansion. "She did mention Chad was going to drive her around today, but she didn't tell me exactly where."

EJ placed his right hand on his hip as he commented, "I suppose she doesn't really need a reason to visit family or tell you for that matter. Other than that, how are things going with security?"

"Everything seems to be going well," Marco reported. "We haven't run into any suspicious behavior around the perimeter, nor have we had any problems with your aunt next door."

EJ put his hands in his pockets. "How are things regarding Azzura Sarto?"

Marco scratched his chest as he thought about his limited interactions with Azzura. "I am still working on her, but it is difficult to interact with anyone else since your father has ordered me to keep a closer watch on your sister, so she doesn't try to disappear again."

EJ contemplated his experience with Azzura when she asked him to come out to look her car over. He picked up on the fondness she seemed to have for him and remembered the consideration that maybe his plan to infiltrate Azzura and Maddalena's possible true motive for moving to Salem needed to be changed. "She called me on Wednesday because her car broke down. I am not exactly sure why she called me, but it would have been a great opportunity for you if she had called you," EJ informed Marco. He cleared his throat before asking, "Do you think she is still interested in you physically?"

"I haven't seen anything that would tell me she's not," Marco answered before continuing, "but as I mentioned, I have not been able to spend a lot of time with her recently."

EJ scratched the top of his head trying to decide what their next move should be. "I understand Lexie takes priority, but I want you to look for opportunities to get closer to Azzura. We need to find out if there is another reason my aunt is in Salem." As Marco nodded his head, EJ thought about how it would be best if he didn't get involved with Azzura because Sami would not appreciate that.

"I'll see what I can do," Marco said as began to mess with his phone. "I'll make a move today to make sure she knows I'm interested." Marco headed out of the mansion and held the door open when Lexie and Chad arrived at the mansion.

Lexie and Chad walked into the room. Looking around for their father, they greeted their brother with questioning looks. Lexie separated herself from EJ after their hug and asked, "Where's father?"

EJ quickly picked up that Lexie came over to chew out Stefano. "He's busy at the moment," he answered indistinctly. "How are you doing?" he asked curiously hoping he would be able to help his sister while also helping the family.

"I am doing the best I can," she claimed before adding, "I am trying to take care of some things. I need to talk to father."

Having heard Chad and Lexie's voices when they arrived, Stefano walked into the room deciding he couldn't hide from his children forever. "Chad, Alexandra… It's good to see you two here."

"Father, how are you doing? EJ said you were busy," Chad said as he greeted his father with a pat on the back. After meeting with his father the day before, Chad had considered coming back into the family fold. He believed he should take advantage of this opportunity to prove to Stefano and others that he was capable of succeeding even if he was in a relationship with Will.

Stefano felt good that Chad seemed welcoming, but also noted that while Chad was more responsive, Lexie continued to keep her distance from him. "I am doing well, son. Thanks for asking. I was in the office talking to my contacts about finding Abe." Stefano made sure to make eye contact with Lexie. He knew she was still upset and suspicious of him. He hoped he could finally convince her that she could trust him. Turning to EJ, he suggested, "Elvis, I know you wanted to talk to Chad about something important. You should take him to my office and talk to him there."

Chad knew that he arrived at the mansion to talk to EJ but when Lexie decided to come with him, he came to support her as well. "I am not going to leave Lexie alone here," he informed Stefano.

EJ gave Chad a look of concern and confusion. "Chad, our sister will be fine alone with father. Let's go talk in the back office."

Chad still felt uncertain about leaving Lexie alone with their father because he knew their relationship was not in a good place. Lexie knew Chad was concerned for her, but she wanted time alone with Stefano. She gave Chad a look of assurance. "Chad, I will be okay. Go with EJ. He's the reason you're here."

Chad nodded his head after a moment and left the room with EJ. After walking into the back office, EJ turned to his brother and reminded him, "Before you started back to school, you said that you'd be willing to do jobs here and there when you were on break. You're still on break, and we have a job for you now."

Even though Stefano had informed him that EJ had a job for him, Chad still wondered if his father was 100 percent behind him working for the family business. He figured EJ would be honest about it. "Before I ask you what the job is, do you think father really wants me working for the family again?"

"I assure you. Father still wants you to be a part of this family – personally and professionally – even if you're gay."

Chad remained skeptical and didn't like that EJ had to mention his homosexuality as something Stefano could look past. "I guess I should feel better about father being able to ignore my relationship with Will and render me useful in the family business," he said sarcastically.

EJ took a step back as he raised his hands in protest. "That's not what I was trying to communicate, little brother. Father really wants you to be a part of this and even adamantly requested it. He wants you to never feel like you don't belong." EJ gave Chad a look of certainty even though he had doubts of his own.

Chad continued to question if his father really said that, but felt a bit better because of EJ's assurance. "So what's the job?"

EJ pleasantly smiled because Chad wanted to move forward. With excitement in his face, he informed Chad of the job, "We are going to initiate Ignazio, but there is a twist. We need to make sure he can be trusted, and your help is needed."

"I think Ignazio can be trusted," Chad shared. "What's the twist?"

Before explaining the twist, EJ wanted to check in with Chad. "I'm curious. Why do you trust Ignazio?"

Chad scratched the back of his head as he admitted, "I told Ignazio about my relationship with Will."

"How did he respond?"

Chad stopped scratching his head and answered, "He's been supportive and even suggested that our Aunt Maddalena would feel the same way – she would accept my relationship with Will."

EJ crossed behind Chad as he thought about what he knew of Maddalena's thoughts on homosexuality. He wondered if Ignazio had lied to Chad about Maddalena being okay with having a gay nephew. "Even with the acceptance, you're not ready for the world to know yet, are you? Since we've been in here, I noticed you haven't used the word gay or homosexual when talking about yourself. You even seemed to be offended when I mentioned the word. What is going on?"

Chad cowered a bit because EJ seemed to read him so easily. "I'm not ready to deal with the fallout of everyone knowing the truth yet. I'm not ready for people to always look at me differently. Besides, father has told me numerous times in the past that people won't accept me and not want to work with me because of my relationship with Will."

EJ was somewhat disappointed with his brother and decided to offer some advice. "I know that it's important not to act on something so quickly, but you've had plenty of time to mull over this. Even after pointing it out to you, you still refer to your homosexuality as 'a relationship with Will'. I'm not saying that I understand what you're going through because I don't, but I thought you would have overcome those fears by now. I don't think it helps that you're spending time with Mia either. She's your ex and you shared a child. Spending time with her will only confuse you more."

Chad thought about his dream featuring EJ but realized he never found out what EJ wanted him to do with Ignazio. "I don't really want to talk about that. You never told me what the twist was. How are we going to initiate Ignazio?" He wanted to move this conversation along, so he could check on Stefano and Lexie.

EJ digressed. He knew he couldn't push Chad anymore because it wouldn't benefit the family. "You want to know the twist? You're going to be with Ignazio when we send him on an errand, and you'll be the 'victim' he has to decide on." Chad's face immediately lit up.

After EJ and Chad had left the living room to talk in Stefano's private office, Stefano and Lexie stood in silence for a while because Lexie wanted her father to admit what she believed he was guilty of doing, while Stefano wanted her to open up and share what was on her mind. They quickly became frustrated with each other because neither wanted to be the first one to utter a word. Both crossed their arms across their chest waiting for the other to speak.

Finally breaking the silence, Stefano asked, "Alexandra, I never heard about your time with my sister on Monday. How was dinner with your aunt?"

"We've already had the opportunity to discuss that. It's no longer relevant," Lexie countered as she glared with disappointment.

Stefano shook his head as he opposed her claim of irrelevance, "It's relevant to me because I do not trust my sister – especially where you are concerned."

"Maybe you should worry about yourself. You're the one I don't trust," Lexie scoffed at her father.

Stefano became enraged at Lexie's attitude towards him. "I do not understand how you can believe that I would hurt you," he said hoping that she would give him clarification on her mistrust.

Lexie shook her head realizing Stefano wasn't going to ever come clean with her about anything. "I guess I am just going to have to spell it out for you. Besides your gaffe the other day where you said you would have done a better job if you were responsible, another reason I don't trust you is because I know that you fought with Abe the day Abe was attacked and abducted!"

Overhearing what Lexie had on their father, Chad rushed into the room and went on attack mode. "So you are the one responsible for what happened to Abe? You have the worst – most horrible – way of showing your love for your family. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Before Stefano's blood pressure could rise much more, the doorbell rang. EJ answered the door and walked Bo and Hope into the main room. Bo and Hope quickly realized they had walked into something. Stefano shook his head at them and scolded them with an accusation. "Are you two responsible for turning my daughter against me? You are barking up the wrong tree!"

Hope and Bo did not plan on getting into the reason they were there just yet. Turning to Chad and EJ, Hope requested, "Could you two leave the room for a moment. We need to talk to your father and sister."

EJ put his hand on Chad's back to push him out. "You can head out if you want. I'll make sure to take Lexie home or wherever else she may need to go."

Chad and Lexie traded glances. He wanted to be sure she would be fine. Ignoring his father, Chad gave Lexie a hug and walked out. Stefano let out a sigh of frustration realizing he had lost ground with Chad once again.

Before EJ could leave the room, Bo stopped him. "Junior, don't leave the premises. We have questions for you about the day of Abe's attack."

Stefano moved in between Bo, Hope, and EJ. "If this is about my meeting with Abe the same day of his attack, we already know about it because my daughter let the cat out of the bag."

Bo turned to Lexie as he asked her, "How did you find out about that?"

Figuring out how Lexie knew about Stefano's meeting with Abe, Hope reacted quickly and stopped Lexie from answering, "You don't have to answer that here." She traded a glance with her husband to give him a look to drop it. She didn't want Stefano to find out that Mr. Olsen was the one who came forward about what happened.

"Both of you are infuriating. My meeting with Abe had no connection to what happened that night," Stefano notified them.

Hope didn't want Stefano to dismiss this piece of information so easily. "We have eyewitnesses who claim your meeting was a heated argument."

Stefano shook his head at Hope and crossed his arms over his chest. "It was more of a heated discussion," he argued.

Expecting that Stefano would try to downplay what happened, Bo gave his opponent a cavalier look and stated, "Go ahead. Explain what happened so we can all be enlightened on the difference."

Lexie, EJ, Hope, and Bo all turned to Stefano for an explanation. Stefano uncrossed his arms and leaned on a chair calmly. "Abraham and I met last Friday to talk business. I told him there was some business I wanted to bring into Salem in the New Year, and we disagreed on a few things. That's the only reason things became heated between us. No threats were made, and we agreed to table it for the time being before I left."

Hope raised her eyebrow wanting to know more. "What kind of business were you hoping to bring into Salem?"

Stefano threw his hands at Hope tired of this. "It doesn't matter because it's not going to happen. Finding Abraham is my main concern, and I don't have to answer any of your questions unless you have some kind of warrant. Please leave my house, so I can continue to talk to my daughter."

Lexie felt frustrated and stuck with her father. He seemed to have a way out on everything. A part of her wished she didn't know how her father worked, so she could just believe him and move on, but she couldn't do that.

Bo and Hope looked at each other knowing they had no authority at this point to make Stefano talk. Not wanting to show complete defeat, Bo shared, "We will be back and with a warrant if necessary. Don't get too comfortable keeping the truth from us."

Stefano gave Bo and Hope an annoyed look. They took their cue and left. Turning to EJ and Lexie, he said, "Abraham and I only talked business. I left and nothing else was said or done."

Lexie wrapped her coat around her body and adjusted her purse as she stared her father down. Turning to EJ, she requested, "Can you please drive me to the mayor's office since Chad left? I have more important things to do today. I can't sit here and listen to incomplete truths."

EJ turned to his father as Lexie walked out. "I'll keep an eye on her and keep her company." Stefano turned around and pounded his fist onto his desk. He couldn't believe he had lost even more ground with his family.

* * *

><p>Nathan walked down the stairs of the Horton house and found Jennifer, JJ, and Maggie talking in the main room. Hearing their conversation, he deduced that his grandmother arrived to take JJ out to do some school shopping. "So it's true, JJ? You've decided to transfer schools and stay in Salem?"<p>

JJ turned around and gave Nathan an excited smile. "Yeah. I want to be with my family. I had fun at boarding school, but I want to be here. We are about to go shopping. You should come with me to pick out some new clothes."

Nathan gave JJ a regret-filled look. "I wish I could, bud, but I can't because I am expecting company."

Jennifer placed her hand on her son's shoulder as she encouraged him, "That's okay. I'm sure Aunt Maggie can help you with what you need for school."

Maggie gave JJ a playful look as she questioned, "Am I not good enough to take you out? I thought we were having fun together."

"We are having fun, and I do like spending time with you Aunt Maggie," JJ claimed. "I only asked Nathan to come because I want a guy's opinion – a guy who knows how to dress."

Nathan gave JJ an affecting look. "I'm sorry I can't go. Next time I'll make sure to take you out."

Jennifer gave Nathan and JJ looks of assurance. "It will all work out. For now, son, you can go with Aunt Maggie and enjoy each other's company." After letting go of JJ, she made sure to give Maggie a look of gratitude for taking JJ with her.

Before Maggie could leave with JJ, the doorbell rang. JJ immediately opened the door and became excited again because his dad stood on the other side. As Jack greeted everyone, JJ turned around to his mom and requested, "Can dad go with me?"

Jennifer had hoped that JJ would have been out of the house by the time Jack arrived. She walked over to the door, so Jack could come in before responding to JJ. "Your dad can't go with you now. Maybe he can meet up with you later, but for now you and Maggie can have fun."

"We're going to have a blast, and you're going to feel like a brand-new person when we finish shopping," Maggie chimed in. She put her hand on JJ's back to direct him out of the house. As she walked by Jack, she made sure to say a soft hello to him as she held back on giving him a lecture for abandoning his family. She knew it wasn't the place or time.

As Maggie and JJ walked out, Jack appreciated Maggie not giving him hell – especially in front of his son. Once the front door closed, Jack turned to Jen and commented, "I'm glad Maggie agreed to take JJ out, so we can talk."

Nathan quickly noted that Jack and Jen wanted to talk alone. "I am expecting someone, but if you need privacy, I can wait somewhere else."

Jennifer smiled at Nathan, as she decided, "No, you can stay in here. Jack and I can talk in the kitchen." Jack followed Jen into the kitchen as she started with, "I want to focus on the kids – what's best for them and what we need to do to make sure that they have a good relationship with you, their father, again."

"That's fine, but I didn't come here only to talk about my relationship with the kids," Jack informed Jen.

Jen kept her distance from her ex-husband as she affirmed, "Jack, I've moved on, and I won't allow myself to get back with you. That bridge has been burned."

Jack wasn't happy to hear that Jen had closed herself off completely on their relationship. "I really hate hearing you say that, but I understand and know you must be really angry with me."

Jennifer nodded her head as she shared, "Yes, Jack, I was really angry with you, but I had to let that go for the sake of our kids and honestly for myself, too."

Jack became a bit flustered knowing he needed to make things right. He didn't want to give up just yet and hoped he could convince Jennifer to change her mind. "Jen, I completely understand why you're upset with me. I made a lot of mistakes, but I want to explain what happened. You need to hear what happened."

Jen turned her back to Jack as she crossed her arms. "I don't want to hear it, Jack. It won't change anything! I'm not concerned about where you were or what you were doing because you didn't care to tell me when you left AND didn't bother to reply when your daughter and I sent emails to your walkabout blog." Jennifer uncrossed her arms and leaned them on the counter. She realized talking about the experience was upsetting her more than she liked.

Not skipping a beat, Jack dropped his hands and pleaded with her. "Did you ever notice when my blog stopped being updated?"

"I don't care," Jennifer repeated. She didn't want to say anything more on the subject because she didn't want to go back to those feelings of rejection and betrayal.

Jack knew, deep down, Jen had to be lying to him, but he wanted her to see it for herself. He decided to accusingly ask her, "Did you ever truly love me?"

Jennifer immediately turned around to face Jack once again. She couldn't believe he would ask her that question. "Jack Deveraux! Of course I did!"

Jack stepped back knowing he had offended Jennifer. "Then please hear me out," he requested gently hoping she would allow for it.

Jennifer continued to get worked up by Jack's question and took a deep breath. She moved her hair from her face as she realized she didn't want to let Jack get to her. "Fine. Say your piece so it's all out, and we can move on."

Noting that Jennifer was crossing her arms across her chest again, Jack knew he had to a lot to overcome if he was going to bring Jennifer back to his side on things. "Yes, I went on a walkabout, but that was cut short when I was injured during a hiking trek. I took a big fall and ended up in a hospital in Italy. The hospital didn't have my information, and I was in a coma for a long time"

Jennifer couldn't believe what happened to Jack. She looked him over to see if there were any problems as she asked, "Did you fully recover from your injuries?"

Jack could see a tiny bit of concern in Jen's eyes. He believed he had her. "I came home as soon as I fully recovered – well mostly recovered. My heart is still broken."

Jen's resolve to keep Jack at a distance began to break as she began to feel guilty. Not wanting to break in front of Jack, she pulled her defenses up as she shared, "I can't do this, Jack." She looked away to avoid eye contact as she requested, "Please give me space. I need to process what you've just told me."

Jack could see that Jennifer's mind was now filled with questions. He knew that if he stayed he could seize the opportunity for her to come back to him, but then realized he needed to show her that he would be different this time. He also didn't want to push her away for good. "Of course. I'll head out. We can talk later."

Jennifer thanked Jack, and he headed out. He walked through the door and waved at Nathan as he made his way to the door. When he opened it, he jolted when he found Will standing outside getting ready to ring the doorbell. "Nathan's waiting inside for you," Jack informed Will before leaving.

Will walked in somewhat confused because he didn't expect to see Jack there. Nathan met him by the foot of the stairs. "Jack's back in town? Does Abigail know?"

Nathan nodded his head. "Yeah, it's been quite dramatic," he answered.

"I bet," Will said not really surprised to hear that. "Does Jack have anything to do with why you asked me to meet you here?"

Nathan shook his head and said, "No. I asked you over for another reason. I had no idea Jack was going to be here. The reason I asked you to come has to do with my wedding. I want you to be my best man."

Will smiled widely. This was the last thing he expected to hear from Nathan. "You want me to be your best man?"

"Yeah, will you do it?"

"Yes! I mean, yeah. I'll be your best man," Will declared with excitement. Giving Nathan a hug, he admitted, "I don't know why you wanted to meet with me, so this is a nice surprise."

Nathan patted Will on the back. "Well, I'm glad you said yes. I still need to talk to Chad and Sonny to see if they'll be groomsmen. I tried to call Sonny earlier, but he's not answering his phone. Is he okay?"

Will wondered if Nathan even knew what happened between Kai and Sonny. "He's not in the best place at the moment. He and Kai broke up, and he's really beside himself."

"They broke up?" Nathan asked to make sure he heard right. "Why did they break up?"

Will didn't feel comfortable sharing all the details. "I think that's a conversation you should have with Sonny. He's really hurting and could probably use all the support possible."

Nathan nodded his head understanding that he needed to have a conversation with Sonny. "Do you think he and Chad would be opposed to being groomsmen in my wedding?"

"I don't think so," Will started to answer, but added, "but I would talk to them to be sure. I know Chad is busy with his sister right now."

Nathan understood and pulled out his phone. "I'll try to give Sonny another call, and then try to call Chad later." He hoped he could find out what happened with Sonny, while ensuring the two spots he had left to fill for his side of the wedding party.

* * *

><p>Chad arrived at Maggie's house to talk to Mia. He looked around to make sure no one else was around. Picking up on Chad's paranoia, Mia quickly informed him, "No one is here, Chad. We have the place to ourselves, so we can talk freely."<p>

Chad still felt unsure about meeting Mia there. He commented, "I'm surprised Sonny hasn't said anything to Will about seeing me here. EJ knows, too. Today is the second time my brother has brought up your name. Even though I don't think he will say anything to anyone about us talking, I still don't like sneaking around like this."

"We don't have to worry about that," Mia said hoping to convince Chad that he could relax. "I'm sure Sonny has other things to worry about. I overheard his conversation with his great-uncle the day he saw you here. Seems he has his own drama to focus on with Gabi's brother. The only way Will might find out is if you told him yourself."

Shame filled Chad because he hadn't told Will yet. He promised Will he would make it right. "I've been so focused on my family," he let out in a defeated tone.

Mia gave Chad a concerned look. "Your family? What's going on with your family?"

Chad thought about Lexie, Abe, and Theo. They were his top priority, but his thoughts about Will seemed to come to the forefront. Mia asked him again why he was so focused on his family. "They are going through somewhat of a crisis," he answered. He didn't want to give Mia more details about Abe than necessary.

Mia decided not to push for more information. Instead, she gave him a hug to comfort him. "I'm so sorry that your family is having problems. If there's anything you need from me let me know."

"Thanks. I appreciate your want to help," Chad responded. It felt good to have someone hold him, but then he realized Mia's hands were beginning to wander around his body. Feeling uncomfortable, he distanced himself from Mia.

Mia knew Chad was pulling away, so she decided to change the subject to reel him back in. "I filed the request to change Grace's middle name."

"What's the final verdict?"

Mia smiled and looked directly into Chad's eyes as she answered, "Grace Madeline Dimera."

Chad smiled widely as his eyes lit up. "I love it. My mom would have loved it, too." Looking away, Chad's thoughts went to his mother and her death. He shook his head as he shared, "I miss her so much. I really hate how uncertain life can be."

Mia grabbed Chad's hand and rubbed it. "I hate it, too," she agreed. "I wish I could understand death, but it still makes no sense to me. I don't want to take anything or anyone for granted anymore." Mia continued to rub Chad's hands as they made eye contact again. "I made a lot of mistakes in my life and hurting you the way I did was the worst."

"Mia…" Chad said trying to stop her from beating herself up. With Mia's odd behavior, Chad knew where Mia was headed with this conversation. He didn't want to have it.

Mia didn't let him interrupt as she went on, "I know you don't like it when I talk about our past, but I want you to forgive me for the way I treated you. I…"

"I forgave you, Mia…"

"Stop!" Mia let out annoyed. "Please let me finish what I'm trying to say."

Flustered for being unable to stop Mia from talking, Chad reacted rashly. "I need to go. We will have to talk later."

Mia followed Chad to the door feeling even more frustrated. "You can go, but I don't believe you when you claim that you forgave me."

Chad turned around wanting to get out of this situation, but wanted Mia to know that he had forgiven her. "Mia, I have. I just need to get out of here."

"Because you can't stand the sight of me?" Mia called out wanting him to admit to why he was in a rush to leave.

"What's going on here?" a male voice questioned from the door that led to the kitchen. Chad and Mia turned around to see Brady standing there.

Confused, Mia asked, "Brady, what are you doing here?" She knew that with Brady there, Chad would definitely leave.

"Maggie sent me over to grab something for her," Brady answered. He wondered what Mia and Chad were doing alone. "I'm glad I ran into you, Mia. I have been wanting to talk to you."

Just as Mia expected, Chad took the opportunity to leave. "I'll let you two talk. I need to head out anyway to make sure my sister is okay," he lied. Chad made his way out the door and didn't look back.

Mia pulled her hair back as she gave Brady an irritated look. "Why did you want to talk to me? There's nothing really to say!"

Brady crossed his arms questioning Mia's hostility towards him. "I'm just curious as to why you're back in Salem. Maggie said you've been hiding out here because of what happened to Kinsey. Is it true that you came to Salem with her?"

Mia showed distress on her face as she wondered why Brady was asking her about Kinsey. "Yeah, I came with Kinsey, but I had nothing to do with what she did to Victor's nephew. That was all her. We came back for different reasons."

"I'm guessing you came back to Salem for Chad, then," Brady assumed with a bit of the attitude Mia presented him. "I'm sure you know that he's dating my nephew, Will. I hope you're not causing trouble for the two."

Mia rolled her eyes at Brady deciding to set him straight. "I came here to visit my dead daughter," she informed him. "I've been away for so long, and I needed to visit her for as long as I could. As for the reason why I'm hiding out here, it's because my mom thinks I already headed back, and I don't want any awkward run ins."

Brady thought back to the whole Sydney and Grace debacle and decided to take a step back. "I'm sorry for assuming too much. Have you heard from Nicole at all since you moved up north?"

"I haven't," Mia quickly answered. "I have no reason to talk to Nicole. Is that the real reason you wanted to talk to me? Nicole?"

Brady thought about when Nicole left Salem after what she did to Arianna. He hadn't talked to her since then even though a part of him wondered how she was doing in Chicago or wherever she was now. "No, I was just curious. I guess I only wanted to make sure you knew you had nothing to worry about with Kinsey since Kinsey called and said she was okay."

"I know," Mia told Brady. She was happy Chad left because as far as she knew, Chad had no idea that Kinsey was safe and sound. If Chad knew Kinsey was fine, he most likely would have told Will by now. She needed to ensure that Chad never found out. "I'm glad she's fine, and so is Chad. Chad already knows, too, so you don't have to ask him about me if you were thinking about doing that."

Brady gave Mia an uncertain look. "I wasn't," he responded. "I guess I should get what I came here for. If I don't see you before you leave again, I hope the best for you."

"Thanks. Me, too," Mia shared. She watched Brady as he grabbed a folder out of a drawer in the living room. She waved goodbye to him and let out a sigh of frustration after he was gone. She hoped she would get another opportunity to talk to Chad.

* * *

><p>Dario walked around the Salem Park during his break from work. He couldn't believe that almost everyone – including some people he didn't even know – knew about his affair with Sonny. Adrienne and Justin knew, while Melanie seemed to know a few details. Victor's weird blessing confused him as much as Sonny's quick appearance and disappearance at the bar. He questioned if the guy he didn't know would show his face again. He didn't like being called a fag, an asshole, and a home wrecker – especially in front of the customers. All the confrontations overwhelmed him, and he needed some fresh air to cool down. Dario found a bench to sit on to be alone in his thoughts. His fear continued to haunt him with the inevitable.<p>

Kai had the same idea as Dario. He wanted to get away from everything and have a moment alone to decide on his next move. He gave his all to Sonny only to be betrayed in the worst way possible. Coming up on Dario, Kai turned around to walk away, but stopped in place for a moment as he recognized this was his opportunity to give Dario hell for what he did. Startling Dario, he asked, "So did you bottom or top Sonny?"

Dario stood up shocked to see Kai there. "What… what did you ask?" he let out befuddled.

"I asked if you were bottom or top when you slept with Sonny," Kai repeated with more discontent.

Dario still felt confused by the question. "I'm sorry. I have no idea what you're talking about." He felt bad for what happened to Kai and knew Kai had every right to be upset with him.

Kai shook his head as he commented under his breath, "Sonny really knows how to pick 'em." Kai sighed as he explained, "Top or bottom? Pitcher or catcher during sex? Who received and who gave?"

Dario quickly felt flushed as he realized what Kai was asking him. "I... neither," he answered. He decided to be honest with Kai because he felt he at least owed Kai that considering what he did. He did have his reservations though. "I'm sorry for what happened with you. I wasn't thinking about you when I slept with Sonny. You weren't real in my mind until I saw you at the cabin on the night of Sonny's birthday."

Kai didn't want to hear Dario's apology. He wanted to hear something else instead. "So what did you two do then? Sonny cheated on me. What are the gory details of everything that you did before I arrived at his family's cabin?" he demanded.

Dario grabbed his shoulder figuring that the details weren't something that would help Kai heal. "I don't think it's a good idea to talk about that."

"Well, did you like it?" Kai questioned. Dario stood in place unsure of how to respond to Kai's question. Frustrated, Kai decided to inform Dario of what he knew about him. "Sonny told me before that you two became friends over the summer last year and had your ups and downs due to his involvement with your brother and your bitch of a sister feeling uncomfortable about your 'friendship'. He told me nothing happened between you two because you were supposedly straight. He claimed you left Salem because you claimed you couldn't give him what he wanted because you weren't gay! How does this make sense?"

Dario grew impatient and decided he should leave. "I get that you're upset, but this wasn't a good idea." Turning around, Dario remembered that he and Sonny had messed around before during the summer. He flashed back to the time Sonny stayed the night at the apartment he once shared with Gabi across the hall from Melanie. They were drunk and he let Sonny give him a blowjob. He regretted it the next morning and tried to appease Sonny's interest in him by bringing him coffee and pretending it never happened. He thought about the time he kissed Sonny on the Dimera yacht to keep him from spending time with Manny. He could have shared all of this and more with Kai, but he figured it would only add fuel to the fire if he did.

Before Dario could walk off, Kai decided to get to his point. "What changed your mind on the whole gay thing?"

Dario froze in place and shook his head. He definitely didn't want to answer Kai's questions anymore. "Please stop this! It's not right to continue your pain like this. What Sonny and I had is over because he chose you in the end. Even though Sonny made a mistake, I know that he loves you and wants to love you." Dario remembered hearing Sonny's confession that he still loved Dario but decided to get that out of his thoughts because it didn't matter anymore.

Kai didn't want to hear Dario apologize for Sonny and tell him how Sonny felt in this situation. Instead, he summed up Dario's response to his question, "You just admitted that you changed your mind on trying to be gay because Sonny was worth it. He's why you came back from Alaska." Kai shook his head at Dario as he reflected on his relationship with Sonny. "Have you ever heard how Sonny and I met? How we became boyfriends? We saw each other for the first time in Organic Chemistry class. I was this shy guy, who could not keep my eyes off of him. I was a closet case that denied I was gay. I gave into Sonny because I believed he was worth it. Sonny was worth it because I believed he loved me. Now tell me, do you love Sonny?"

Dario looked down and away from Kai. He rubbed his left shoulder with his right hand as he replied, "It doesn't matter because Sonny doesn't want to be with me. Besides he wasn't the only guy. I've been attracted to guys before." Moving his head so he could look directly to Kai, Dario put the focus on Kai. "You should give Sonny another chance."

Dumbfounded by Dario's resolve to patch things up between Kai and Sonny, Kai couldn't take it anymore. "I'm done here. Go fuck yourself." Kai turned around and walked off. Dario sat back down on the bench as he thought about how everything was so messed up and complicated.

* * *

><p>Abigail and Chelsea sat outside of Horton Town Square to enjoy conversation, cocoa, and lunch. After taking a short sip of her cocoa, Abigail began to sort through her lunch as she shared, "I need your help. Please help me sort through my problems with Josh and my dad, so I can make sense of everything."<p>

Chelsea took a moment before saying anything to Abigail about her troubles. "You said you realized that you've treated Josh like your dad has treated your mom. Can you change that now?"

Abigail took a bite of her sandwich as she thought about changing the dynamic in her relationship with Josh. "I don't know how that will work because I'm still trying to deal with the fact that my dad is back in town and trying to weasel his way back into my mom's life. I can't let that happen. It's the same thing repeatedly!"

As Chelsea sipped on her cocoa, she thought aloud. "So you're too distracted by your parents' love lives that you can't deal with your own?"

"I guess," Abigail said automatically. She let what Chelsea said sink in more. "I told Josh that I needed time to deal with what was happening with my family. He seemed to understand, but I also think he isn't going to wait forever."

Chelsea put her cup down on the table. "So a part of you thinks that if you don't deal with this soon, you might lose Josh for good?"

Abigail nodded her head as she thought about how messed up her life was at the moment. "I feel horrible for stringing Josh along when I have so much to do. I am not in a good place – I mean I guess it's good I recognize that at least, but it's still not good enough. He deserves better, and it's selfish of me to keep him waiting on the sidelines. Don't you think?"

Chelsea took a bite of her lunch to give her time to come up with an appropriate response. After finishing her bite, she gave her friend an empathic look. "I think if he's willing to wait, that's his decision, but it's also your decision in that you could tell him not to wait for you. That's what it sounds like you're thinking."

Abigail gave Chelsea a look of hesitation. "You're such a therapist, I swear! Is that really what you think or are you giving me a session?"

Chelsea shook her head as she smiled. "No, you wouldn't be able to afford me anyway," she joked.

Abigail smiled back at Chelsea as Ignazio walked over. "Oh? Well, how about I pay you for this counseling session by paying for your meal?"

Before Chelsea could respond, Ignazio decided to interrupt, "Hello."

Chelsea and Abigail looked up to see Ignazio there. Chelsea immediately thought about what Ignazio said to her in Colorado when he caught her crying. Realizing she didn't know much about him, she decided to ask, "How is life in Salem going for you?"

"It's going well, thanks," Ignazio replied. He looked around as he continued, "How are you two doing?"

Abigail decided to remain quiet since she didn't have anything good to report. Chelsea answered for both of them, "We are just having some girl time, so we're having fun with that." Chelsea decided she would comment on her thoughts about Ignazio, "You know I realized we spent most of New Year's weekend together, but I don't know much about you."

Ignazio smiled at Chelsea. There was something about her that caught his attention in a way he had never experienced before. "Well, I hate to cut this short, but I am meeting someone here. We will get to know each other better soon." Chelsea nodded her head and agreed. She found Ignazio so mysterious.

Will walked down the flight of steps on the other side of the square and ran into Melanie, who was out looking for Abigail. "Hey, Mel. I just talked to Nathan, and he asked me the big question!"

Melanie got excited and began to giggle. "What did you say? Please tell me you said yes!"

Will raised his hand playfully as he claimed, "He didn't have a ring to give me yet, but he promised it would be soon." Will's face promptly reddened, as he couldn't hold the pose much longer because he felt silly. "I said yes to being his best man at your wedding. I get the best seat in the house!"

Melanie pulled Will into a hug as her excitement grew. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I'm so excited that Nathan and I are actually planning out our wedding! It's going to be here before we know it."

"I'm really happy for you both," Will said with a smile. Melanie let go of Will when his cell phone began to ring. Will looked his phone over and informed Melanie, "It's Chad."

Spotting Abigail at a table with Chelsea, Melanie said, "Go ahead. I need to talk to Abigail anyway. I'll see you later; I'm sure."

As Melanie walked off, Will answered his phone, "Hey, Chad. What are you up to?"

"Not much. Heading over to talk to Nathan, but I needed to hear your voice," Chad said on the other side.

Will gushed over hearing Chad's voice and finding out where he was headed. "I miss you, too, Chad. When am I going to see you again?"

"Not soon enough," Chad quickly answered. "I might go crazy if I don't see you soon. This living apart is killing me."

Will didn't want their phone conversation to end as it seemed he and Chad were really connecting with each other. "Maybe you can sneak out, or I can meet you at your sister's house after I'm done here," Will shared.

"What are you doing?" Chad asked.

Will searched around him as he explained, "I am meeting someone at the square. You won't believe who asked me to meet up."

As Chad and Will continued to talk, Melanie walked up to the table where Abigail and Chelsea sat. She took her time because she knew being in the same vicinity as Chelsea would most likely be awkward. "Hey. I'm glad I ran into you, Abigail."

Chelsea finished her last bite of food and stood up. "I need to head back to the pub now. You two can talk in private," she suggested. "I'll see you later, Abby."

After Chelsea walked off, Melanie took Chelsea's old seat as she thought about the awkwardness at the Kiriakis Cabin. "Are we okay, Abigail?" she asked causing Abigail to respond with a confused look. "I noticed that you kept your distance from me, for the most part, while we were at Sonny's family's cabin. I know you and Chelsea are best friends, so I hope that doesn't get in the way."

Abigail thought about how Chelsea's return to Salem did put a wrench in her friendship with Melanie. "We're fine. Sorry, it is a little awkward since you and Chelsea have bad history."

Melanie was relieved to hear that she and Abigail were fine. "I understand, but that's not really why I wanted to talk to you. As you know, Nathan and I are getting married, and I'm wondering if you would stand up with me as a bridesmaid."

Abigail thought about how she was in a bad place when it came to relationships, but she didn't want to bring Melanie down. She didn't see the harm in agreeing because she understood her fear better. "I'll be a bridesmaid," she agreed. Melanie returned a smile. She was happy to have her three bridesmaids in line already.

Azzura walked under the small bridge having followed Ignazio to the square. Marco had gotten word that she was there and since Lexie was with family, he decided to take the opportunity to "bump" into her. "What are you doing? Are you hiding from someone?"

Azzura was surprised to see Marco there. "I'm shopping for my signora," she claimed before asking, "Are you spying on me?"

Marco purposely looked Azzura over and gave her a look to tell her he liked what he saw. "I'm sorry, but I can't look away. If that's spying, then I am completely guilty. I heard you called my boss to help you out with your car. Makes me wonder why you didn't call me."

Azzura sensed Marco's jealousy and flirting, and she loved it. "Have you thought of my proposal from when I got lost looking for the bathroom?"

"I'm interested."

Azzura looked over to Ignazio, who was sitting alone at a table, as she pulled out a piece of paper and pen. Writing a number on the paper, she explained to Marco what she was doing, "This is my private number. You should call me when you're close to the mansion." Azzura figured she could get some work done while having some fun.

Will walked by Azzura and Marco as he continued to talk to Chad on the phone. Spotting Ignazio sitting at a table, Will reluctantly let out. "I need to go. Ignazio is waiting on me. But before I let you go, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I just needed to hear your voice," Chad replied as he thought about how he rushed off from Mia. "Have fun with my cousin and tell him hi for me. I love you."

"I love you," Will replied with a smile. "I'll talk to you soon!" After hanging up with Chad, Will made his way over to Ignazio. "Hey man. Sorry, I was talking to Chad on the phone and wanted to make sure he was okay. He told me to tell you hi."

Ignazio motioned for Will to take a seat after shaking his hand. "It's no problem. I haven't been waiting long. How is he and the family doing?"

"I guess they're doing okay. No word on Abe's whereabouts yet." Will sighed and gave Ignazio a solemn look. "Chad has been staying with Lexie to help her and Theo out. He's a really good brother and uncle, but I think it's starting to get kind of hard for him. He called just so he could hear my voice."

Ignazio wanted to shake his head in disgust, but he opted out and gave a convincing smile instead. "I take it that makes him a good boyfriend as well." Will nodded his head in agreement. Ignazio gave Will a hesitant look. "Did Chad always know that he's gay?"

Will could see Ignazio felt uncomfortable about his own question. Trying to ease the awkwardness Ignazio may have felt, Will shifted his body to a more relaxed position. "No. Chad didn't always know. Chad actually had quite a few girlfriends before we started dating. He had a daughter, who died at a very young age, with this girl named Mia. It wasn't until after Mia left that Chad and I got close. That's when Chad probably figured it out I think."

Ignazio nodded his head as he thought about Chad's history. He remembered catching Chad with the blonde girl at the cemetery and realized the girl must have been Mia. Will seemed to have no idea about her being in town as well. Going off of Will's explanation of Chad's realization of being gay, Ignazio decided to ask a follow up question. Once again he gave Will a hesitant look. "Did you turn Chad gay?"

Will almost froze and became speechless. He had no idea how to respond to Ignazio's question and had to think it through himself. His insecurities told him the answer was yes, but Will knew that couldn't have been the case. Will remained speechless as he gave Ignazio a blank stare.

Ignazio realized he had called Will out on a question he wasn't ready to answer. He decided to step back to help Will recover from his direct question. "I apologize if I have offended you. I realize that my question might have been said incorrectly. You don't have to answer…" Ignazio stopped talking as he spotted Ric walking around. He wondered if Ric needed to talk to him about something and looked to his phone to see if he had any missed messages.

Will gave Ignazio a questioning look for stopping mid-sentence. Looking around, he spotted the guy Ignazio seemed to keep glancing at. "You know that guy?"

Ignazio realized he had lost focus and turned his attention onto Will. "Sorry. I was looking at the store over there and remembered I needed to buy something before I headed home." Looking around to make his lie more believable, he then spotted Azzura spying on him. He quickly looked away before she could realize he spotted her. He was tired of the mistrust and wondered if Maddalena asked her to spy on him.

Will knew he lost Ignazio again. Getting his attention, he asked, "Are you okay? You seem to be somewhere else all of a sudden."

Ignazio turned his focus back to Will giving him an apologetic look. "I guess I suddenly have a lot on my mind," he let out candidly. He recognized that his grandmother and Azzura watching him closely seemed to put him off of his game. He needed to focus on Will to gather what he needed to do to get rid of Chad. "I was thinking about Lexie and her son. I can't imagine what they're going through. I was thinking about buying them something, but I am not sure what I would get them."

Will looked the square over for ideas. "If you want, I could help you pick something out."

Ignazio gave Will a smile as he commented, "Will, you are the most helpful person I know. I truly believe you are a good person with a big heart."

Will almost blushed at the compliment. "Thanks… I try, I guess."

Ignazio didn't want to let it go. "Don't be modest. I can see why you're so important to Chad. Our family is going through a lot right now, and I have a feeling you are the answer to help us overcome all of our current obstacles."

Will continued to smile bashfully. He found Ignazio's wording interesting, but he excused it because Ignazio was from Italy. "Thanks, Ignazio. You're a great guy, too."

"No. Thank you." Ignazio's eyes lit up as a plan began to unravel in his mind.


	52. Chapter 52 A New Alliance

**Chapter 52: A New Alliance – Monday, January 9th, 2012**

The weekend went by swiftly at the hospital due to things being extremely busy and stressful. Jennifer walked out from the hall and spotted Daniel looking through a client's file. Deciding to approach him, she put her hands on his back to give him a massage. She asked, "How are things going, Daniel?"

Daniel turned around as he put the patient file on top of the nurse's station. Letting out a sigh, he responded, "Things are going as smooth as possible, but honestly, I'm not sure if I would call it smooth. No smooth sailing here."

Jennifer could see that Daniel attempted to crack a smile but struggled due to exhaustion. "Are you going to be okay?" she checked in with him. "You've worked really hard since you became Chief-of-Staff, and you look extremely tired," she shared with a look of concern.

Daniel dipped his head to give Jennifer the impression that he wasn't worried. He didn't want her to worry about him. "I will be fine, Jen. I finally get the night to myself tonight."

Jennifer was glad to hear that. She rubbed his arms hoping to relieve some tension. "Well, you really need it, so you should take advantage of it. What are you going to do on your night off?"

Daniel answered, "I know that since I started working more hours, it has kept us from spending quality time together, but honestly, I am tempted to sleep the night away. I do want to spend time with you though."

Jennifer thought about how Jack commented on Daniel's absence to her during their conversation on Friday. It didn't bother her, but Jack bringing it up caused her to feel somewhat nervous about everything. Giving Daniel an understanding look, she shared, "You need your rest, so I think you should sleep." Jennifer looked down for a moment as she continued, "I do want you to know that just because Jack is back in Salem doesn't mean he's going to get in between our relationship."

Daniel placed his hand under Jen's chin to give her an assuring look. "I believe you, but a part of me still wants to give you the space you need to deal with Jack's return. He's a big part of your life." Jen nodded as she looked away again. She hated to admit it to herself, but things were definitely easier when Jack was gone. Sensing Jen's uneasiness, Daniel pulled Jen into a hug.

Jack exited the elevator and spotted Jen and Daniel together in an embrace. He ignored their moment and cut right in. "Jennifer, I've got some exciting news! You'll never guess what happened today!"

Jennifer stepped back surprised to see Jack there considering she asked him for space when they talked a few days ago. "What's going on? What happened today?"

"Guess," Jack instructed.

Jennifer gave Jack an annoyed look as she pointed out, "You just said I would never guess, so why don't you just tell me what happened?"

Jack realized that he had told Jennifer that and let out a sigh of disappointment. "Well, the most amazing thing happened today. I woke up and decided..."

"Lexie, what are you doing here?" Daniel asked as Lexie walked off the elevator. His question interrupted Jack as Jennifer turned her head to see if Lexie was really at the hospital.

Lexie walked over as Jack finally closed his mouth from holding his place in his story. Lexie lamented, "I feel bad for not coming sooner. It's not like me to ignore my post like this, and it has been more than a week since I've been here. I wanted to make sure that everything is under control because I'm going to need more time." She didn't want to tell them the other reason she came up to the hospital.

Jennifer gave Lexie a hug hoping to comfort her. "You have no reason to apologize. Take all the time you need. We are trying our best to make sure everything is running smoothly, and it seems to be working. We could never replace you though."

"Does someone want to tell me what's going on here?" Jack asked grabbing everyone's attention. He looked everyone over as he wondered why Lexie wasn't working and why Daniel and Jen seemed so concerned about her.

Deciding to leave Jack in the dark, Jennifer quickly answered before Lexie or Daniel could say anything. "Jack, could you please wait for me in the waiting room down the hall? We can talk there about your great news."

Jack wanted to stay so bad, but he wanted to talk to Jen in private. He tried his best not to show his annoyance when he responded, "Fine. I'll see you there in a second?"

"Not a literal second, but yes, Jack, I will be in there shortly," Jen responded.

Jack smiled at Lexie as he turned around to walk down the hall to the waiting room. On his way, he almost ran into Colin, but Colin managed to sidestep him and hide. "I will find out what is going on even if they don't want me to find out," Jack complained as he walked by Colin. Colin looked around the corner and spotted Lexie talking to Jen and Daniel. He decided to move closer so he could spy.

Daniel gave Lexie a look of sadness as he shared, "I know that this has to be hard on you. I hope that you and Theo are okay."

"How are you and Theo doing with everything?" Jennifer asked.

Lexie thought about how the past week had been for her and her family. "I have been taking it one day at a time. That's really all I can do at this point. For a while, Theo was staying with EJ and Sami, but he's staying at home for the most part now."

Jennifer put her hand over her chest as she inquired, "Does Theo know about what happened yet?"

"I think he's aware that something is wrong and different, but I haven't had the conversation with him yet," Lexie shared. "I am not sure if I know how to broach the subject with him that his daddy might be gone forever." Not wanting to live on those thoughts, Lexie turned to Daniel and commented, "I heard you're my temporary replacement. How are you liking the title?"

Daniel gave Lexie an anxious look and said, "I don't know how you do it, personally."

Jennifer didn't want Daniel to feel like he was doing a poor job, so she informed Lexie, "Daniel's doing an excellent job."

Lexie smiled and encouraged, "Dr. Jonas, I am sure you're doing just fine. You have a good mind and heart to help people. I believe in you."

Lexie's encouraging words caused Daniel to feel bad because he believed he should be the one encouraging her. "Thanks, but everyone here misses you like crazy," he said before asking, "Is there anything you need from us right now?"

Lexie looked at the time and jumped a little. "I need to go because there are a few things I need to take care of in my office. I should be fine by myself. Thanks for the offer though." She gave Jennifer and Daniel a hug to show she appreciated them before heading off.

After Lexie was gone, Daniel turned to Jen and put his hands on her shoulders. "We can talk more later if I can keep my eyes open," he said with a wink. "I think Jack is still waiting for you in the waiting room."

Jen pulled Daniel into a hug and kiss before heading to the waiting room to talk to Jack. Once inside, Jack stood up as she asked him, "So what's your big news? Did you finally get a cell phone?"

"What's the story here?" Jack asked instead of responding to her questions.

Jen decided to play dumb. "I have no idea what you're talking about. There's no story here. Let's just talk about what you came to talk about. You seemed excited when you arrived."

Jack gave Jennifer an obvious look as he sheepishly replied, "Well, yeah. It's the best news ever! I'm the new investigative reporter for WWEN TV News! I got a job!"

Jen covered her mouth as she responded, "Wow. You're in journalism again." She didn't want to show it on her face, but she was glad that she didn't tell Jack anything about Lexie and Abe. "I'm happy for you, Jack. It's good that you could get a job and be close to the kids again."

Jack didn't want to just be close to the kids again. He hoped that Jennifer would see this as a sign that he wanted to stay in Salem for her, too. "Jen, I gave you space this weekend after you asked for it. Have you had time to process what I told you on Friday – about why I was away from you for so long?"

Jen stepped back as she remembered hearing Jack's story. It really confused her more than she wanted. Shaking her head, all she could let out was, "Not now."

"Not now?"

Jen kept her hand over her mouth as she explained, "We have jobs to do. I can't do this now. I'll call you when I'm ready." After saying her piece, she quickly walked off before Jack could say anything in response. Jack looked around the room, as he pondered what she wasn't telling him.

* * *

><p>Chad and Will sat on the bench in the place they designated as their own. Will leaned his head onto Chad's shoulder looking up to the cloudy sky. "I love that we have decided to spend more time here alone – even if most of the time we're not saying anything."<p>

Chad leaned his head onto Will's. "I love being here with you – together in each other's presence. I really miss falling asleep with you and then waking up next to you."

Will really missed living with Chad, too. Chad's corny comments weren't bothering him as much due to that fact. He wished they could just go home together, but he knew Lexie was counting on him. "I've noticed Lexie seems to be in a better place from when we first visited her," he mentioned casually.

Chad thought about it and agreed. "Yeah. Before she seemed to struggle with how to live, but now she's trying to take control of her life again. My brother said she was worse though when it actually happened." He still felt guilty for not being there for her then even though he was in Colorado. After rubbing Will's leg, Chad shared, "Maybe I'll get to come home soon enough. I don't want to leave my sister if she's not ready, but she's close – I think."

Will gave Chad a soft smile hoping it would relax him again. "I understand. You're a good brother," he assured him. He could see guilt in Chad's eyes.

Chad squeezed Will's leg deciding to change the subject. "How are things going with T and Sonny?"

Will shook his head as he reflected about T's situation first. "T tried to talk to his parents again over the weekend, but they've decided to stick to their guns in not supporting him anymore. His tuition at school has been paid off, but it's still horrible. I feel so bad for him because he can't even make contact with Kinsey about their baby. He's tried calling her parents, but they aren't even taking his calls."

Chad thought it was weird that no one hadn't heard from Kinsey yet. "That does sound horrible. What about things with Gabi? Is there any chance of him and Gabi patching things up?" Chad asked. He remembered T saying all those horrible things about Gabi, but he wondered if all of that was T just trying to get over her.

Grabbing the back of his neck, Will answered, "I'm not really sure. I sort of doubt it, but I talked T into going to the pub for lunch to try to talk to her again. Sonny is going, too. You should come if you're free."

Chad tried to remember what was going on. "I think… yeah, I can join you guys for lunch because Lexie is out, and Celeste agreed to take Theo and Ciara out for a play date. I'm all yours." Chad smiled and kissed Will for a moment. After they separated, they cuddled on the bench again. "You never told me about Sonny. How is he handling the break up with Kai?"

"He's still set on working things out with Kai," Will replied. "Sonny has been through so much. I keep remembering that the whole Kinsey thing happened not too long ago, but he's completely over that now. It's all about Kai now. He keeps saying that some space will help Kai's wounds heal, so he just needs to be patient until that happens. He apparently got the idea from talking to Dario on Friday, but I am not sure I followed how that all happened."

Chad sensed that Will wasn't as hopeful of Sonny's plan. "Do you think Kai will come around?"

Will looked down as he thought about what he would do if he were Kai. "I'm not sure. I feel bad though because I haven't even tried to reach out to Kai to talk to him about things."

"Wouldn't that be awkward?"

"I guess," Will admitted before continuing, "Kai only has so many friends though, and I am one of them. He might need some support right now. He did come out of the closet for Sonny."

Chad's phone went off signaling he had received a text message, but he decided not to read it when he saw that it was from Mia. Instead, he turned his attention back to Will. "You know. You're friends with a lot of hot guys," he randomly commented.

Will pulled his body from Chad and sat up, so he could look into Chad's eyes. "I have a boyfriend who is even hotter, but I think you just admitted to me that you find my friends attractive. Should I be worried?" He tried to make sense of why Chad would say that and came to the conclusion that Chad may have just hinted to the fact that he came out of the closet for Will.

Chad realized that getting a text from Mia caused him to respond jealously towards Will, and that Will had a point in what he just said. He remembered his experience with Josh at the cabin, but shook the thought out of his mind, so he could apologize to Will. "Sorry. You have nothing to worry about. You're the only guy I want, and the only one I'm truly attracted to. You're the one I want to be close to – no one else." Chad kissed the top of Will's head deciding he would ignore Mia's text for now so he could focus on Will. Will leaned his head on Chad again as they became quiet again.

* * *

><p>Maddalena began to pile things up on her desk, so she could head out. As she put a pile of papers into a drawer, Ric walked into her office and announced himself. "You called for me, signora?"<p>

Maddalena looked up from her desk and stopped what she was doing. Closing the drawer, she nodded her head. "Yes. I wanted to talk about you deciding you don't want to leave Salem after all." She gave Ric an inquisitive look as she made her way to the front of her desk. "I am curious how Ignazio could talk you out of wanting to leave."

"I have a great deal of respect for Ignazio, and I don't want to disappoint him," Ric shared deciding not to get into the whole situation.

Maddalena pursed her lips aware of the fact that Ric wasn't giving her the entire story once again. She decided to comment, "I have noticed there seems to be a lot of love between you and my nipote." She paused so she could study Ric's reaction to her statement. After she noticed his body shift, she asked, "Do you care deeply for him – for Ignazio?"

Knowing he needed to watch his words with Maddalena, Ric simply answered, "I would die for Ignazio. That is how much I respect him."

Hearing Ric's answer caused Maddalena's memory to go back years before to the past in her old home in Urbino, Italy. She remembered calling for her son but not finding him in the house. She decided to check outside in the back. She walked into the barn and began to hear voices and heavy breathing. Peering into the horse stables, she found a young André having sex with the gardener's son. In a rage due to the shock of finding her son with another boy, she began to scream at the two to make them stop. Rushing over to André, she picked him up and threw him around the barn to let him know how disappointed and disgusted she was with him. She picked him up once more to slap him across the face for the shame he brought onto their family.

André, who was scared for his life, called out to his lover and told him to run for his life, but he didn't listen. Maddalena remembered this all very clearly. The boy stood firm and looked Maddalena dead in the eyes as he claimed, "I am not leaving you, André! I will die for you if that is what it comes to."

Maddalena dropped André on the ground again and made her way to square off with her son's no longer secret lover. Moving towards his face, she spat, "So be it!"

Maddalena's flashback was interrupted when Ignazio and Azzura entered her office. She noticed her body had tensed up and tried to relax it when Azzura said, "We are here to report to you before we go out to accomplish our separate tasks, signora. I have the file that you asked me to get. I have someone looking into who I need to give it to."

Oblivious to what Azzura could be talking about, Ignazio asked, "What file are you two talking about?"

Maddalena didn't answer his question though. She replied by asking her own question to assert her authority, "What do you have planned for today?"

"Nonna, I am working on the surprise I mentioned to you before about getting Chad out of Salem and away from our family," Ignazio answered.

Maddalena gave her grandson a smile to tide him over. "I cannot wait to see what you come up with." Turning to Azzura, she walked over to her to push her out the door, so they could talk in private. "Azzura, come with me. We need to talk before I head out, too. I want to make sure my agenda is on track."

After Maddalena and Azzura left the room, Ignazio turned to his friend and asked, "What were you doing here alone with Maddalena?" He was concerned that Ric changed his mind and decided to leave Salem after all.

"I was summoned," Ric informed Ignazio. "She wanted to talk about you. She asked me if I cared deeply for you."

Ignazio turned his back on Ric as he became upset due to Maddalena's looking into him. Turning around, he questioned, "What was your answer?"

"I told her I respected you, and that I would die for you."

Ignazio quickly became frustrated with Ric's answer. He let out a sigh deciding that he couldn't let this get to him because he had a job to do. He needed to prove to his grandmother that he could be trusted. "All of that doesn't matter. She will see that her questions are for nothing. I want you to follow the girl to see if she is planning any more meetings with my dear cugino, Chad." Ric nodded his head to let him know he understood. "Keep in touch," Ignazio said before walking out the room.

Meanwhile, by the front door, Azzura reported to Maddalena about her different tasks. "I admit I am not in a good place yet concerning Sami and EJ. EJ is still keeping his distance from me. I need to discover a way to get Lucas Horton back in Salem."

Maddalena shook her head at Azzura. She questioned if her right hand could get rid of Sami and seduce her nephew. "You are making this too complicated. You are beautiful and a charmer. Use your talents and get EJ in bed."

Azzura could see and hear the disappointment in Maddalena. She didn't want to admit she was starting to doubt her ability to seduce everyone with her looks and flirting skills. She decided to move on to something else. "Colin told me he will be delivering the updated file on Isobel Hernandez sometime soon."

"It will be good to figure out if we can help her and her family at all," Maddalena commented showing she had moved on from her disappointment. "How is the construction progressing in the basement?"

Azzura pulled out her phone to look through it. "As far as I can see, we are almost done, but we need to find a way to get everyone out of the mansion next door, so we can complete the construction."

"We will find a way and look for the perfect opportunity," Maddalena responded. She was ready to get back to work. "Do what you must do, and I will go to my meeting at the mayor's office. We will regroup later."

From the top of the stairs, Ignazio watched as Maddalena and Azzura walked out the front door. He questioned the things he heard his grandmother and Azzura discussing. There was still so much he didn't know.

* * *

><p>Dario and Arianna sat on the couch in the Dimera guesthouse discussing what they should do with their mother. "I don't think we can leave her here by herself even if things seem to be looking up. I have to work, and you have that meeting with Roman. What are we going to do?" Dario asked.<p>

Arianna checked her phone to see if she had any missed messages, but sighed when she saw a blank screen. "I'm waiting to hear back from Gabi to see if she can come home early to watch Mama."

Dario ran his hands through the back of his hair. "I can call Adrienne and call in sick if I need to. I can watch Mama."

"No," Isobel said as she walked out from her bedroom. "Do what you need to do. Dario, you need to go to work, and Arianna, you have held off meeting with Roman Brady for too long. Go to the police station and see what he needs from you."

Arianna's phone chimed. "That must be Gabi!" She quickly picked it up and opened the text from Gabi. She gave Dario a frustrated look as she read Gabi's response aloud, "I am swamped and can't get off work."

"Did you two hear me at all?" Isobel questioned. "I will be fine. I have my button to push if there is an emergency." Isobel looked at Dario and Arianna and sensed they didn't like the idea of leaving her alone still. "I want you both to go do what you need to do. Father Matt may stop by to meet with me. It's been a long time since my last confession."

Arianna didn't want to upset her mother and have this conversation stress her out. "Well, I'll go change then, but if you change your mind before I leave, I can call Roman and meet with him another time." She turned around and walked into a room to change.

Before Dario could head out, Isobel made sure to grab his arm so they could talk. "Hijo, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Dario answered automatically. "How are you feeling?"

Isobel shared a quick nervous smile with her son. "I don't want to talk about me. I want to know how you're really doing. I can tell there's something on your mind. You haven't touched your guitar since you've returned from Colorado." As she waited for Dario to say something, Isobel noticed her son trying to withdraw from her. Seeing that he didn't want to answer, she asked, "Have you spent time with Sonny recently?"

Dario withdrew from his mother more as his nerves questioned why Isobel brought up Sonny. He feared she already knew about what he did with Sonny in Colorado. He thought about the recent research he had done on the laptop and felt extremely frustrated about his current problem. Realizing that his mother was waiting for a response, he finally answered, "Sonny and I don't really talk anymore."

"It is because of the homosexual thing?"

Dario became flustered because he heard his mother's question wrong first. He thought she was asking if he was gay, but then realized she was only referring to Sonny's sexuality as being the reason they don't hang out anymore. "It's just awkward between us now." He really wanted to stop having this conversation with her.

Isobel pulled her son into a hug as she said, "I am sorry that you lost a friend, but it is probably better this way. People like him can only bring a person down."

Dario held her tight for a moment as he responded, "Don't worry, Mama. I will survive. I just want to focus on you and your recovery."

Isobel's nervous smile returned. To hide it, she gave Dario a kiss on the cheek. "You've always had a big heart. One day some lucky girl will get to have it all to herself," she said causing Dario to feel awkward and uneasy. He didn't know what to say. "Mijo, I'm not trying to rush you into anything, but I wish I could meet my future daughter-in-law. I need to make sure she has the proper training in all the wifely duties such as cleaning and cooking. She needs to be able to take care of you and your future children."

Dario rolled his eyes as he let go of his mother. "I need to head out, or I am going to be late for work." Giving his mother a kiss on the cheek, he gave her one last hug before leaving.

Isobel struggled over to the table and fell into a chair. She used most of her energy to give the appearance that she was fine in front of her children, and she wanted to make sure she conserved the energy she had left to put up the same front when Arianna came back out from changing. Thinking about Dario, she whispered to herself, "Dario, will be the one to carry on the family name with honor."

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Gabi stood at the bar looking through the Salem Spectator since work was slow. Her eyes lit up when she spotted an announcement about the Friday, the 13th Masquerade. She thought it sounded like it could be a good time and a good way to escape.<p>

Chelsea walked out from the back. Standing next to Gabi, she announced, "My grandma told me I could take the rest of the day off, but I wanted to offer it to you in case you needed the time off."

Gabi thought about how Arianna texted her earlier asking her to come home to watch their mother. She didn't want to be alone with her mother for personal reasons and decided to lie to Ari about the pub being packed. Giving Chelsea a smile of gratitude, she answered, "Thanks, but I don't need to be anywhere else really. I'd rather just work."

As Will, T, Chad, and Sonny entered the pub, Chelsea gave Gabi a fretful look. "Are you sure about staying here?" she asked again because T was now at the pub.

Gabi looked over to the boys and decided she'd rather deal with T than to spend time with her mother alone. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay," Chelsea said before turning around to leave. On her way out, she made sure to say hi to the guys while halfway joking with them to behave.

Chad, Will, T, and Sonny found a table to sit at and began to discuss what they were going to order for lunch. T glanced over to Gabi wondering if she had noticed him at all. Turning to Will, he gave him a discouraged look. "This was a huge mistake. I'm still mad at Gabi for what she did to me."

Will had taken a few glimpses at Gabi, too, but wanted to convince T that this could work out. "If you and Gabi just talk, then maybe things will get better between you two."

After deciding what he was going to eat, Sonny put the menu down and began to scan through the room hoping to see Kai in there. He figured Kai wouldn't show his face in the pub again after what happened last time, but he hoped he was wrong. He really wanted to talk things over.

Chad remembered he received a text from Mia and decided to check it out. In the text, Mia told him that she really needed to meet up with him, and since Brady caught them together last time, she wanted to meet in the cemetery. Chad thought it over for a while, but eventually texted her back that he would meet her there after lunch.

Gabi walked over trying to hold herself together but couldn't help but comment, "Sonny, it looks like you've moved onto my ex now." She didn't even bother looking at T when she made the comment.

T became upset by Gabi's remark, and the fact that she couldn't even look at him when she said it. Sonny was annoyed, too, as he responded, "T's not even my type."

T's frustration grew by Sonny's response as he asked, "What the hell does that mean?"

Sonny gave T a dumb and obvious look. "You're straight. That's all I meant."

Chad tried to step in to calm things down. "Let's just enjoy some lunch guys."

Looking up to Gabi, Will suggested, "We'd like to order. I think everyone knows what they want." He didn't like that Gabi brought up Sonny's sexuality at the pub where Caroline could overhear.

Gabi prepared to listen so she could take their order but couldn't resist making one last dig. "Sonny, the only reason T's not your type is because you can't turn him gay."

Gabi's comment quickly caused Will to think about Ignazio's question about Will turning Chad gay, but he didn't have much time to think about it because T hastily shot back joking, "Don't be so sure because now that I lost my controlling ex-girlfriend who had this strange idea that I would turn gay if I hung out with my best friend who happens to be gay..."

"What is going on here?" Caroline asked a little teed off that there seemed to be an argument going on. T and everyone else quickly froze. They were afraid what Caroline might have heard.

T knew he needed to end this for Will's sake. "I am sorry, Mrs. Brady, for causing a scene. I was just trying to upset Gabi, and I let it get out of hand."

Caroline looked Gabi over to make sure she was okay. "Do I need to take the boys' order or do I need to ask them to leave?"

Gabi couldn't believe that Caroline would do that for her and smiled at her appreciatively. "Everything is fine, Mrs. Brady," she said with a small break in her voice. "I can handle them just fine as long as T agrees to behave."

T bowed his head as he confirmed, "I will behave." He hoped that Caroline would leave. Luckily she did, and he looked up to Gabi making eye contact. "Gabi, can we talk alone later?"

Gabi didn't want to hear it from T. She wanted to continue to keep the distance between them. "I'm only here to take your order. Other than that, we have nothing else to say to each other."

T's anger returned, but he managed to hold it together for Chad's and Will's sake. After the guys ordered, Gabi walked away. T wondered what he was going to do with his anger since he couldn't let it out here. Sonny gave Will a look realizing it was a mistake to come here. Even though he had nothing to do with Dario, Gabi still hated him. He wondered if she knew about his affair with her brother.

* * *

><p>Azzura walked onto the pier in a heavy disguise. She wore a blonde wig with a small hat. Her eyes were covered in white and red striped sun glasses, and most of her body was covered by a heavy trench coat. She had the same file from earlier in her hand as she waited for her new contact to show. Colin recommended him.<p>

Azzura looked down at the file in her hands and remembered sneaking into the Salem PD and gaining access to it thanks to a sex crazed cop. While there, she also overheard a few conversations on the current status of Abe's case, and had information to share with Maddalena later. Maddalena had asked her to get the file because it was time the people of Salem knew about Abe's attack and kidnapping. Azzura hoped things would work out. She shifted her body when she saw her contact coming closer.

Jack walked up and looked around to make sure no one saw them together. He pulled in his head closer to her as he asked softly, "Are you the one who called me earlier about having a big story?"

Azzura cleared her throat before responding in a convincing American accent, "Yes. I have a story right here in my hands that will get you a raise and a promotion on your first day at the job!"

"How did you know it's my first day?" Jack asked suspiciously. He didn't like that this woman seemed to know so much about him.

Azzura didn't move. "I did my research, Mr. Deveraux."

Jack gave Azzura a smile as he shared, "I did my research, too. I looked you up, and I know that you are using an alias. Who are you really?"

There was no way Azzura was going to give her real identity away. She straightened her posture as her voice took on a more serious slightly threatening tone. "If you want the information I have, you must promise not to break who your source is. If you can promise that, I may have more goods for you later."

Jack remained cautious but agreed, "I promise only if your information is good. If it's not, it won't matter because I won't run it."

Azzura nodded her head satisfied with Jack's response because she knew she had the goods. Handing him the file, she watched as he began to look through it. Azzura could see that Jack was shocked by the contents in the file. "I believe it's time Salem knew the truth. They deserve to know the police are keeping a secret, and they need to know what that secret is. Salem is a dangerous place. The people need to know, so they can take the proper precautions to stay safe."

Jack finally looked up from the file still in shock by the information he was given from the mysterious woman. "I can't believe this has managed to remain a secret this long." Jack looked back to the file and began to flip through the contents as he continued, "Abe has been kidnapped after being mugged and shot at. I knew something was going on, but I never thought it would be this. You have reports and interviews in here confirming it all. Lexie had to witness it, and that is why she's not working at the hospital at the moment. How in the heck did you get all of this?"

Jack lifted his head again from the file and realized that the mysterious woman no longer stood in front of him. She had managed to walk away while he was so caught up in the exciting information. Jack placed the file under his arm and rushed off. He believed that the story would help him prove that he does care about the people of Salem and reporting real news.

* * *

><p>Justin walked out of Adrienne's office and spotted Dario cleaning off a table. Deciding to help out, he made his way over and began to move the napkin dispenser and salt and pepper shakers so Dario could wipe the table down. Justin watched Dario figuring this was his opportunity to talk to Dario about Sonny. Disrupting the silence, he said, "I have left you alone for the time being, but now I figure it's time we talk man to man."<p>

Dario stood up straight after he stopped wiping the table. He couldn't look directly at Justin because he felt uncomfortable in this situation. His heart beat began to throb a little faster as he said, "Yeah. Maybe it is time." Dario tried to turn his head in Justin's direction but struggled in doing so because he expected Justin to chew him out.

Justin didn't care much for confrontation, but he wanted answers because it still surprised him that Dario and Sonny slept together. "What were you thinking when you seduced my son?" he asked straight out before admitting, "I had no idea you were gay in the first place. Although I had no idea Sonny was gay until he told me."

Dario finally made eye contact with Justin when he answered, "I wasn't thinking straight. I just let what I felt lead the way in that moment, and unfortunately, that got us both in trouble."

Justin heard Dario's response as him saying it was a mistake that should have never happened. He questioned, "So this thing with my son is over as soon as it began?"

"I think so," Dario answered causing Justin to ask him if he regretted what happened. He responded, "I don't regret what happened, but I wish I could take Sonny's guilt away. I guess that is my one regret." Dario didn't want to admit it to Justin, but he was starting to regret sleeping with Sonny because it truly complicated his life.

Surprised to see Dario own up to what happened while keeping eye contact, Justin could see the care Dario seemed to have for Sonny even though things didn't work out the way Dario wanted. Justin sighed and placed his hand on Dario's shoulder. "I am sorry for the hurt you must be going through now. We all make mistakes. I hope that you don't let this eat at you."

Dario gave Justin a nod to show his gratefulness before deciding to get back to work. He placed the napkin dispenser and salt and pepper shakers back on the table remaining silent. Picking up the tray he had put the dirty dishes from the table on, he said one last thing to Justin before returning to the bar. "I hope that Sonny is able to forgive himself and live the life he wants. I don't want to stand in the way of that." Justin watched Dario head to the bar thinking about his son's dilemma. He turned his attention towards the entrance and headed out for a meeting.

Dario put the dirty dishes away and helped out a few customers when Chelsea walked in after leaving the pub. Taking a seat at the bar, she got Dario's attention by waiving him over. "I wanted to check in on you and see if you wanted some company."

Dario tried to forget about what just happened with Justin. "Thanks. It's been a while since anyone has come to hang out with me while I work. You want a drink or something?" Dario thought about how Gabi and Sonny used to hang out with him all the time before, and remembered how Sonny disappeared on him on Friday.

Chelsea watched Dario as he grabbed her a bottle of water. She thought about her recent observations on Gabi and chose to share them with Dario. "I don't want to alarm you, but I believe I should tell you that I am worried about your sister, Gabi," she admitted. "She seemed to be opening up about things, but I've noticed recently that she's starting to close off again."

Dario thought about Gabi's recent behavioral and emotional shifts and shook his head because he knew his family was going through a lot. "I'm worried about her, too. I just don't know what to do about it because she can be so damn bipolar."

Chelsea gave Dario a look of hesitation. "I doubt your sister is bipolar."

Remembering that Chelsea was a therapist, Dario smiled as he said, "I wasn't serious about the diagnosis. It just feels that way sometimes, you know?"

"I can understand that," Chelsea said with a smile realizing she assumed too much with Dario's bipolar statement. "I think we all can have moments in our lives when we do something we wouldn't normally do."

Dario nodded his head as he thought about what happened with Sonny. "Yeah," he let out clearly in a daze now.

Chelsea picked up on Dario's focus being elsewhere and waved her hand in front of his face to bring his attention back. "Where did you go just now?" Dario's gaze returned to the conversation he was having with Chelsea. He shrugged his shoulders and decided not to answer. Chelsea returned to their conversation. "Did something happen with your mother? Maybe that's why Gabi has shut down again. Today, she could have gone home, but she chose dealing with T over getting off work for the day."

Dario thought about how Arianna had tried to get Gabi to come home to watch their mother. He then remembered the conversation he had with his mother before work about Sonny but managed not to get lost in his thoughts once again. "Well, apparently things are looking up, but our mom doesn't really talk about it anymore. She's become secretive about the progress she supposedly made."

Chelsea took a drink from her water bottle as she considered, "Well, maybe Gabi has shut down because your mother has as well. It sounds like you and possibly your sisters don't believe your mother might actually be better."

Dario thought about it before replying, "I am not sure I believe it, but I think Gabi does. I think she might just be upset that we're not celebrating the good news. The mood is still down in the guesthouse, so maybe she's only feeling that and is doing whatever she can to avoid it."

Ignazio made his way into the Cheatin' Heart immediately spotting Dario behind the bar. When he walked over, he was surprised to see Chelsea sitting there talking to Dario. "Buona sera to the two of you."

Before Chelsea or Dario could say anything to Ignazio, Chelsea's phone began to ring. Chelsea pulled out her phone, answered it, and walked over to the small hall that led to the bathrooms to talk to whoever called her. She remained visible to Dario and Ignazio though.

Noting Ignazio's eyes as he watched Chelsea, Dario decided to call his friend out on it. "You're interested in her, aren't you?"

Ignazio turned around to face Dario as he denied it. "I'm not looking to date anyone, but I think it's clear she is into you."

Dario grabbed a towel and wiped a part of the bar off. "Yeah... I'm not so sure about that one."

Ignazio turned to look at Chelsea once again. "Look at the way she keeps glancing over here at you while she's on the phone. She's definitely into you, Dario."

Dario looked over at Chelsea and made eye contact with her. Looking away, he realized Ignazio was right. "I don't know," he said not wanting to confirm Ignazio's theory out loud. Dario looked up again but saw that Chelsea was walking over so he lowered his head again. "She's coming back. Don't say anything."

Chelsea chose to ignore the awkward silence she walked into between Dario and Ignazio and shared, "It seems every time you're near me Ignazio one of us has to leave. Dario, I'll have to come hang out with you later. My grandma just called and asked me to come back to help her with something."

Ignazio made sure to look directly at Chelsea as he asked concerned, "Is everything okay?"

"I think so. I'll see you guys later." Chelsea walked out of the bar leaving Ignazio to give Dario a goofy look.

"What?"

Ignazio gave Dario a sly smile as he said, "You should definitely hook up with Chelsea. Maybe take her on a date or something." Ignazio could tell Dario wasn't so sure about the idea, so he kept on him. "What's the harm in taking her out? She's very attractive, and you're single, correct? She has eyes for you, and I think you have eyes for her, too." Ignazio stood up and leaned over the bar to give Dario's arm a slap. "Take her out. You never know, she could be the woman you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with."

Dario replayed the conversation he had with Isobel before work in his head. He knew that his mother wanted to see him with a girl before she died and feared what would happen if she found out about what he and Sonny did. Dario opted to remain silent on the suggestion and just shrugged his shoulders.

Ignazio decided to back off as he took his seat again. "Okay... okay. You do not have to if you do not want to, but you are passing up a great opportunity." After flashing one last smile, he changed the subject. "So are things still boring for you in Salem?"

"I wish!" Dario exclaimed as he raised his eyebrows. "So much is happening at the moment, and I could really use a break. I need a fix that can make everything easy again."

Ignazio became intrigued and wanted to hear what Dario was dealing with. "What is broken? What is stressing you out?"

Dario realized he may have said too much. Once again, he thought about the research he had done on his down time on the laptop back at the Dimera guesthouse. It all seemed hopeless. "Well, you know about my mother. I don't really know what's going to happen. It seems to be all up in the air, and I want to make sure that whatever happens my mother is happy."

"That is really rough, amico mio," Ignazio remarked. "I am sure your mother is proud of you no matter what. There's no way she would leave this earth and have you think anything different."

Dario half-smiled figuring Ignazio was right even though he didn't really know Isobel at all. "How are things going for you?"

Before Ignazio could respond, he received a text message from Ric. Ric informed Ignazio that the girl had just left her house to head for the cemetery. Ric believed Chad would be meeting her there. Ignazio felt bad for cutting his conversation short with Dario but knew he had to check out the information Ric gave him. "I have to go, Dario. We will talk soon though... I promise."

"Okay. Just give me a call or come by," Dario said not making it a big deal. "Do what you have to do."

Ignazio stood up and shook Dario's hand. "Make sure you ask Chelsea out. Seize this opportunity."

"I'll think about it," Dario responded. Ignazio nodded his head satisfied and walked out as Dario contemplated going on a date with Chelsea. Maybe this was the fix he needed.

* * *

><p>Maddalena stood at one end of the conference table in the mayor's conference room discussing the issue of finding a temporary replacement to possibly finish Abe's term as mayor. She had made her choice known, and the board wasn't sure it was the best idea. As much as he agreed with Maddalena's resolve, Mr. Olsen, the Press Secretary, tried to explain the apprehension of appointing a new mayor, "This all might be premature. We haven't heard anything new about Abe, and the police still want us to keep the fact that Abe is missing a secret from the public. The people will definitely start asking questions if they see someone else coming into this office, and it's not Abe."<p>

"I am sure they have already picked up on the fact that Abe has not been in the office since it was announced he had to deal with a family emergency," Maddalena countered. "If we have someone in place by the time they figure it out, it will be an easier transition. Abe was my niece's husband, so I think it would be wise to keep it in the family."

The Chief Operating Officer decided to share her two cents. "Why should we do that? You're not even a part of the decision process. Those who are in the mayor's cabinet are supposed to appoint the interim mayor to finish Abraham's term. Why are you so special that you could call this meeting?"

Mr. Olsen quickly cut in so that no one else said anything that might upset Maddalena. "Mrs. Dimera has recently moved to Salem and has made a sizeable donation to this town. She did it anonymously, too. She's clearly invested in what is best for Salem."

"What do you think is best for Salem?" the Chief of Communications asked her outright.

Maddalena was glad to have the opportunity to answer that very question. "Well, I want to see this town grow while holding onto its traditions. My family has always been high on tradition even though we have sort of lost our way thanks to my brother, but I truly believe that if we vote in my choice for mayor, the town of Salem will not be disappointed. I believe in my choice so much, I am willing to donate more money to help keep this city functional while growing to new lengths."

The men and women in the meeting began to discuss the options they had in this current situation and most felt Maddalena seemed to have a great plan in place for them. After a while, Mr. Olsen decided to put it to a vote. After everyone voted on moving forward to appointing an interim mayor, Maddalena felt pleased with herself. Her plan was working.

Suddenly, a worker busted through the doors and proclaimed, "Everyone needs to come out here quick! It's the news! A big story broke that's about to change everything!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile at the police station, Bo walked over to Hope and grabbed her from behind. Hope quickly turned around and lightly slapped Bo's arm for scaring her. "What are you trying to pull here, Brady? This is not the time nor the place."<p>

"I was thinking..." Bo started causing Hope to playfully raise her eyebrow. "I was thinking that tomorrow is your birthday, and we've worked so hard here. I want to take you and Ciara out even if it's for just an hour. I can talk to my brother and see if he can do without us. What do you say?"

Roman walked out scratching the top of his head and interrupted Bo and Hope's moment. "You two have any updates? We need to keep this going before we lose all momentum."

Bo and Hope were interrupted again though. This time Arianna walked in to meet with Roman, but she had something else to report to him first. "Sorry it took me so long to finally get down here, but I thought you should know that when I walked in I noticed a lot of news vans pull up in the parking lot."

"I'm glad you made it Ari because we could really use your help," Roman said as he wondered why the media pulled up. "Can you two check what's going on outside while I talk to Arianna?" Bo and Hope agreed and headed out front. Roman put his attention back on Arianna. "I know it's been a while since we've worked together, but I really need your help on this case I'm working on. I need you to do some undercover work for us."

Arianna did not feel comfortable doing undercover work for Roman again – especially after what happened last time. "Who do you want me to spy on?"

"Stefano Dimera," Roman replied clearly.

Arianna's hesitance to go undercover again started to become straight up resistance. "I don't think I can do that. EJ is my friend and has done so much for me and my family over the last year alone. I cannot betray him in that way. I won't help you split up EJ and Sami if that's what this is about either."

Roman figured Arianna would have reservations about spying on Stefano, but he really needed her help to find out if Stefano at least knew anything about Abe's whereabouts. "Arianna, this isn't about EJ or my daughter. As much as I still don't agree with their marriage, I don't think EJ is involved or knows anything. It's Stefano who knows something that he doesn't want us to know. We need to do whatever it takes to find Abe, and he may be our key."

Arianna thought about Lexie's situation and figured she needed to do what she could to help even if she didn't feel comfortable spying on Stefano. "I'll do it, but I'm going to do things my way."

Bo, Hope, and Lexie rushed back in before Roman could say anything to Arianna about their plan. All of them had looks of shock and disappointment on their faces. "You're not going to believe this. Abe's disappearance has been leaked to the media. Somehow they have information about our investigation and Lexie's statement about what happened," Bo informed Roman.

Lexie, who had arrived to talk to Roman about her father, was not pleased as she was almost ambushed outside. "How the heck did this happen?" she asked in frustration, but then realized something. "Oh my gosh. This has got to be all over the TV. Theo might find out." Lexie pulled out her phone and dialed her mother's number hoping she would call in time to stop Theo from finding out.

Arianna stepped back as Roman, Bo, and Hope went into panic mode. "This is definitely not good," Roman said knowing that the media would expect some kind of statement soon. They needed to take care of this as soon as possible.

"Now that the news is out, everything out there is going to turn into chaos. Our chances of finding Abe have decreased," Hope said filled with dread.

Bo didn't want to accept that truth. He felt bad for his wife because this would mean they wouldn't get a break for her birthday. He pulled Hope close to him and stated, "What we need to do now is try to control the chaos before it gets worse." Arianna watched as everyone around her went to work on containing the situation.

* * *

><p>Mia stood in front of Grace's headstone waiting for Chad to arrive. She was tired of Chad not coming to her the way she wanted. She had hoped Chad would have made a move on her by now, but Will's hold on him was stronger than she thought. This was her last resort.<p>

Chad finally arrived and walked over next to Mia. "What did you want to meet about? Is everything okay?"

Full of nerves, Mia could barely remain in control in front of Chad. "I'm fine... I… I asked you here because I need your signature on these forms, so we can legally change Grace's middle name to Madeline... after your mom." Mia pulled out the form from her purse and handed it to Chad. She then pulled out a pen for him to sign with.

Chad smiled when he saw the name change on the form. He signed it and handed the form and pen back to Mia. "I'm glad it's pretty much official now. I just wish she and my mother were still here."

Mia didn't really hear Chad because she was so focused on what she was going to say to him. She put the form and pen in her purse before informing him, "In a week I am scheduled to go back to New York unless you give me a reason to stay."

Chad looked at Mia and saw that she expected him to say something specific to her. He didn't know what to say, but Mia mentioning her leaving in a week made him realize something else. "It's been a week since I got back from Colorado, and Will still doesn't know you're in Salem." Chad realized he could have told Will when they met in their private spot, but unconsciously he didn't in fear that the secret would ruin their place.

Mia couldn't believe Chad's first thought was to talk about Will. She wasn't ready to give up just yet though. "Chad, why is that so important? You don't have to tell Will about me since it looks like I will be leaving in a week."

"Why is it important? It's important because Will is my boyfriend, and I have been keeping something from him," Chad enlightened Mia. "Don't take this the wrong way. I care about you, but I need to stop acting like you have any say on the decisions I make."

Mia stepped back in shock but didn't waste any time reminding him of how she used to be important to him like Will. "Chad, we used to get each other. We were connected and knew what the other needed. We made such a great team and always made great decisions together."

Chad looked into Mia's eyes and could see where she was going with this. He looked away and decided he was done arguing about this with her. "I signed the papers. I've got to go. Have a safe trip next week."

Mia tried to stop Chad from leaving, but he rushed back to his car. Mia couldn't believe that Chad shut down on her and hinted he didn't plan on seeing her during the rest of her stay in Salem. She began to tear up but told herself not to give up.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps from behind her. She smiled believing Chad had finally decided he couldn't walk away from what they have. When she turned around, her smile turned into slight fear because a man she did not know stood in front of her. "Can I help you?"

Ignazio, who had witnessed the whole exchange between Chad and Mia, decided he needed to approach Mia. "I promise I can help you get Chad while insuring you he won't tell Will that you're in town."

Mia's ears perked up interested to see what he had in mind. "I don't know you, but if you can follow through on what you just promised I am definitely interested in helping you with whatever you want help with."

Ignazio smiled pleased that Mia seemed eager to do whatever he wanted. He put his hand out to her. Mia looked Ignazio's hand over for a moment before finally taking it. Ignazio and Mia had just formed a new alliance.


	53. Chapter 53 Damage Control, Pt 1

**Chapter 53: Damage Control, Pt. 1 – Thursday, January 12th, 2012**

It was Thursday late morning, and everyone at the police station was scrambling around taking phone calls and working to keep things under control due to the leaked story about Abe's attack and disappearance. Bo, Hope, and Roman walked into Roman's office trying to determine ways to get the press off of the force's back, so they could focus their energy entirely on finding Abe and keeping Salem safe. In frustration, Bo slammed his hand on Roman's desk as he let out, "Dammit, the press wants a new statement every half hour, and it's causing the people to be more riled up. I thought that after a couple of days things might simmer some, but they are relentless and won't let it go."

Roman tried to remain calm and wanted Bo and Hope to keep their heads on straight. "We've managed to keep the chaos under control for the most part. The people are panicking because they think that Abe is dead."

"They need a leader. With Abe gone, they don't know what to do with themselves," Hope commented as she placed her hands on her hips pacing the room.

Bo was still frustrated. "It's been almost two weeks, and we still don't have any definite leads."

Before Hope and Roman could respond there was a light tap on Roman's office door. Hope walked over, opened the door, and let DA Woods into the room. "Woods, we weren't expecting you."

DA Woods looked the three officers over and shared, "Well, I came here to check on your progress. The people and the media are demanding answers and want someone to blame for this mess."

Roman stepped up deciding he should update Woods on their current status since he was the commissioner. "We are still working on a lead in the prison, but we aren't really getting any hits there."

"Well, have you looked into what exactly was used to slash Abe's tires before his attack?" Woods asked infuriating the others.

Before Bo could react to the DA's clear mocking tone, Roman communicated, "Of course. That was one of the first things we did. Abe's tires were slashed by a 13" Italian Stiletto Knife, but we have yet to find anyone who owns one. It's most likely not registered."

DA Woods gave Roman a disappointed look as he continued to question their ability to solve a case. "Well, are there any other leads you're trying to follow up on?"

Roman took a step back as he thought about Arianna. He had asked her to keep an eye out at the Dimera Mansion for the knife or any other suspicious behavior from Stefano. Wanting to protect Arianna, he decided not to share any info on the undercover operation. Instead, he shared, "With the story out, we are hoping someone will come forward and tell us they saw something that night."

"I doubt anyone will come forward now. It's been thirteen days." DA Woods took a seat deciding he was tired of standing. "What's really on people's minds is the office of mayor. The people are going to want it filled, so they can start to feel safe again."

Hope thought Wood's subject change seemed to come out of nowhere. "Do you have any idea who the office is considering to finish Abe's term?"

Woods gave Hope a pleased smile because he hoped someone would ask him that question. "Actually, according to some sources, I am on the shortlist," he shared causing Roman and Bo to trade glances. Neither thought the idea of him becoming mayor was a good idea.

Deciding he couldn't stay quiet anymore, Bo stated, "No one can replace Abe though. Abe was an honest and good man."

Woods slightly jerked from the chair at Bo's passive insult but bit his tongue because he didn't want to show disrespect to a man who might be dead. "Mayor Carver truly was a good man, and he will be missed." Standing up, he decided to excuse himself. "I am going to head back to my office after giving a short statement to the media. I will say we're making progress in finding Abe while making sure we bring stability back to the streets of Salem."

After the DA left, Bo made a ticking sound with his teeth in frustration. "Something needs to happen. Hopefully Arianna will be able to find that knife at the Dimera mansion."

* * *

><p>Lexie got off the phone with Brandon feeling overwhelmed by everything that happened the last few days. She could really feel the pressure of the truth hitting her now. With the story leaked, it made everything more real – especially with the current state of her son.<p>

As Chad attempted to play with Theo, Celeste placed her hands on Lexie's shoulders. "Darling, please take a break to try to calm your nerves. You need to breathe. You've been moving around constantly since the news broke out."

Lexie dropped her hands to her sides and turned to look at Theo. She took note of Chad's attempts in trying to get Theo to say something or stop the patterned behavior he was now doing with his car. She couldn't believe he saw the news, and that it rendered him speechless. Realizing that taking a break didn't help her feel better about anything, she turned to her mother and said, "I can't do this. I feel so stuck!" Lexie pulled away and looked through her phone. "I need to call Abe's brother and sister. I'll call Jonah first and then Karen."

Celeste stopped Lexie from making the call. "Alexandra, please stop with the phone calls. You need to eat or drink something. Come to the kitchen for a bit before I leave with Theo."

"Mom!" Lexie let out frustrated. "I'll go to the kitchen alone, but I am going to call Jonah right now. I'll eat something after. I promise." Lexie held onto her phone as she exited the living room into the kitchen.

Celeste sighed and said a silent little prayer to the spirits as she looked up. Turning to Chad and Theo she made eye contact with Chad. Chad stood up and joined Celeste by the door that led to the kitchen. "Theo still hasn't said anything, and won't play with anything besides that car my father brought him last week."

Celeste could see that this situation caused Chad to feel discouraged as well. "We are in a tough situation, but we will get through it. We will help Theo through this." Wanting to check in with him about his personal life, Celeste thought it would be good if Chad talked about himself for a while. "Have you had anymore dreams?"

"I've had dreams - well nightmares - but they haven't featured any tarot cards," Chad informed Celeste. "I don't know why the tarot dreams suddenly stopped again."

Celeste believed she knew why and commented, "Maybe you're not ready for more because there is something you must do before they resume. The last dream you had featured EJ in the chariot. You're avoiding a battle."

Chad remembered 'the Chariot' dream and began to wonder aloud, "I haven't told Will about Mia yet. That may be the reason the dreams have ceased." Frustration hit Chad as he admitted, "I've been so caught up in helping my sister and nephew that I have put off what I need to do with Will. I guess in a way I am not ready to face what will happen once Will finds out. It's a battle I may lose."

Celeste felt bad for Chad because he was so torn on what to do. She decided to give him some guidance. "Maybe you should talk to Will today about it." Celeste noticed the time and realized she and Theo needed to leave soon. "However… I need a favor from you before you talk to Will."

"What is it?"

Celeste grabbed her purse and keys as she requested, "Keep an eye out for Lexie. She hasn't been well, and I can't do it now because I have to take Theo to his therapy session at the hospital. When the session is over, I will make sure to stay with her, so you can talk to Will."

Chad agreed and helped Celeste get Theo ready for his appointment. After some time, Celeste and Theo headed out, so Chad walked over to the kitchen door to check on Lexie. He stopped from going into the kitchen completely when he heard grief in Lexie's voice as she talked on the phone. He hated hearing his sister sound so distraught.

Wiping the tears that were continuously coming out of her eyes, Lexie told Jonah, "I don't need you to come to Salem right now. I will keep you updated on any news I hear concerning Abe." Jonah told her he would talk to Karen about everything and added that they would be coming to Salem if it comes to the point where they have to plan a funeral. Lexie tried to control her crying as she told him, "I will let you know."

Lexie and Jonah said their goodbyes, and Lexie ended the phone call. Turning around, she spotted Chad standing at the door staring at her. She immediately wiped her tears and pretended she hadn't been crying. "Did my mom and Theo already leave?"

Chad tilted his head to Lexie as he mentioned, "You're shutting down on me and your mother just like Theo has with all of us."

Lexie continued to wipe her face as she managed to stop crying. "What happened with my brother-in-law on the phone was just a weak moment for me because I have had to be so focused." She and Chad traded glances as they remained silent for a moment. She wanted to move on from what just happened. "The masquerade tomorrow will be my first official public appearance since it all happened."

Chad gave his sister a concerned look as he wondered out loud, "Are you sure that's a good idea? You don't need to take care or worry about the people of Salem. You need to focus on you and Theo."

"I am the mayor's wife, and I will do this," Lexie directed.

Not wanting to push his sister away, Chad backed off on trying to talk her out of it for now. "Whatever you decide, I will be there to support you and make sure no more pain comes your way."

Almost breaking again, Lexie rushed over to Chad and gave him a hug. After kissing him on the cheek, she thanked him for staying with her through everything. Without thinking she added, "I know that EJ would have volunteered to take care of me, too, but he has a family of his own to take care of."

Chad held onto Lexie feeling hurt by the comment. He dismissed the hurt though, so he could continue to comfort his sister. "I'm not going anywhere as long as you need me."

* * *

><p>Dario and Gabi decided they needed to reconnect as brother and sister due to their disagreements in the recent past. They didn't want to continue to push each other's buttons because there was already enough drama happening within their family. Dario agreed to help Gabi find a dress, while finding a costume for himself, for the Friday, the 13th Masquerade. Walking by the tree, Dario said, "Ari and Mama are supposedly coming up here later. I know Mama really wants to go to the masquerade tomorrow, but she's definitely weaker."<p>

"She's trying her best to hide it, though, "Gabi commented wanting to hold onto some hope, but the truth of her situation always seemed to win out in her mind. "She's trying to be so strong and doesn't want us to know that she's really torn up inside."

Hearing Gabi's comment reminded Dario of the concerns Chelsea shared with him about his younger sister. Since they were trying to reconnect, he thought now would be a good time to check in with her about her life. "What's going on with you currently? Any updates on the T situation or Kinsey's baby?"

Gabi could tell Dario was trying hard to reconnect with her, but she wasn't ready to talk about her personal life with him. "T is still the father, and Kinsey is a bitch. She left Salem again after the truth came out." Trying to get out of saying anything more she added, "Except for the fact that we're shopping for this party, my life at the moment is to only focus on Mama."

"I think that's good," Dario let out before reconsidering. "Maybe it's not a good thing. What's our life going to be like when she's gone?"

Gabi wanted to avoid that subject at all costs. "I don't want to talk about that. I am not ready to even think about it."

"Me neither," Dario admitted. As he and his sister made their way to the costume shop, they spotted Kai sitting at a table by himself. Dario remembered his run in with Kai the week before at the park and decided to avoid him. Gabi was on the same page. To show his appreciation to his sister, Dario shared, "Thanks for never saying 'I told you so'."

Gabi nodded her head and decided not to say anything about Sonny to her brother. Instead she suggested, "I was thinking we should get some coffee after we've done some shopping, but maybe we should go somewhere away from the square to avoid Kai." Dario agreed with the idea as he led his sister into Enchanted Costume & Tuxedo Shop.

Will walked up to Kai and took a seat at the table. "Hey Kai. Thanks for meeting up with me."

Kai gave Will a nervous smile since it felt like forever since they saw each other. "I'm glad you called me. A part of me wondered if we would still be friends."

Will tried to fight the discomfort of the situation as he replied, "I want us to be. How are you?"

Kai didn't want to get into anything deep, so he answered casually, "I am okay. How are you and Chad?"

Hearing Chad's name caused Will to smile wide to the point he began to blush. "Even though Chad and I don't get to see much of each other, we are doing great!"

Kai was happy for Will, but questioned, "Why aren't you two seeing much of each other?"

"I'm sure you've heard about what happened to the mayor before New Year's Eve. Chad's sister is the mayor's wife, so he's been staying with her and trying to help her through this," Will explained. "Chad and I do find time to see each other though when he's available." Thinking back on it, Will realized he and Chad actually saw each other for short periods since what happened to Abe leaked. Chad was a lot busier and more distracted now.

Kai nodded his head as he and Will sat in awkward silence for a while. He still didn't want to talk about Sonny, so he decided on a topic they could go back and forth on. "What are you doing to occupy your time before school starts?"

Will picked up on Kai wanting to avoid talking about Sonny and questioned what he should do about it. He figured Kai could use a friend to talk things through, but he didn't want to overstep. "I'm just trying to enjoy the last few days of break," he said to buy him more time on how to delicately bring up Sonny. "What about you? How is life… after everything that happened with Sonny?" Will hadn't planned on coming out with it like that, but it was too late to take it back now.

Kai looked away and admitted, "It's been hard." Even though he was annoyed that Will managed to bring up Sonny directly, he decided it would be best to just talk about it so there wasn't this pink elephant whenever they hung out. He wanted his friendship with Will to continue outside of the context of Sonny. "I have to move on, so I guess everything will be fine in the end."

Will could tell Kai still questioned if everything would be okay. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but do you still love Sonny?"

Kai continued to avoid eye contact as he answered, "I do, but I will never get back with Sonny."

Wanting to understand what Kai was feeling and thinking, Will commented, "I don't understand how you handle having feelings for someone, but then knowing you have to stay away from them when they want you back. Do you feel like you're betraying your feelings at all?"

Kai thought about Will's comment and question. "I don't think so. Sonny cheated on me, and I know that's not how I want to be treated. If anything, I am protecting my feelings by staying away from him. You would understand if Chad cheated on you."

Will suddenly became defensive as he disputed, "Chad would never cheat on me." He knew deep down that Chad wouldn't hurt him or cheat even if he questioned if they were meant to be together.

"Never say never," Kai countered. "Did you ever think Sonny would be the type to cheat?"

Will didn't even have to think about it as he answered, "No."

Seeing that he may have made Will second guess Chad, Kai decided to generalize the cheating by sharing, "Apparently all gay men cheat from what I've heard."

Will didn't enjoy hearing that stereotype. "That's not true for everyone. What is true is that no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. I know from experience now that all relationships have their ups and downs."

Kai nodded his head. He didn't want to start an argument with Will. "I never expected Sonny to cheat on me. I would just keep an eye out on Chad if I were you."

"Thanks for the advice," Will replied deciding to leave it at that. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. Will began to look around the square and spotted Gabi and Dario in Enchanted looking at a masquerade dress. He figured it would be best if they changed the subject. "Are you going to the masquerade tomorrow night?"

Kai welcomed the subject change and smiled. "I'm planning on it because Brett really wants to go. Hopefully, he can get the night off. Speaking of Brett, remember that time I tried to hook you and Brett up at that party?" Realizing he was encouraging Will to cheat in that situation, Kai's smile faded. "I am really sorry for being a tool."

Will didn't think much about what happened and laughed it off. "You already apologized and that was so long ago. Brett seemed like a nice guy. Are you interested in him?"

"No, we're just friends," Kai informed Will. Kai smiled as he remembered that moment he had with Will after their snowball fight during finals week. He still questioned if all gay men struggled with staying faithful. He wondered if he was screwed at ever finding happiness in a monogamous relationship.

* * *

><p>Maxine crossed over to Daniel and Jen and gave Daniel a bit of attitude as she shared, "I have to say that things are running smoothly, Dr. Jonas, but I am concerned about your health."<p>

Jennifer gave Maxine a knowing look as she exclaimed, "I have been trying to tell him the same thing. I think some of the other doctors could help lighten his load because he has taken on so much more than everyone else. Being the temporary Chief of Staff adds more pressure and more stress."

Daniel didn't enjoy being worried over – especially in third person right in front of him. Before he could get in a response, Nathan and Melanie walked up. They had just ended their shifts and wanted to say goodbye when they overheard Jennifer's concern. "I can help out and pick up a few patients if I need to," Nathan volunteered.

Feeling overwhelmed, Daniel informed everyone, "That's not necessary. I am going to be fine. I have the night off tomorrow."

Nathan didn't want to take back his offer to help. "That's great you're going to have a night off, but in the future I would like to help with your load because the patients aren't going to recover as well if you're overworking yourself."

Melanie was a bit shocked at how Nathan stood firm with Daniel, while giving great advice. "Nathan is right, dad. If you are set in keeping this schedule, I will be forced to make you take more breaks if I have to."

Daniel realized that everyone was right. "Okay. I will try to relax, and I'll look at patients I can pass on to other doctors." Daniel pulled Melanie into a hug to assure he was fine. "You and Nathan can go have fun now. You have my permission." Daniel made sure to give Nathan a look to let him know he was still keeping an eye out for his daughter. Nathan didn't respond and took Melanie's hand, so they could leave.

After Nathan and Melanie left, Jennifer grabbed Daniel's hand giving him an apologetic look. "I know you don't enjoy being watched over, but soon I will be your wife. I want to keep you safe."

"And I'm your head nurse," Maxine commented with a smile. "We need you healthy, Dr. Jonas." Daniel nodded his head deciding not to put up a fight.

Jack walked out of the elevator and quickly but calmly strolled over to Jen. "Jen, I really need to talk to you."

Letting go of Daniel's hand, Jen turned and gave Jack a dissatisfied look. "I am very disappointed in you, Jack Deveraux! You put that story first instead of Lexie and Theo!"

Daniel watched as Jack recoiled at Jen's frustration. He didn't want to get in the middle of their disagreement, but he needed to say something to Jack, "We have a hospital to run, and we don't need the press getting in the way of that. I hope that goes without saying."

Jennifer turned to Daniel and grabbed his hand again. "I know you have patients to see, so you can go if you want. I can handle Jack." After giving him a hug, Daniel left, while Maxine continued to stand close by. She wanted to see Jennifer handle Jack.

Seizing the opportunity to talk to Jen without Daniel there, Jack began to try to reason with Jen, "I report the news and this was a huge story. I wasn't going to drop the ball and let it remain a secret. This is about the safety of the people of Salem – which includes you, Abigail, and JJ. I did this for us. I need this so I can provide for our family."

Jen didn't want to hear it. "Oh, I know how important a big news story is to you. You can say you did this for the family and for the people of Salem, but we both know deep down you were more concerned with putting your name out there. I'm all for you helping out with the kids, but we don't need it at the expense of your ambition."

Confused at Jen's reaction to all of this, Jack countered, "You used to love this about me."

Jennifer traded a glance with Maxine because she didn't want to lose it on Jack in front of anyone. Maxine took her cue and walked away after shaking her head in disapproval at Jack. Jennifer regained focus to respond to her ex-husband. "Yes, there are things I used to love about you, but now I realize that I find those things the most annoying."

Feeling burned, Jack stepped back deeply hurt. "So you regret our whole relationship?"

Seeing the hurt in Jack's eyes and hearing the pain in his voice caused Jennifer to soften. "I am sorry that came out that way. I don't regret our past or are relationship. I'm just upset for what Lexie is going through. It's almost like my situation when I had no idea if I would ever hear back from you again. At least, I knew you were alive, while Lexie doesn't even know about Abe. I got to read your posts on that stupid walkabout blog. Lexie has nothing!"

"Well, I hope you know that most of that blog wasn't even me," Jack admitted.

Jennifer bobbled her head. Jack's admission completely threw her. "Wait. How much of that blog was actually you?"

Jack thought about what he had read on the blog after he finally left captivity with Tony. "Well, I guess the initial post is the only thing actually written by me. The rest of it came from notes I sent to the editor because my accident happened sometime after my first post was published."

Still trying to wrap her mind around all of this, Jennifer asked for more clarification. "How were you gone so long?" she asked thinking about how Jack's accident must have happened shortly after he disappeared on her. She realized his injuries and healing process must have been worse than she believed before.

As Jack and Jen continued to talk, Daniel returned from the hall and spotted the two in what seemed to be a heart to heart. He didn't see the same frustration in Jen's eyes anymore and wondered what Jack said to make her look worried about him. Daniel heard his name and turned around to find Sami wanting to talk to him. "Sami, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

Hearing Daniel's voice, Jennifer realized her fiancé was standing close by once again. She quickly turned to Jack and decided to dismiss him. "Jack, I can't waste any more time at work."

Jack felt some whiplash from Jen's sudden change in shutting him out again. "Uh. Can we meet up later then?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jennifer responded trying to wrap things up with Jack to find out what Sami and Daniel were talking about. "Please just go. Maybe you should try working on your relationship with Abigail and JJ. A new semester is starting, and that could be a great way for you to get involved again."

Jack let out a sigh of defeat. "Thanks." He left.

Jennifer joined Daniel and Sami asking, "What's going on?"

Sami shifted her body to include Jen on her conversation with Daniel. "I was just telling Daniel that I'm here for a board meeting. The board apparently wants to talk about Lexie's situation, and Daniel possibly being a permanent replacement since Lexie has shown no interest in coming back in the near future. There are claims going around that she's been working closely with the mayor's office and may stick around there."

Daniel and Jen could not believe what they were hearing. "That is absurd," Daniel let out and continued, "I can't believe the board is trying to replace Lexie so quickly."

Sami nodded her head in agreement. "I am going to try to postpone any decision for as long as I can. Daniel, I think you should come to the meeting to talk to the board as well. I think it could help them wait to make anything final if you're there to support Lexie."

Daniel nodded his head. "I'll do whatever I need to."

* * *

><p>At Maggie's house, Maggie began to sort out some clothes for JJ as Victor sat with JJ on the couch discussing Jack. "Tell me, JJ. What do you think about your father returning to Salem?"<p>

JJ's face lit up as he excitedly replied, "It's great that dad is here. He's one of the reasons I decided to stay in Salem. The whole family is here."

Victor noted JJ's excitement figuring JJ had no clue about his father's involvement in leaking Abe's disappearance. He wanted to dig deeper. "So I take it you're feeling great about everything."

After a thought, JJ admitted, "Not everything. My sister has not been the nicest person to my dad. She's getting in the way of everything." He wanted to use a different word to describe his sister, but he figured his Aunt Maggie wouldn't appreciate foul language in her house.

"So your sister is not happy that your dad is back?" Victor asked not really wanting an answer yet. He had another question he wanted a response to. "What about your mother? How is she taking your father's return?"

Maggie stopped what she was doing and cleared her throat because she knew she needed to step in. "JJ, I have all your stuff in this one bag. I think your sister pulled up as I just heard a car outside. Will you come check through this stuff to make sure I got everything?" As JJ stood up from the couch to look the stuff over, Maggie gave Victor a look to let him know she was aware of the fact that he was trying to get information on Jen due to his concern for Daniel.

Just as Maggie suspected, Abigail arrived to pick JJ up. Giving her brother a slight nudge, she asked, "You ready to head home?"

JJ grabbed his bag as he turned to his sister. "There are these awesome shoes I saw earlier. I want to go back to the square and get them before we head home. I talked to mom and she said she would pay you back if you bought them for me."

Abigail wanted to go straight home, but then commented, "I do need to buy a costume dress for the party tomorrow night."

Maggie's eyes lit up when Abigail mentioned the masquerade. "I am so excited about the masquerade tomorrow. Chez Rouge is going to look completely different and fabulous. Is Josh taking you tomorrow night?"

Uncomfortable, Abigail answered, "I'm still waiting to be asked."

"I'm sure he will ask. He's probably just waiting for the right time," Maggie covered hoping she didn't cause any awkwardness. She gave JJ and Abigail a hug as Abigail mentally commented to herself that she had already missed the right moment.

After Abigail and JJ left, Victor stood up from the couch and announced, "We should probably head out if we're going to make the hospital board meeting."

Maggie jolted as she shared, "We really need to be there if what I heard is true."

"I'll get the car."

As Victor walked out, Maggie grabbed her purse and decided to head upstairs to check on Mia. Knocking on the bedroom door, she called out to her. After Mia opened the door, Maggie informed her, "I just wanted you to know that I am heading out for a meeting at the hospital. Oh, and here's some money so you can buy a gown for the masquerade tomorrow. You should definitely get out of the house."

Taking the money, Mia made sure to thank Maggie. After Maggie left, Mia closed the door of the bedroom as she thought about how it was her last weekend in Salem. She hadn't seen Chad since their last run in at the cemetery on Monday, but she hadn't heard from Will either. She questioned if Chad had even told Will about her being in Salem. Mia placed the money in her pocket when her cell phone chimed. She received a text from Ignazio. He wanted to meet to discuss their plan.

* * *

><p>After spending some time with Johnny and Sydney before their nap time, EJ made his way downstairs and found his father finishing a conversation on the phone. He noted Stefano was talking to someone in prison. Taking a seat on the couch, he waited until his father hung up the phone. "Who were you talking to, father?"<p>

Stefano placed his phone in his pocket and headed for the bar for a glass of water. "It's not important. What's on your agenda today?"

Before EJ could say anything, Arianna arrived through the side door. "Sorry to bother you, but I need some sort of headache medicine. It seems we are out in the guesthouse."

EJ stood up from the couch and volunteered to get it, while Stefano remained at the bar trying to avoid any contact with the Hernandez girl. "You can wait here if you want. I am sure I can find some upstairs. The kids are napping, and I need to make sure I don't disturb them," EJ said and headed out of the room leaving Arianna and Stefano alone.

Arianna looked around the room as she thought about Roman's request. She gave a small smile to Stefano, who finally turned around, hoping he wouldn't catch on to why she was really there. "How is the search going for Abe? My mother told me to tell you that she has been praying for Lexie."

Stefano wasn't sure how to respond to Arianna. He did find her presence annoying. He didn't like random people hanging around the house. "Tell your mother she is appreciated. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any news."

Marco walked into the room ready to report to Stefano, but when he spotted Arianna standing there he couldn't help greeting her first. "Arianna, it's always good to see you. How are things with your mother?"

Stefano watched Marco and couldn't believe his complete lack of respect. Arianna smiled at Marco. Trying not to lose focus in front of him, she answered coolly, "Things are improving believe it or not. She's not out of the woods, but she is fighting."

"If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask," Marco replied as Stefano cleared his throat to get Marco to remember why he arrived in the first place. Marco quickly turned around to greet Stefano as Arianna stepped back to watch in silence. "My apologies boss," he stated before reporting, "Chad is currently with Lexie. They have traveled together around Salem getting things ready for the event tomorrow night and are currently headed for the mayor's office."

Stefano wasn't exactly pleased with the current family situation, but he was willing to work with what he had. "It's good that Chad is still involved with the family. Though I wish he didn't continue to keep his distance from me." Thinking about the masquerade, Stefano moved on. "I want you to tighten security for the family tomorrow evening. There's no telling if someone will try something else, and the press will not help either. They will be focused on getting a story on Lexie, and that is when I fear someone may strike." Not forgetting how Marco ignored him to talk to Arianna when he walked in, Stefano made sure to add while giving the side eye to Arianna, "I need you focused on this task! No dilly dallying around, and no distractions."

"I'll get right on it, sir," Marco stated firmly. "The family will remain safe," he added making eye contact with Arianna one last time. "Have a good night, Arianna."

"Good night, Marco," Ari responded realizing it wasn't even evening. Marco walked out of the room and received a text from Azzura before walking out the front door. In the text, Azzura seductively asked him if he had a moment for her. Marco knew he needed to accept her invitation and texted her back to wait for a text with a time and place.

EJ walked back into the room with a bottle of aspirin. "This is all I could find. I hope it's what you need."

Arianna took the bottle and thanked EJ. "I will bring it back tonight after my mother has gone to bed." She decided she had heard enough and would sneak in later.

"That won't be necessary," EJ informed her. "We have plenty here. If you need anything else don't hesitate to ask."

Arianna bit her lip because she no longer had a reason to return to the mansion later. "Thanks again." Arianna gave a small smile and left through the side door.

Stefano gave EJ an aggravated look as he commented, "I don't like it that they have access to our house whenever they like. You may be friends with Arianna, but she's still a Hernandez!"

EJ dismissed his father's comment. "I saw Marco walking on my way down the stairs. What did he have to say?"

"Chad is still with Alexandra. They are headed to the mayor's office most likely discussing that stupid event at Maggie's restaurant tomorrow," Stefano updated EJ. "Have you heard anything from your lovely wife?"

EJ wasn't sure what to think about his father calling Sami lovely. "Samantha is most likely just getting into the room to start the meeting with the board. She said she was going to ask Daniel to talk in the meeting on Lexie's behalf. It's ludicrous if they really do want to get rid of Lexie at a time like this."

"I'm sure that will work in Alexandra's favor. The board will see right through the lies someone chose to spread to get rid of her." Stefano knew someone was out to get Lexie but wasn't completely sure who it might be. He did have his suspicions though.

EJ remembered his father asking about his agenda for the day. "Tonight is the night, father. We are initiating Ignazio, and Chad has agreed he will be there to help."

Stefano scratched his chin thinking about his sister. "That's good. It will be interesting what Ignazio does when he is put in a life or death situation. His true motive will be clear tonight."

EJ's phone suddenly began to ring. EJ looked down and didn't recognize the number. "I need to take this," he informed his father. "We can talk more if you're still around." EJ walked out to take the call.

* * *

><p>Sonny walked into the Java Café and spotted Chelsea with Ciara. "Hello ladies. What are you two up to?"<p>

After Ciara greeted her cousin, Chelsea told Sonny, "I am on a play date with my sister. We decided to step in and have hot cocoa with banana nut muffins before we head back to the pub." Chelsea took a quick sip of her cocoa before asking, "How are you doing?" She was aware that Sonny wasn't doing well because she had heard about his relationship problems, but didn't want to ask him about it because Ciara was in front of them.

Sonny chose not to be honest due to Ciara's presence as well. "I'm okay." Feeling awkward about lying, Sonny scratched the top of his head as he looked around the room. Doing so, he spotted Brett sitting on the other side by himself. He turned back to Chelsea and Ciara dropping his hands into his jean front pockets. "I'll let you two get back to your sister time. I just spotted someone I need to talk to. Have fun."

After Chelsea and Ciara said their goodbyes, Sonny made his way over to Brett. Taking a breath, he knew things would only get more awkward. "Can I have a moment?"

Brett looked up from his phone. When he saw it was Sonny, he put his phone down. "Sure. I'm feeling generous today."

Sonny placed his hands on the top of the chair across from Brett and leaned on it. "How is Kai?"

Brett began to tap his thumb on the table. "Well, he's doing horrible. What do you expect?"

Sonny finally took a seat as he couldn't take standing anymore. He remembered how he felt drawn to talk to Dario over the weekend because Dario had given him space. He hoped the same would happen with Kai after some time. "I have kept my distance from Kai. I figure he needs space even if it's killing me. I want to talk to him so bad."

Brett could see that Sonny felt like crap and decided to back off on judging him. Instead, he offered some genuine advice, "Move on."

Sonny didn't want to hear that. He lowered his head, so he could move the conversation forward. "Has Kai found his own place or is he still staying with you?"

"Neither," Brett started. "He's staying with your great-uncle, Victor Kiriakis. I thought you would have heard about that by now."

Sonny couldn't believe that Kai was staying with Victor and didn't know. He couldn't believe his great-uncle got involved again. Trying to get over the shock, Sonny asked Brett for more details.

Dario and Gabi walked into Java after deciding to take a break from shopping. Running into Chelsea and Ciara, they decided to say hi. Chelsea noticed both had shopping bags in their hands. "What did you two buy?"

"We went shopping for that thing tomorrow night," Dario answered.

Gabi gave Dario a look as she went into specifics, "We found Dario a very nice tux and mask. I also managed to find a really cheap but awesome masquerade gown that is currently being altered so it will fit better tomorrow night. We're going to pick it up before we head home."

"I'll have to check that out," Chelsea said. She hadn't thought much about the masquerade and wondered if she should go.

Spotting Sonny with the guy who called him a 'fag' at the Cheatin' Heart, Dario asked, "Who is that guy with Sonny over there?"

As Chelsea noted the look in Dario's eyes, Gabi answered in a way so it wasn't a big deal to protect her brother. "I think he goes to Salem U. Maybe he's decided to move on from Kai." She couldn't believe that they managed to run into Sonny when they decided to come to Java to avoid Kai. She felt bad for her brother.

Bored with the others' conversation, Ciara got her sister's attention. "I want more hot cocoa."

Chelsea stood up to get Ciara more cocoa, but Gabi stopped her. "I can take her to get more. Dario and I still need to order drinks anyway."

Turning to Dario, she offered, "I'll get you your usual." She didn't want Dario to have to handle being closer to Sonny and thought Chelsea and Dario could use a moment alone. Gabi took Ciara's hand and led her to the barista to order more drinks.

Chelsea continued to watch Dario because he couldn't stop glancing over to Sonny and Brett. She wondered how much Dario knew about Sonny's situation. "I heard Sonny cheated on Kai, but I never heard who he cheated with. I wonder if it's that guy."

Dario tried his best not to show the discomfort he suddenly felt due to Chelsea's comment. "He... I don't know. I didn't even know that Kai and Sonny broke up," Dario said attempting to appear ignorant on the whole situation. His curiosity of why Sonny was with Brett quickly disappeared as he focused on what he needed to do to forget Sonny. He remembered his conversation with Ignazio the week before about Chelsea. He knew what he needed to do to change the subject. "You told my sister you would check the sale out at the square. Does that mean you're going to the masquerade tomorrow?"

Dario's question caught Chelsea off guard. This weird feeling came over her as she questioned why Dario would bring up the masquerade. "I'm considering it, but I don't know if I have anyone to go with," she admitted. "I hear it's better to have a date for those things."

"Do you want to be my date tomorrow night?" Dario spit out rather quickly. He feared if he stalled any longer, he would have lost the courage to ask her. He couldn't believe this was so hard for him. He used to have an easier time asking girls out.

Pleasantly surprised, Chelsea quickly accepted. Dario took a deep breath and smiled back. He told himself that everything would be right again. He believed going on a date with Chelsea would help him heal and move on from what he felt with Sonny.

* * *

><p>At the mayor's office, Mr. Olsen walked out of the conference room and found Lexie sitting next to Chad waiting. "Thanks again, Lexie for agreeing to meet with the board today. You have been really helpful the last few days around here, and we all appreciate you very much."<p>

Lexie smiled as she took Chad's hand for strength as she replied, "Thanks. I know I am not my husband, but I want to help as much as I can."

Mr. Olsen returned the smile as he continued, "Our agenda in the meeting today is to talk about who we should appoint as Mayor Carver's stand-in for the rest of his term – if that should be the case, but…" Mr. Olsen paused hoping he did not cause Lexie to get upset due to the subject matter. Once she seemed okay, he finished, "but first there's something I want to tell you personally."

Letting go of Chad's hand and standing up, Lexie asked, "What is it?"

Mr. Olsen reflected on the meeting the board had with Maddalena on Monday. "You are Abe's wife, and as I mentioned before, you have helped us out a great deal the last week. The board has agreed that before we discuss any other candidate, we would like to offer you the job of Mayor. It would be great to have you work for the city of Salem in a bigger capacity."

Chad got excited for his sister figuring this would be good for her. "I think you should do it."

Lexie gave Mr. Olsen a look of gratitude. "I appreciate the offer. Unfortunately, I have to decline because I am not ready to give up my post at the hospital. I know I am not working at the moment, but I truly believe I can use my talents there more than in this office."

Mr. Olsen slightly lowered his head to let her know he wasn't upset with her decision. "In that case, we will proceed with the meeting." Stepping back as Chad began to stand, he claimed, "I am sorry, Mr. Dimera, but you cannot join us in the meeting."

Chad stood still unsure of what to do because he had planned on supporting his sister through the meeting. Lexie put her hand up to Mr. Olsen with a request. "I will join you in a sec. I'd like a moment alone with my brother before the meeting starts."

After Mr. Olsen returned to the conference room, Chad suggested, "I can wait out here for you."

Lexie placed her hand on Chad's arm. "That won't be necessary, Chad. I appreciate you spending the day with me, but I know there is something you have been putting off. I can't let you not live your life because you're trying to help me live mine."

Chad didn't want Lexie to worry about him. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I am not purposely focusing on you to avoid my own life."

Lexie simply smiled and gave her brother a hug. Pulling away, she let her hands remain on his arms. "Chad, I know you have been putting off talking to Will about something important because I've overheard bits and pieces of your conversations with my mom. I'm not sure what I think about you and my mom spending time together, but I do know you need to talk to Will."

Chad knew his sister was right, but he still struggled with leaving his sister. "I'll talk to Will, but I need to know you're going to be okay."

Lexie gave Chad an assuring smile. "Yes, I am fine. I will call you when the meeting is over. We can regroup after that."

Chad smiled back and pulled his sister into another hug. Lexie made sure to give Chad a kiss on the cheek before they separated. "Thanks. I will talk to you later." Lexie wished Chad luck before heading into the conference room. Chad headed out to his car ready to tell Will about Mia.

* * *

><p>Will and Kai arrived at Will's apartment door. "I called earlier to make sure Sonny wouldn't be around," Will informed Kai to let him know he didn't have to worry. Walking in, the two were surprised to see T sitting on the couch, sulking. "T, what are you doing?"<p>

T didn't bother turning his head. "I am so done with everything. Time doesn't heal anything. My life still sucks."

"I agree with you," Kai said as he crossed over to T. "But that's when you have to make a change or find something else to do. Try living life in a new context. One away from Gabi and whatever is going wrong in your life."

Will decided to share his thoughts as he agreed with Kai. "Yeah. A new semester is about to start. Focus on that. You still have that, right?"

T let out a sigh. "Yeah, I guess I do. My parents decided that was the one thing they wouldn't take away from me." Even though T was appreciative about that, the cut off from his parents still seemed a lot worse. "What classes are you guys taking?" he asked trying to get his mind off the negative aspects of his life.

"I'm not entirely sure," Will admitted. "I'm taking a lot of music classes since I changed my major. I'll go print my schedule. I have to print it out anyway, so I can get my books and stuff from the campus bookstore this weekend."

After Will left the room, Kai joined T on the couch. "So tell me, what do you want to do in this exact moment?"

T still felt tense. "Honestly, I want to hurt my parents and Gabi for the way they hurt me. I would do anything for them to feel what I feel right now."

"Like kissing Will in front of Gabi?" Kai questioned reminding T of his propositioning Will. "Are you sexually curious or do you really just hate Gabi that much?"

T sat up straight on the couch. "I'm not gay or anything. I just know that Gabi kept me away from living my life and enjoying my friends because she feared Will, Sonny, or Chad would turn me gay."

Kai immediately started shaking his head. "That is so ridiculous. Sure Sonny and Dario happened, but I think Dario has always been gay. He admitted it to me." Kai shook his head as T was surprised to hear that Sonny cheated on Kai with Gabi's brother. Kai continued, "Gabi is so dim. Even though she did warn me about Sonny, I still hate that bitch."

T nodded his head glad that someone else saw Gabi for who she was. He then got the urge to ask Kai a question. "Would you ever kiss a straight guy?"

Kai began to laugh as he shared, "I heard that's every gay guy's dream."

Will walked back in interrupting Kai and T's conversation. "Chad just sent me a text. He wants to meet me here alone. I hate to do this, but is there any way..."

"T and I were going to head out anyway," Kai interrupted Will hoping T would go with it.

Will wasn't sure what to think, but T confirmed it. "Yeah, I think we might go to the pub or something for a drink."

"Okay," was all Will could get out at first. He found Kai and T hanging out alone interesting but decided not to ask because he was getting the privacy Chad requested. After saying bye, Will watched as Kai and T left. He wondered why Chad wanted to meet with him like this. He questioned if Chad was finally going to open up to him about his secret.

* * *

><p>As they waited in the park, Ignazio and Ric discussed their next move. "After we finish here, I have to head home and change. I got a call from EJ telling me he had a special assignment for me late in the evening."<p>

Ric was about to ask if Ignazio knew anymore about the special assignment, but Mia arrived on time. She looked at the two guys carefully as she wasn't sure what to think of their plan. "I can't believe Chad hasn't said anything. Your plan seems to have worked – whatever you did."

Ignazio thought about how the truth about Abe coming out was perfect timing to detour Chad from talking to Will about Mia. He believed they had stalled long enough. "It's time we put the next part of our plan in action. You will need your phone ready to dial Chad."

"Why?" Mia asked. She knew Ignazio asked her to trust him, but she wasn't going to do it blindly.

Ric grew impatient with Mia's questioning. "You will be calling Chad soon because your life is in danger." To put fear in Mia, Ric stepped up to her to make her cower.

Through her sudden fear of urgency, Mia turned to Ignazio with a confused look. "Your plan is to attack me?"

Ignazio stopped Ric from doing anything else, so he could explain everything to Mia. "We aren't going to hurt you too horribly. We need to make it seem like someone really wants you dead. After Chad comes to your rescue and finds you hurt, he will be more inclined to keep the fact that you're in Salem a secret. He will want to protect you and be there for you."

Mia wasn't completely sold on the idea. "How can you be sure of that? Half of Salem already knows I am in town."

Ignazio struggled with appeasing Mia's need to know everything, but he really needed her to believe him. "I need you to trust me. I truly believe Chad will remember your past love and forget about Will. You have told me it was something special. Of course, this is only part of the plan. There is more, but I will tell you about that later. For now, we have to stage this attack."

Mia took a deep breath, but she wasn't satisfied still. "I have one more question, and then I promise we can go ahead with your plan. I know why I want this, but why do you want this so bad?"

Ric tried to step in again, but Ignazio held him back. Giving her a serious and convincing look, Ignazio answered, "Chad needs to move on and start a new life outside of Salem. It's my hope he will return to New York with you. I think you are the answer." Ignazio had noted previously that Mia seemed to be very self-confident and hoped that feeding her ego would keep her in check with what he needed from her.

Satisfied with the answer, Mia brushed herself off and pulled out her cell phone. She pointed the screen to Ignazio and Ric as she instructed her phone to call Chad Dimera. Ric began to move closer to Mia slowly causing her to rush away. Ignazio placed his hand on Ric's chest so Mia could get a head start.

As Mia continued to run away through the snow, Chad finally picked up his phone. "Mia, if you're calling me to keep me from telling Will, you're wasting your time."

Chad sounded annoyed, but Mia didn't let that stop her. "Chad, you have to help me. There are these two guys going after me. They've followed me all day, and when I confronted them, they tried to attack me!"

"Where are you?" Chad asked with concern in his voice now.

Mia looked back and tripped on the snow dropping her phone. She screamed trying to find it. "Chad, I'm at the Salem Park! Please help me! Help me please!" Mia looked up and saw Ignazio and Ric standing over her. They began to slap her around causing her to make grunting sounds loud enough for Chad to hear through the phone. Chad knew what he had to do.


	54. Chapter 54 Damage Control, Pt 2

**Chapter 54: Damage Control, Pt. 2 – Thursday, January 12th, 2012**

Will stood up from the couch and paced around it as he continued to wait for Chad. He hoped that everything was okay and wondered what was taking Chad so long. Taking a seat on the couch for a second, he felt restless and tried to call Chad. Chad didn't answer. "He's not even answering his phone," Will commented to himself with slight frustration. He began to wonder if Chad had stood him up.

As he continued to wait, Will began to think about what exactly Chad wanted to talk to him about. First, he thought about good things. Will wondered if Chad was finally moving back in, and then thought that maybe Chad was ready to be out completely – making their relationship entirely public. Things were great between them. It had to be something good… but doubts began to plague his mind causing him to think the worst. What if Chad was leaving him and wanted nothing to do with him? What if Chad realized he wasn't gay after all and only pretended he was because he didn't want to hurt Will's feelings or ruin their friendship?

Fortunately, Will realized he was being ridiculous, so he brushed off the negative possibilities from his mind. Unfortunately, this led to Will experiencing a fear he wished he could trade for anything. "What if something horrible has happened to Chad?" he thought in his head. Suddenly, his phone started ringing. "Thank God!" he exclaimed believing Chad was finally calling him back.

Will looked at his phone screen to be sure, but it wasn't Chad. It was Lucas. Picking up, he asked, "Dad, why are you calling so late?"

"Hello to you, too," Lucas started before explaining, "I had a late night and wanted to check in on you. I heard about what happened to Abe Carver."

Will appreciated his father calling, but he didn't want to waste another minute on the phone. "Dad, I'm fine, so you have nothing to worry about. No one else has been attacked or abducted."

Lucas wasn't done worrying. "How are you being careful? What precautions are you taking? Is Chad with you?"

Annoyed, Will raised his voice a little. "Dad, I'm fine. I'm not doing anything different. I know how to be safe. I don't have time to talk right now because I can't find Chad, and I'm worried about him. I've got to go!" Before Lucas could respond, Will ended the phone call. Taking a deep breath, Will knew he needed to find Chad to make sure he was okay.

* * *

><p>Chad rushed into the hospital holding Mia, who had bruises and cuts all over. "Somebody, I need help."<p>

Maxine rushed to Chad and immediately started asking questions as she looked Mia over. "What's going on here? What happened?"

"She was attacked in the park, and I found her. She contacted me when it was happening," Chad explained. His voice was filled with confusion and concern.

Maxine checked in with Chad. "Can you continue to hold her?" Chad nodded his head. "Okay, sweetheart. Follow me." Maxine, Chad, and Mia disappeared into one of the rooms to check Mia's injuries.

Celeste, who was leaving a voicemail, walked out of the hall just missing them. "Darling, Theo's therapist wants him to stay longer than usual, so we will be here at the hospital if you need us. Feel free to call me if you need anything. I'll try calling Chad to see if he'll answer." Celeste hung up the phone hoping Lexie was okay. She reminded herself that Chad had promised to stay with her.

Chad walked out from the room distraught. He was still shocked about what happened with Mia. Seeing Celeste, he decided to walk over. "Celeste, are you and Theo still here?"

Celeste gave Chad a confused look. "Are you here with Alexandra? I just called her and left her a message about Theo's therapy session being extended."

"Lexie's not here. She's still at the mayor's office – I think," Chad admitted getting over the shock of what happened to Mia somewhat.

Celeste could see that something must have happened. "Chad, why are you here then? Has something happened?"

Chad scratched his neck feeling overwhelmed. "I had to bring a friend to the hospital."

"Is it Will?"

Chad immediately shook his head. "No. It's not Will. Why would you think that?" he asked with the thought that maybe she had some kind of premonition.

To Celeste, Chad seemed on edge especially when she said Will's name. To calm his paranoia, she clarified, "I saw great concern on your face, and when you told me you brought a friend to the hospital, I could tell you really care for this friend."

Chad stepped back scratching the back of his neck. "I wouldn't necessarily say that. The person is just a friend and nothing more."

Celeste wasn't convinced with Chad's response and wondered what he was trying to keep from her. Maxine walked out to give Chad an update on Mia. "The doctor is with Mia now. She's conscious. It looks like she'll need a few stitches but will be able to go home soon after that."

"Thanks, Maxine," Chad said turning to Celeste, who gave him a knowing look. Celeste realized Chad was still in denial about Mia's power over him.

Chad received a text message. He quickly pulled out his phone realizing he had stood up Will to look for Mia. He was confused when he didn't recognize the number, so he opened the message and read it: "Hey Chad, it's Brady Black. There's something I really need to talk to you about. Call me when you can." Chad wondered what Brady had to say to him. He questioned if he should call him now while he waited on Mia.

* * *

><p>Abigail and JJ got out of her car and grabbed their shopping bags to head into the house. Both were surprised when they found their father waiting outside by the front door. JJ quickly rushed over to his father and gave him a hug. He knew if he didn't say something first, Abigail might step in and ruin his time with Jack. "Dad, what are you doing here?"<p>

Noticing the bags in JJ's and Abigail's hands, he told them, "I came over to take you two school shopping, but I can see that you might not need me for that anymore."

Abigail smirked at her father as she informed him, "I have what I need, so you can go back to whatever you were doing before you came back to interrupt our already damaged lives."

"Stop it, Abby!" JJ called out to his sister. Feeling frustrated with his sister and not wanting to deal with her, JJ decided to give up. He rushed into the house after Abigail unlocked the door.

Feeling bad for frustrating her brother, Abigail tried to go after him. "JJ, wait."

"Abigail, please wait," Jack requested stopping Abigail from going in. "I really want to talk to you. I am so sorry for leaving you behind the way I did, and I sincerely wish I could take back my careless decision that led to my being away from our family for so long."

Abigail rolled her eyes and countered, "I am sure you could have come back any time you wanted."

"I couldn't," Jack replied adamantly. "I couldn't because I was actually held captive."

Abigail's defenses dropped somewhat from the revelation. "Wait. What? Were you really held captive?"

Jack's eyes lit up realizing he slipped and said too much to his daughter. He immediately started backpedaling. "I shouldn't have told you that. What I meant to say is..."

"You're trying to cover something," Abigail interrupted as she realized something else. "You didn't tell mom what you just told me, did you? What's going on here, dad? What aren't you telling anyone?"

Jack could see Abigail had softened a lot towards him, but at the same time he knew he couldn't tell her what she wanted to know. "I used the wrong word. What I meant to say is that I got injured while I was away. Because of my injuries, I was held up at a hospital in Italy being cared for until I got better. That's why I couldn't come to you guys when I wanted."

Abigail tried to read her father before asking, "Why would you use 'captive' and then use 'cared for'? Those do not mean the same thing!"

"You're an English major. They're practically synonyms," Jack contended. Sensing he was losing Abigail again, he dismissed his answer and her question. "That does not matter. The point I am trying to make is this: I wanted to come home to the family shortly after I left, but I couldn't because I was injured. I would have come if I could have."

Abigail put her walls up once more as she became frustrated with Jack again. "How the hell do you expect me to forgive you when you can't even be honest with me?" Abigail sighed before lamenting, "I can't believe my dad tried to guilt me into having a relationship with him again by claiming he was held captive when he wasn't."

"You're referring to me in third person," Jack said to lighten the mood. Abigail just rolled her eyes. Jack asked, "Can you see yourself forgiving me?"

Abigail shook her head. "It doesn't matter now because I am done talking to you. If you want to talk to my brother, I'll grab him so you two can talk. I'll try my best not to get in the way of your relationship with him since he's too young to really know you, but if you hurt my little brother, you will regret it!"

Jack watched as Abigail went inside the house to grab JJ. He couldn't believe he was in this position and hated having to lie to his family about everything. He thought about Tony making him promise and then realizing he wasn't ever fully sure of what exactly happened in Italy. It was all hopeless.

* * *

><p>Back at the Java Cafe, Chelsea, Ciara, Dario, and Gabi were finishing up their drinks as they continued to talk. Deciding they should start cleaning so they could head out, Chelsea turned to her sister. "Dad is probably already at the pub waiting for us."<p>

Gabi couldn't help but notice something different with Chelsea and her brother. They traded these glances and smiles from time to time that told her she missed something when she took Ciara to get more drinks. She turned to her brother, "We should probably go check on my dress and see if Mama and Ari made it to the square."

Dario stood up and took the trash from the table. Throwing the trash away, he wondered if he could really move on from Sonny and past his gay phase with Chelsea's help. He reminded himself that even though he found other guys attractive in the past, he was also attracted to women at the same time. He had been in many relationships with women and enjoyed them. Returning to the table, Dario spotted Sonny sitting at the table alone now. He immediately flashed back to showering with Sonny in the Kiriakis cabin and his hopes of getting over Sonny were crushed. The pull was definitely still there.

Since Brett had walked out on Sonny due to his constant questions about Kai, Sonny decided to call Brady since he couldn't get in touch with Victor. He told Brady, "I've been trying to call Uncle Vic. I need to talk to him about Kai."

"I think he's in a meeting at the moment actually," Brady responded. "Maybe I can help you?" he asked nervously.

Sonny figured Brady could help and shared, "I heard Kai moved into the mansion."

"He did, but I am not sure why," Brady admitted.

Sonny wondered what his great-uncle was trying to accomplish here. "Thanks, Brady. I'll let you go."

Brady wanted to check in with Sonny before the conversation ended. "Are you okay? Do you want me to tell Victor to call you later?"

"No," Sonny answered right away. "I'll just talk to him later."

Back at the other table, Chelsea began to say goodbye to Gabi and Dario. After giving Gabi a hug, she turned to Dario and asked, "What time should I be ready tomorrow? Or do you just want to meet at Chez Rouge?"

Nervous, Dario let out, "Can I just call you later, so we can decide together then?" As Chelsea nodded her head, Gabi realized her brother and Chelsea were going to the masquerade with each other. Chelsea and Ciara left.

Wanting to avoid any kind of confrontation from his sister about going on a date with Chelsea, Dario made his way towards the door to leave. Gabi followed suit trying to bring up what just happened. "You're going to the party tomorrow night with Chelsea?"

Dario quickly stopped her from saying anything more. "I forgot my shopping bag under the table," he shared feeling happy he had an excuse not to have this conversation with his sister. Dario headed back to the table to grab his bag, but on his way to the table, he ran into Sonny.

"Did I just hear right? You and Chelsea are going to the masquerade together?" Sonny asked feeling confused about everything. He, too, could still feel the draw to Dario.

Gabi swiftly made her way over before Dario could say anything. Getting in Sonny's face, she claimed, "You no longer have the right to know or ask because you're nothing to us."

Frustrated with Gabi's constant negative comments against him, Sonny had it and shot back, "I understand that I pissed you off a lot in the past, but I'm tired of the hate you spew in my direction any time we are around each other!" Dario got in the middle of his sister and Sonny trying to break up the fight, but they continued to yell at each other.

Outside, T and Kai walked up immediately spotting Sonny and Gabi going at it. Kai turned his head and gave T a look saying, "This is the perfect opportunity for us to get our revenge."

T looked over and watched as Gabi verbally attacked Sonny. He really hated her. Turning back to Kai, he took a deep breath before telling him, "I'm ready to do this." T pulled Kai closer to him and began to kiss him. People walking near them began to stop and stare.

Gabi and Sonny stopped fighting when they looked out and saw T and Kai kissing. Dario thought he had finally stopped them himself, but when he saw the pain in their eyes, he realized something else must have happened. Looking out, he saw Kai and T kissing as well. All three ran outside as a crowd began to form. Some were recording Kai and T's kiss with their phones.

"What… what's going on here?" Sonny asked confused and hurt.

Kai and T stopped kissing, but continued to hold each other as if they were a couple. They remained silent to take in Sonny and Gabi's reactions and hurt-filled looks. Disgusted Gabi asked T, "When did you go gay?"

T smirked at Gabi as he simply stated, "Your worst nightmare just came true."

Dario couldn't believe Kai did this to Sonny after Sonny said nothing but good things about him. Before he could do anything, Gabi accidentally pushed him back when she pulled T away from Kai. Pushing T in a different direction, she called him out, "If you're doing this to hurt me, then you have to try harder because I know you're not gay!"

T continued to give Gabi a cocky look as he informed her, "Every time we had sex you turned me a little gayer."

Regaining his balance, Dario walked over and punched T in the face knocking him down. "That's for hurting my sister you bastard!"

As T laid on the ground in shock, Sonny tried to talk to Kai about what just happened, but Kai wasn't having it. "I know that you supposedly chose me over Dario, but It's over Sonny. Get it through your head!" he shouted grabbing Dario's attention. Dario remembered telling Kai that in the park and reflected on how Sonny always seemed to find someone else to be with besides him.

Sonny wanted to cry but managed to keep his tears in check. "Why would you do this to me?"

"How does it feel?" he asked first before deciding, "Actually, I don't want to know because I don't want to talk to you. I just wanted to see you feel what I felt." Kai rushed off. Sonny didn't bother to check on the others and went after Kai.

T pulled himself up and asked Dario, "What the hell do you think you're doing? This is between me and your sister."

Showing his concern for Sonny, Dario shot back his own question, "What were you doing kissing Sonny's boyfriend?"

Turning it back to Dario, T asked, "What the hell were you doing when you had sex with Kai's boyfriend?"

Gabi's heart stopped. Turning to her brother, she asked with shock, "Dario, what is T talking about?"

T saw he finally brought pain to Gabi. Pleased with himself, he decided his job was done. "Maybe you should look at your own faults before calling out others, Dario." It was his turn to ignore Gabi. He turned around and walked away.

Dario stepped back in complete shock that even T knew about what he and Sonny did. He couldn't even look at his sister. Gabi got in Dario's face to grab his attention. "Dario, what the hell is going on here?" She then remembered her talk with Melanie at the guesthouse. After looking down in thought for a moment, she decided to talk specifics with her brother. "Everyone is giving me the impression that something sexual happened between you and Sonny."

Knowing he couldn't hide it anymore, Dario finally made eye contact with Gabi. He was clearly still getting over the shock of what just happened as he admitted, "Sonny and I had sex on his birthday. We were happy – so very happy – before Kai showed up to surprise Sonny at his family's cabin."

Completely floored, Gabi took a moment before demanding to know, "What the hell were you thinking?! Almost everyone knows what happened now!"

"I have to tell, Mama," Dario said softly to himself. He looked into Gabi's eyes as he inquired, "I wonder if she's at the square with Arianna by now."

Gabi began to freak out big time. "You can't do that!"

"What do you expect me to do?" Dario asked rhetorically with more determination. "It's going to get to her eventually! You just said everyone knows!" He looked around and noticed that people were capturing this moment with their camera phones, and that only strengthened his resolve.

Gabi didn't want Dario to do this. She had to stop him from making such a huge mistake. "What about Chelsea? There's potential there. You're not gay!"

Dario shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment. "I can't think about Chelsea because I need to tell Mama before she finds out from someone else! I have to step up and be honest with her about who I am, so she can know who I am before she dies!" Dario didn't waste another moment and rushed off before Gabi could try to persuade him differently.

Panicked, Gabi went after him, but had to come back to grab all of their shopping bags. After grabbing them, she rushed off again hoping she would be able to stop Dario in time. She couldn't allow him to destroy his life like this.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, EJ and Johnny were playing chess at the Dimera mansion after Johnny woke up from his nap. As he helped Johnny decide on what move he should make next, he struggled with focusing on the game because he couldn't stop thinking about the call he received from the mayor's office. He questioned how his name got on the short list when he showed no interest in politics before. He wondered if Lexie put his name on the list.<p>

Will arrived greeting his brother and EJ. "Have you talked to Chad recently? I thought he might be here for some reason. I drove by Lexie's house, but no one is there."

"I have not," EJ responded as he instructed Johnny which piece to move on the chess board. Turning around in his chair to face Will, EJ thought about how he had plans to see Chad later that night to initiate Ignazio.

Will looked the room over not satisfied with EJ's reply. "Chad called me, so we could meet up at the apartment, but he stood me up."

"That won't do," Kate said as she entered the room. "Chad is a fool for standing up my grandson."

Seeing the fear in his brother's eyes, Johnny pulled himself off his chair as he questioned, "Are you and Chad going to break up?"

Will kneeled to Johnny's level as he denied it. Mary came in after EJ called out to her to take Johnny. After Johnny and Mary left, Kate quickly gave EJ an apologetic look. "I'm sorry if I got Johnny worked up after everything that happened."

Knowing Johnny would be fine, EJ accepted Kate's apology. "We need to find out where Chad is. You said that he wanted to meet with you? When I talked to Marco earlier, he mentioned Chad was with Lexie at the mayor's office. I wonder if Chad got tied up with something there or if something happened to Lexie. Let me call Marco." EJ pulled out his phone and dialed Marco's number. Unfortunately, it went straight to voicemail.

Downstairs in the basement, Marco and Azzura wandered around. Azzura gave Marco a flirtatious smile as she reminded him, "You bringing me back down here where I first offered myself to you turns me on."

"It's the most private place I know. No one will distract us," Marco played along. He brought her back to the basement to find out why she was down there in the first place. He still didn't buy into her excuse of getting lost trying to find the bathroom.

Azzura pulled Marco closer to her as she ran her hands down his arms. Grabbing him in the back, she brought her lips next to his. Before allowing her lips to touch his, she moved away clearly trying to work him up. "I think we have some time for a tour in that case before we get busy with other things." Azzura created distance between them as she began to look the place over. Although she found Marco attractive, she wasn't necessarily there to have sex. She wanted to check the place out to make sure her previous calculations were correct.

Marco decided to allow the tour. "Sure, I'll show you around a little, but I want to make sure we don't forget why we're both down here." Seeing the way Azzura looked back at him made him think about Arianna's smile. He quickly distracted himself, so he could do what he needed to do. He needed to keep focus to see what exactly Azzura was looking for.

Azzura took Marco's hand, so he could show her where everything was. "So are there any dungeons or secret prisons down here?" she asked with a playful tone even though her question was a serious one.

Marco continued to play dumb and horny. After going a ways, he had enough of her stalling. He pulled her in close to him as he leaned his back on the wall. "Are we going to do this or are you just down here to be a tease?" He was hoping for the latter.

Azzura had seen enough and the fact that Marco didn't answer her question made her realize her suspicions were correct. She gave Marco a smile deciding she could use a good lay. She ran her hands through Marco's hair and began to bite his lip. Running her hands down his face and onto his chest, she commented, "You are in very good shape."

Marco couldn't believe this was really happening. He knew he couldn't back out either. He began to kiss her as he wrapped his arms around her body. He jerked when Azzura grabbed him from behind. Suddenly he felt a vibration on his thigh and it took him a moment to realize his phone was ringing. Pulling Azzura off of him, he quickly pulled it out of his pocket to see that EJ was calling him. "It's the boss. Looks like we'll have to put this on hold once again." Azzura adjusted her clothes and hair as Marco answered his phone.

* * *

><p>Maddalena sat at the dining room table of her mansion looking over paperwork. She wasn't feeling well and struggled with a coughing spell that had started the night before. She hated having to work from home and wished she could have made another appearance at the mayor's office since Lexie was meeting with them today. She hoped Lexie didn't get in the way of her plan especially after all the work she did to set up the rumors about Lexie possibly leaving her post for the mayor's office.<p>

Hearing the front door open, Maddalena stood up and made her way into the entry room. When she saw Ignazio and Ric, she immediately commented on their closeness. "You two are together again like nothing has happened." Ignazio cringed inside as she moved on, "Ignazio, where have you been?"

Ignazio traded a glance with Ric answering, "We have been working on my plan to get rid of Chad." Knowing his grandmother would want details, he quickly reminded her, "I would give you more information, but I want to surprise you. Just relax. I have everything under control."

Maddalena enjoyed her grandson taking charge, but she did have her concerns. "What do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Ric and I have a few things to set in order before I head to Prozio Stefano's home to meet with EJ tonight," he answered before asking, "Is Colin in the basement?"

Maddalena pondered why Ignazio would need Colin. "I believe he is in the basement, but please do not disturb him as his time is limited." After coughing a few times, she shared, "Excuse me, I need to go check on his progress."

After his grandmother headed downstairs, Ignazio let his frustration show in his face. "My nonna continues to keep me in the dark and is now telling me where I'm not allowed in the mansion. I do not understand this sudden need to keep me on a leash. I am not a child!"

Ric got in Ignazio's face. "Nazio, keep calm. You do not want your nonna to see you in this way."

"I don't care," Ignazio shot back. "I will prove to Maddalena that I'm not a disappointment like my father apparently was."

Trying to understand his friend's position better, Ric asked, "Where is all of this coming from? What does this have to do with the father you never really knew?"

Ignazio felt frustrated because Ric couldn't keep up. "She thinks we are a romantically involved," he explained with resentment. "I will find out what she and Colin plan to do concerning Abe."

Maddalena made her way to Colin to discuss his progress. "I hope you have good news for me."

Colin put down his notes and shared, "My latest tests indicate that there may be a complication in the slow solution. I will have to check again tomorrow to see if it's going to be a real problem. I..." Before Colin could continue, Maddalena began to cough heavily. Colin quickly grabbed a seat for Maddalena to take a seat. "Maddalena, sit so I can look you over and check your vitals."

As Colin got Maddalena situated so that he could check her out, Ignazio quietly made his way to the basement close enough to spy on his grandmother and the doctor without being seen. Maddalena looked up to Colin as he checked her heart beat. "You mentioned a possible complication with the slow solution. What about the fast one?"

Colin moved on to checking her breathing. "The quick solution is less risky, but I want to remain cautious by testing it on someone else before we use it on you. Don't worry, madre, we will cure your illness in time."

Maddalena pushed Colin off of her, so he would give her a break. "Colin, I am not worried about myself. My main worry is the family legacy."

Colin pulled out a vial with the fast solution so Maddalena could see it for herself. "My main concern is to cure you. If your brother, Stefano, can cheat death so many times with the solution, so can you. We will cure you if the test subject survives."

Ignazio couldn't believe his grandmother was sick. He had no idea and the way she and Colin talked about it made it sound fatal. He wondered why she decided to keep so much from him. He felt like an outcast in his own family. Ignazio knew he needed to stake his claim in the family legacy. He wanted to prove to everyone he could be a true Dimera.

* * *

><p>Back at the hospital, Chad put his phone in his pocket after talking to Brady and walked into Mia's hospital room. She had been cleared to go home, and Chad had a few questions. Noting she had a few stitches on her head, Chad decided to ask her what happened to her first. "What were you doing in the park? What did those guys want?"<p>

Mia played up the fear by adding a shake in her voice. "I don't know. All I know is that the two guys who jumped me knew my name. A part of me still wonders if Victor Kiriakis is out to get me."

Chad remembered the fear Mia had about Victor previously. He wondered if Victor would do this as well, but his conversation with Brady made him question the possibility. On the other hand, his father had told him before about how Victor used to be a ruthless man. Trying to calm her, he assured her, "I promise I'm not going to let anything else happen to you. I also won't talk to anyone about you – not even Will." Chad figured Mia would be gone in a few days and Will knowing would put his life in danger and as well as hers.

Mia smiled inside, but she pulled Chad close to her for an embrace. "Thank you Chad. I think I may need to find a new place to stay. I can't let anyone know where I am."

Chad pulled himself from Mia's hold. He couldn't believe he was back to square one with keeping her secret. He decided he needed answers before committing completely. "Before I came in here I talked to Brady. He told me about Kinsey being safe. Victor did nothing to her, and you already knew about it. Why didn't you tell me?"

Mia began to freak out inside because she feared Chad finding out about Kinsey would ruin everything. "Chad, I... I guess I was afraid you wouldn't believe me if I told you. I really do think Victor is out to get me. Why else would this happen? They didn't steal anything from me. He's the only logical explanation for this."

Chad scratched the back of his head as he took in the reality of Mia's cuts and bruises. "Why would he go after you though? He's been cleared of doing anything to Kinsey. You didn't do anything wrong. Brady said his grandfather wouldn't have done anything to her."

Mia gave a convincing look of fear. "I guess you didn't hear about the threat Victor made to Kinsey before she disappeared," she lied. "Why would you trust Brady? He's Victor's grandson and he hates the Dimeras. He hates you guys so much, he pretends he's not one. Kinsey managed to escape Victor's wrath, and he's looking for someone to punish for what she did to Sonny. I'm guilty by association!"

Chad stepped back because he could sense the fear Mia still felt from her attack. He decided not to argue with her and suggested, "For now, we can keep you at Maggie's. I doubt Victor will hurt you there if you just stay put."

Outside by the nurses' station, Sami, Jennifer, Daniel, Maggie, and Victor were discussing the board meeting. Maggie took a deep breath as she said, "Well, I am glad we got some things settled. I think you did well in there, Daniel."

Sami agreed. "I am glad you joined us in the meeting."

Since she couldn't attend the meeting due to another meeting, Jennifer looked at the others and asked, "What was decided?"

Daniel, who was still feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything, explained, "The board agreed to keep me longer as Chief of Staff, but they also agreed to wait on making any final decisions on Lexie's future with the hospital until she comes forward with her plans."

"So crisis averted!" Sami summed up the meeting. "Thanks again Daniel. I should go. I need to check in with the kiddos."

Daniel decided he should go, too, as Sami entered the elevator. "I need to get back to my patients, so I can catch up with my schedule."

Victor could see the stress of the post was getting to his godson. "Have you eaten anything? Maybe you should take a short break to regain some energy."

Jennifer placed her hand on Daniel's arm. "I agree with your godfather, Daniel. I'll go with you to the cafeteria, so we can at least get a snack." Daniel didn't want to waste any time by arguing, so he agreed to go. After telling Maggie and Victor goodbye, they headed for the elevator to head up to the cafeteria.

Maggie wrapped her arm around Victor's as she reflected on his concern for Daniel. "Do you think Daniel is handling the pressure of all this?"

Victor held onto Maggie as he responded, "I'm not sure."

Chad and Mia walked out of her hospital room surprising Maggie and Victor. Chad and Mia stopped in their tracks as Maggie rushed over to Mia asking, "Mia, sweetie, what happened?"

Mia knew she needed to play up her fear of Victor and decided not to answer Maggie's question. It helped that she actually found Victor quite intimidating. Seeing the fear in her eyes, Chad stepped in and covered, "She tripped down the stairs. Doctor said she's fine and didn't have a concussion. Just needed a few stitches." Chad made sure to keep his eyes on Victor to see if he would show his hand. Mia knew she had Chad right where she wanted him.

Victor stepped forward and offered, "I can take you home with Maggie. Two birds – one stone."

"That won't be necessary," Chad quickly cut in to protect Mia. "Mia wants to walk around before she heads back."

As Victor shrugged off his rejected offer, Maggie gave Mia a hug. "I'm glad you're okay. I'll see you back at my place."

While Victor led Maggie to the elevator, he commented to her quiet enough for only her to hear, "They sure are acting bizarre. Are they back together?"

After the elevator doors closed with Victor and Maggie inside, Mia sighed as she hugged Chad. "Thanks for helping me and for agreeing to take me home. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't step in like that."

Chad sensed Mia was ready to get out of there. "I'll take you back to Maggie's. Wait here, and I'll grab my car and pick you out by the ER exit. Are you going to be okay alone for a minute?" Mia nodded her head.

Chad headed to the elevator to get to the parking garage. After getting off the elevator, he decided to call Will. He knew he needed to tell him something for standing him up. When Will answered, Chad instantly went into apologetic mode. "Will, I am so sorry. I know I texted you to meet with me privately at our apartment, but something came up with Lexie and Theo. His therapy appointment went longer than usual. I wish I could come see you now, but I have some stuff I need to do before I head to the mansion tonight. We'll just have to talk tomorrow."

Will remained silent to make sure Chad had finished talking. "Oh… I was really worried that something happened to you. I even had EJ looking for you. He said you were at the hospital, but I guess you must be with Theo or something. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah... everything is fine," Chad answered. "I'm so sorry I stood you up, Will. I feel horrible. I hope I can make it up to you tomorrow at the masquerade."

"You're fine. I'm glad that nothing bad happened to you, so I'm fine, too," Will replied. "I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, Chad."

"I love you, too." Chad said. He felt bad for avoiding the truth with Will, but he knew he had to control this situation. He couldn't wait until Mia was out of town again.

* * *

><p>After talking to Chad, Brady headed down the stairs at the Kiriakis mansion when the front door swung open. Seeing Kai rush in, he asked him, "Kai? What's going on?" Kai didn't have to give Brady an answer because Sonny rushed in after Kai. Brady realized right away that something must have happened.<p>

"We are going to talk about this – about everything!" Sonny informed Kai. He was tired of the waiting and the hurt that they both felt.

Kai turned around and pushed Sonny away from him. "Why can't you get it? Leave me the fuck alone! I don't have anything to say to you!"

Sonny got in Kai's face another time causing Kai to push him again. Brady swiftly made his way to the middle of the two guys to keep them apart. "Come on guys. Please don't fight in my grandfather's house!"

Ignoring Brady, Sonny continued to push his body against Brady's to get to Kai. "Did you really just kiss T to make me feel like crap? Did you want to see me cry? Did you want to hurt me? I thought you loved me!"

Kai started laughing in anger. "Who the hell are you to talk about love? You slept with Mister Latino Suave Sexy Mother Fucker, and then you get onto me about kissing a straight guy? By the way, he's a way better kisser than you!"

Sonny's pain turned into a slight rage as he yelled back, "I do love you, Kai!"

Kai let out a sigh of frustration. "We are not happening! Get it through your thick Kiriakis skull!"

Brady had enough of the back and forth and Kai's demeaning words towards Sonny. "That's enough. The only way we are going to continue this conversation is in a civil manner! Can we agree to that?"

"It doesn't matter!" Sonny informed Brady before sharing, "Yes, I may love you, Kai, but I know now that our relationship is officially dead. You hate me. I didn't deliberately go out to hurt you. What I did…" Sonny broke as he didn't want to dare say it was an accident anymore. "You kissed T because you wanted to see me cry. I never wanted to see you cry." Ashamed of the tears that were now falling down his face, Sonny walked out of the room and then out of the mansion.

Brady placed his hands on his hips as he turned to Kai. Kai couldn't take it anymore and headed up to his room to be alone. Brady took a deep breath appreciating the fact that he was free from drama in the relationship department.

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, Melanie and Nathan ran into Arianna. Nathan decided to check in with Ari about Isobel. "How is your mother doing?"<p>

Arianna gave Nathan a look of appreciation for asking. "She's doing okay. She's actually in the shop right now looking at dresses for tomorrow night's event. She told me I couldn't go in there with her, so I am trying to give her some space and freedom." Moving on, she asked Nathan and Melanie, "How are all the plans for the wedding coming?"

Melanie shared a smile with Nathan as she replied, "Things are going well! We've been a bit busy at the hospital, but we have time thankfully. Have you found a date yet to the wedding because I am sure Brady will be free?"

Arianna noted the look on Melanie's face. She knew she had to shut down the idea that she and Brady would ever pair up again. "Melanie, Brady and I barely talk anymore as it is. We've moved on." Even though Marco entered her mind, she added, "I'm not in a place where I feel comfortable dating anyway. I have a lot on my plate right now."

Before Melanie could respond, Dario ran up and stopped next to Arianna. "Ari, where is Mama? I need to talk to her now!"

Arianna looked her brother over and noted he was out of breath. "Dario, she's in the dress shop. Is everything okay?"

Dario didn't want to waste time catching Arianna on the current events. "I just need to talk to her. Sorry." Dario rushed off into Enchanted.

As soon as Dario disappeared, Gabi arrived dropping the shopping bags on the floor. Nathan and Melanie stepped back as Gabi caught her breath to ask her sister, "Did Dario pass through this way?"

Feeling more concerned, Arianna needed to know what was going on. "Yeah. He just showed up out of nowhere asking for Mama. I told him where he could find her. Will you please tell me what is going on? Did something bad happen?"

Gabi looked directly into Arianna's eyes as she claimed, "That's not what I wanted to hear! We have to stop Dario before he makes a horrible mistake!"

Inside Enchanted, Dario looked through the crowd and stands of clothes. Once he finally found Isobel, who was resting on a stool, he announced, "Mama, I need to tell you something now!" He felt rushed because he knew Gabi had to be close to stop him.

Isobel was startled by her son, but she was able to pull herself together to find out what was wrong. Standing up, she said, "Dario, mijo, calm down and tell me what's wrong."

Tears began to form in Dario's eyes as he tried to gather all the strength he could to tell his mother his secret. Once he started, he had no problem pouring his heart out to her. "Mama, I slept with someone and everyone is finding out. I had sex with Sonny Kiriakis, and I think I'm gay!"

Isobel looked away from Dario in disbelief. "No, no... that can't be," she said trying to deny Dario's confession. "You're supposed to carry on the family name and have a lot of children," she said more to herself than actually to Dario. Dario tried to go to his mother to make sure she kept calm, but Isobel began to slap his hands off of her. "Don't touch me!" she shouted clearly disgusted.

Dario continued to try to help his mother stand up because it seemed she began to struggle with her footing. "Mama?" he asked to make sure he heard right. He couldn't believe she told him not to touch her. "It's still me – your son – Dario."

Isobel finally stopped flailing when Arianna, Gabi, Nathan, and Melanie found them. Looking up into her son's eyes, she softly said in a daze, "I need to fix this." Soon after, Isobel fainted and fell into Dario's arms. Dario looked at his mother with concern and then up to his sisters. He couldn't believe what just happened.

Arianna looked over to Nathan with fear still unsure as to what just happened. "Please help her."

Melanie called 911, while Nathan rushed over and helped Dario place Isobel on the floor. Nathan called out to her as he wondered why she fainted. "Dario, what happened?"

Dario separated himself from his mother as he remained seated on the floor in shock. "I told her about me and Sonny," he let out without thinking. His eyes were now glued to his mother's limp body.

Nathan could see the fear in Dario's eyes and encouraged, "Everything is going to be fine. She's still breathing." Nathan looked back down at Isobel realizing why Sonny seemed all over the place recently.

Still on her phone, Melanie rushed over next to Nathan and Isobel. Arianna and Gabi crowded around them, shutting Dario out because he had clearly caused Isobel to fall due to the stress of what he shared. Filled with shame, Dario covered his face and didn't dare look at his sisters or anyone else in the store.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Chad arrived at his father's mansion to meet with his brother and Ignazio. He walked into the foyer thinking about Will and the secrets he was keeping. He still felt guilty for keeping Will in the dark, but he needed to protect Will from any possible danger. Mia was a potential danger for his boyfriend. He knew if he told Will about her, Will would want to confront her about everything, and then possibly run off somewhere. He needed to protect Will, and since Mia would be gone in a few days it was better this way.<p>

Waking into the living room, he found his brother and father waiting for him. He didn't really care that Stefano was there because all he could think about was getting through the weekend. EJ picked up on the fact that Chad's focus was elsewhere. "Are you up to this tonight?"

"The family really needs you tonight," Stefano declared.

Chad refocused on why he was there. "Yeah, sorry. I am here to help the family." Chad eyed his father for a moment thinking about what he wanted to prove to him. He hoped to show Stefano that he could be useful. Thinking about his father helped him turn off the guilty feelings about Will.

"Good. I will see you all later tonight then," Stefano informed his sons. "I want to make sure I am not in the room when Ignazio arrives."

After Stefano walked off, EJ stood in front of Chad to look him over. "Did you get everything ready that you needed to?" Chad nodded his head but didn't give his brother a verbal answer. "Are you sure you're okay? Did Will ever find you earlier?"

Chad looked away as the guilt returned. "Yeah. I called him and apologized. I got caught up in something else."

EJ didn't know what to think about Chad. He wondered if he got caught up in Mia. "I think we should talk about this later. Right now, I need you focused on your part in initiating our cousin." Chad took a deep breath as he attempted to reroute his focus.

Ignazio arrived right on time. He was very surprised to see Chad there but decided not to question it. "It's good to see you two this evening. EJ, what do you have for me tonight?"

EJ walked over and pulled a small package from one of the lower drawers of the desk. As he returned with it, he explained the job he had for Ignazio. "I want you to deliver this package with Chad."

The job really confused Ignazio while also making him curious. "Why do you need the both of us to deliver the package, and what exactly is in it?"

"That does not matter," EJ quickly informed Ignazio before adding, "Do not open the package. The man you're delivering it to will not appreciate that."

Wanting to prove himself, Ignazio replied, "You can trust me." He secretly wished that Chad wasn't going so he could find out what was in the package. He believed the only reason Chad was tagging along was due to them not trusting him. He was tired of no one trusting him.

Chad turned to Ignazio and placed his hand on his back. Seeing EJ give Ignazio the speech helped him focus more. He could barely contain the excitement of initiating Ignazio. "Shall we go?" Ignazio nodded his head, and the two were off.

In the car, Chad struggled with containing his smile and played it off, so Ignazio wouldn't catch on. "I think it's cool we get to do this together. Since I started school in the fall, I haven't really worked for the family. Are you nervous at all?"

Ignazio kept his attention on the road even though he wasn't driving. "I have no reason to be," he answered without any inflection in his voice. "Are you nervous?"

"No. I've done this a lot, and it's never gotten out of hand," Chad shared hoping to relax Ignazio some. He wondered why Ignazio seemed so serious. It made him think that Ignazio was nervous about this and didn't want Chad to catch on. "I think it's crazy that you've only been in Salem for a month, but I feel like I've known you longer. I guess it must be that family connection."

Even though he and Chad had been friendly before, Ignazio felt uncomfortable with how friendly Chad seemed. It caused him to lose focus somewhat because he knew Chad was genuine in what he was saying. "I've heard a Dimera always knows when he's among family." Ignazio commented. He turned his head and looked out the window deciding to remain quiet for the rest of the ride. Chad noted Ignazio's need for silence and decided to leave him alone so he didn't make Ignazio more nervous.

Ignazio and Chad arrived at the pier and stood in place to deliver the package. Ignazio looked over to Chad and commented, "It sure is quiet out here."

"Hopefully, the guy will show up soon," Chad said. He wrapped his arms across his chest because it was cold. Turning his head, he spotted a guy in the distance. He nodded his head to the guy to let him know they were ready.

Once the guy got his cue from Chad, he rushed over and took the package from Ignazio after pushing him down. Chad went after the guy, but the guy turned around and shot Chad in the stomach. Chad fell to the ground puncturing the fake bag of blood strapped to his stomach as the guy with the package ran. Ignazio began to run after the guy, but Chad yelled out for help.

Ignazio really wanted to go after the guy to find out what was in the package, but he knew he couldn't leave Chad there either. Looking Chad over, he saw blood coming from his shirt. He couldn't believe Chad got shot. "Chad, are you okay?"

"I don't know," Chad answered with a believable shake in his voice. "Call my brother or something. We need some help out here."

Ignazio pulled out his phone but didn't call EJ. He realized this was an opportunity for him. He could forget about his plan with Mia and Will and get rid of Chad once and for all this way. It wasn't his fault Chad got shot.

"What are you waiting for?" Chad let out as he gave Ignazio a look of sincerity. Chad knew he wasn't really injured, but he questioned why Ignazio froze up. He wondered if Ignazio would do the right thing.


	55. Chapter 55 Something It's Not

**Chapter 55: Something It's Not – Friday, January 13th, 2012**

The sky was as white as the snow on the ground. It was dead quiet. Chad and Will sat on the red cedar bench at their place as they held hands and stared directly into each other's eyes. Seeing Will's smile caused Chad to blush uncontrollably. Will seemed so happy and Chad enjoyed seeing the way Will's blue eyes lit up more with every breath they shared together.

Something unexpectedly didn't feel right. Chad sensed a darkness entering their atmosphere as memories from the last few weeks flickered into his consciousness. Looking down in shame, Chad tried to collect his thoughts because he had so much to say to Will. This was his moment. This was his time to be honest about everything.

Before Chad could utter a word, Will let go of his hands asking, "Do you hear that?"

The darkness dissipated at the sound of Will's voice. Chad looked up to the sky as he began to hear something. Music was playing, and it sounded somewhat familiar to Chad possibly due to Will playing it a time or two in their bedroom when they studied for exams over the fall semester.

Tilting his head and lowering his gaze, Chad realized that Will was now standing and offering his hand to Chad as if to ask him to dance with him. "Come on, Chad. Don't be scared. Dance with me," Will said gently with a smile. Chad looked deep into Will's eyes and felt the love and trust in them. Worry didn't even have a place in his mind at the moment.

Taking Will's hand, Chad was led away from the bench by Will. As the song continued, Will stopped and placed his left hand on Chad's back. Will pulled Chad close and led them in a slow waltz. Chad didn't question Will's control over him and rested his head on Will's head. It felt good. He felt at peace catching bits and pieces of the lyrics. This truly felt like a sweet dream.

Lost in the moment, Chad didn't catch on that dark clouds began to form above them. Will pulled his head from Chad's head and with a smile shared, "It looks like it's going to rain."

Chad didn't question Will's pleasure in seeing rain clouds above them. To help his lover enjoy the moment more, Chad took the lead in their wintry waltz by moving Will's hands onto his shoulders, so he could wrap his arms around Will's back. It felt right to Chad to take the lead because he could feel the trust Will had in him. Looking into Will's eyes, Chad pulled him closer into a fiery kiss. Once their lips touched, a spark ran through Chad's body. His heart grew faint and strong at the same time. A peace came over him that excited every bone in his body. Chad was so in love that he couldn't think straight.

Chad opened his eyes after the kiss was over. The dark clouds had expanded and the rain began to pour. The drops of rain hit his face and they felt so cold. Chad looked at Will and noted the joy that permeated around Will's whole body. He questioned why Will was so happy. His thoughts began to take away from the experience as questions about everything in his life came flooding into his being. Soon the wind picked up and whirled around them. The lyrics of the song became clearer and more dramatic confusing Chad even more. He looked at Will with concern because at the moment neither of them were leading. The darkness he had managed to forget about earlier now had control of what they were doing, and there was no stopping it.

Even though Chad was concerned, Will still seemed relaxed. Chad didn't understand how Will didn't seem to care that their lives were out of their hands. Chad looked Will over to make sure he was fine. Will suddenly straightened his head when the thunder reached its loudest point causing Chad to look directly into his eyes again. Will's blue eyes pierced into Chad's soul as he joined in to sing one line of the song, "Not even death can make us part."

Horror came over Chad's face as Will collapsed in his arms and fell to the ground. The wind and rain had suddenly stopped, but thunder continued to sound intermittently as the song faded. Chad fell back holding Will in his hands. He spoke for the first time, "Will, wake up!"

Shaking Will's body, Chad didn't get a response at all. He continued to talk to Will through tears hoping it would encourage Will to wake up. He instantly stopped when he heard footsteps coming from behind. Chad swallowed his fear and slowly turned his head to see who had come upon them.

"Don't worry, Chad. It's your cugino," Chad heard before he turned his head far enough to see André standing there. André continued to move to the other side of Chad and added, "Unfortunately, I do come with a warning. Heed my warning, Chad."

Chad pulled Will's lifeless body closer to protect him. "Warning? What's your warning?"

André looked dead into Chad's eyes and shared, "History has a way of impaling the present at the most inopportune time. I tell you, Chad, your love for Will and your love for your family will soon clash. Keep your eyesight keen on what's ahead and what is right in front of you. You may be able to keep things safe by avoiding conflict altogether, but don't be a fool. Some things are out of your hands."

André began to fade after stating his warning. Chad looked down, and Will began to fade as well. He realized he was having a nightmare.

_Chad_ woke up alone on the couch holding onto his pillow feeling a chill go down his spine from his nightmare. It had shaken him up pretty bad even though he had part of the dream before. Looking up at the dark ceiling, Chad's thoughts returned to reality remembering the night he had experienced. Ignazio had been initiated into the family business after he made the right decision in calling EJ for help. Ignazio was surprised it was all set up, but Chad couldn't figure out it was a good or bad surprise for his cousin. He hoped for the former.

Chad's thoughts returned to his nightmare as he thought about André's warning. Unable to sleep, he looked around the dark room and noticed a light coming through the bottom of the kitchen door. It seemed someone else was awake.

Chad pulled himself from the couch and put his shirt back on before grabbing his cell phone from the nightstand to use as a flashlight. Making his way into the kitchen, he found Celeste pouring a glass of tea for herself. "Are you having a rough night, too?"

Celeste wasn't too surprised to find Chad awake at this hour because a bad feeling came over her during the night. She didn't want to worry Chad though, so she lied. "My mouth has been extremely dry, so I decided I wanted some tea. What's rough about your night?"

Chad took a seat across from Celeste clearing his throat. "I told you before that I haven't dreamt about any tarot cards, but that I still have had nightmares."

Celeste remembered their conversation before she took Theo to his extended therapy session. Nodding her head, she offered, "Do you want some tea? It could help calm your nerves."

Chad decided to accept as he figured it would help the heavy beating of his heart. As Celeste grabbed a cup for Chad and poured him tea, Chad went on about his nightmare. "I've had almost the exact same nightmare the past three nights."

Celeste stopped pouring tea for a moment to ask, "What was different about each?" She then continued to pour tea into the cup to top it off.

"This time had the only difference in that it had more at the end than the other two times," Chad explained. "Each dream started with Will and me sitting together. He draws me closer to him, and we hear this song playing. I don't know what it's called, but I know I've heard it before. Will starts leading me to dance, and we're happy. Things are peaceful, but then things get dark because I lose control. We both lose control. Will looks me dead in the eyes and sings, 'Not even death can make us part.' He immediately collapses in my arms." Chad paused to collect his emotions because he could still picture that moment so clearly.

Celeste quickly put her cup down after taking a small sip, so she could grab Chad's hand. "I can imagine having this dream replay night after night has taken its toll on you. Is this where the dream ends?"

Chad shook his head. "No, André appears to give me a warning. The first two times I dreamt this dream, I never got to hear his actual warning when he told me he had one. This time I did."

Celeste could not help pulling her hand away because something told her to do so. Her bad feeling increased from hearing about Chad's nightmare. She had to hold it together though, so she could help Chad through this. "What was André's warning?"

Chad decided to take a sip of his tea before answering that question. After a moment, he shared, "André told me that my love for Will and my love for my family would collide and no matter how hard I tried to keep everything in peace, it would be inevitable. I don't know what that means, but I've been worried that something will happen to Will. I've been so worried... I made decisions to keep him away from dangerous situations. I've kept my distance since Monday, but I've made sure he knows that we are still in a good place without me having to spend so much time with him. I think that's why I've been so focused here – to keep the danger away from him."

Celeste gave Chad a look of concern. "Your nightmares didn't necessarily start with tarot cards, did they?" Chad shook his head no. "This dream is important for your journey even if it doesn't feature a tarot card. Something is about to happen, but I do not want you to feel hopeless."

"How can I not feel hopeless?" Chad asked fearing what was coming.

Celeste poured more tea into Chad's cup before sharing, "André's warning has to do with your family and Will. You are trying to live and please two different lives, and soon they will try to become one. That can be one interpretation to the dream." Sensing that Chad wasn't sure on her interpretation, she explained further, "You have tried to protect Will by staying away from him. There are other ways you can protect him. Maybe it's time you share everything with him, so that he becomes a part of your journey as the two separate lives become one. He trusts you. Do you not trust him?"

"Of course I do," Chad replied without hesitation. He thought about what Celeste said and it made sense. He felt a sense of relief come over him, but he still had a question. "What makes you think this will work? André made it sound like everything would be inevitable."

Celeste questioned the context of André's warning but decided to step back. "Let's look back to the different messages you have received from your past dreams. The Empress told you to nurture your relationship with Will and to not let things get in the way, while the Emperor told you to find out who ruled over your life, so you could become your own man."

Chad remembered his dream about the Emperor. He received a warning from André in that dream as well. André told him that the family would outcast him, and then Tony told him to run away. He remembered the fear he felt when his father entered the room. His father had told him to add order and structure to his life while asking him the important question of who or what exactly commanded his life at the moment. Chad didn't know, but he was starting to realize it wasn't him.

Celeste continued, "The Hierophant told you to own your fears by either giving up what you may lose or allowing them to come to pass, so you can experience change and grow from it. Even then it seemed you struggled with the idea that you had to live two lives – one for your family and one for Will. After that you had a dream where you had to choose between Will and Mia. Once again, it was one or the other, but in my opinion it seems you are not ready to give up Mia completely just yet. I don't know your reasoning though."

"I don't know either," Chad whispered more to himself. Even though he didn't want to admit it, he knew he was holding onto Mia in some ways because she was a big part of his past and his identity. Even with that, he still didn't fully understand it.

"Finally, that leads us to the dream you had featuring the Chariot," Celeste continued. "EJ told you to always think ahead of each battle you enter. He told you that you must take every aspect of your life and make it work together. One part cannot function properly without the other."

Chad shook his head. "That's where I continue to get stuck at. I don't know how to make everything work together. I mean, I thought I was doing a decent job, but with my latest dream I get the feeling that there's something I am forgetting or… I don't know." Chad digressed feeling a bit agitated with himself for getting stuck in the same place repeatedly.

Celeste placed her hand on Chad's hand once again. "It is my opinion, but I truly believe the missing part is Will. He's not functioning in your other life, whereas your family seems to be aware of your life with Will. The inevitable piece here is that these two lives will collide. It's time you told him. You've built the foundation. Now build the home together."

Celeste made complete sense, and Chad thought about André's warning again. He knew now he could prevent Will's life being in danger. "If I don't completely let Will into all my struggles and secrets, then I could lose him from my life entirely. He'll disappear from life completely." Feeling rested and calm from the tea, Chad let out a yawn. He knew he needed to talk to Will at the masquerade.

Celeste gave Chad's hand one last squeeze before standing up. "We should get some rest. We have a long and eventful day ahead of us. I will see you in the morning."

After Celeste took her teacup and placed it in the sink, she left the kitchen to head to the guest room. Chad finished his tea and opened up the browser on his phone. He decided to look up the song he heard in his dream, so he could read the lyrics before attempting sleep again. He was able to find the song by searching the line that Will sang in his dream: "Not Even Death Can Make Us Part." It was Sweet Dreams by Beyoncé.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Will woke up on the couch at his apartment to the smell of breakfast. Confused, he quickly got up and made his way into the kitchen to find Sonny cooking. "What's going on here?" he asked his friend in a meticulous way.<p>

Sonny knew Will was shocked but didn't want to make it into a big deal. Speaking casually, he replied, "I'm trying to reclaim my life. I've moped around too much. I can only handle cereal for so long."

In excitement, Will went over and gave Sonny a hug. "I'm so happy to hear you say that," he shared as his stomach growled. "Not just because I get to eat your awesome cooking again, but I am glad you are trying to live your life for you again."

Sonny appreciated Will's friendship, and honestly had no idea what he would have done without him. "Thanks for always trying to help me through this. Even though I still feel guilty and like a chump for what I did, I know now that Kai and I are over. I'm going to focus on myself, and move forward."

"Welcome to Salem! You just survived your initiating process into what almost everyone goes through once they decide to settle here," Will joked with Sonny trying to make light of the situation.

Sonny stuck his tongue out to Will and shook his head. Returning to his cooking, he decided to change the subject to what happened the night before at their apartment. "Now that we're talking about making steps to move forward, I think it was dumb to let T have your bedroom last night. He definitely didn't deserve it."

Will had completely forgotten why he slept on the couch because Sonny's cooking breakfast distracted him. He slightly cringed at having to admit his reasoning as he explained to Sonny, "Look, I had to offer T my bedroom for the night to make sure you two didn't get into it anymore like you guys did last night. I know that what he did..."

"I want him out of our apartment!" Sonny interrupted Will. He turned off the stove since he was done with the bacon and eggs. Looking at Will now, he continued, "I don't care what you have to say to him, but I revoke my invitation for him to stay here."

"Where do you expect me to go?" T asked as he entered the kitchen crossing his arms around his bare chest.

Sonny wasn't pleased to see T. "I don't care. Maybe you can stay at my great-uncle's mansion. Seems like he'll take anyone in who hates my guts these days!"

T gave Sonny a cocky smile. He knew Will wouldn't agree to kicking him out, so he didn't let Sonny's demands worry him. "Well, have you considered that maybe people hate you for a reason?"

Sonny didn't want to hear this. He pushed T to get him to step off. "I don't know what I ever did to you, but you are not even worth it. I guess a lot of people know that about you!"

T snarled his lips and went for Sonny, but Will stood in between them frustrated because they were at it again. He knew he needed to separate them, so he pushed T out of the kitchen and into the hall by his bedroom door. He made sure to give Sonny a look to make him stay in the kitchen. T didn't want to give up on trying to attack Sonny, so Will pushed T into his bedroom and closed the door. "You're pushing it, Tad! You are putting me in a bad position where I have to choose between you and Sonny. I don't want to, and I don't appreciate it! Maybe it's time I stop being so gentle with you! Think about everyone you've hurt just to make Gabi feel like crap!"

T gave Will a confused look and questioned the possibility that Will might kick him out. "What the hell are you talking about? You're mad at me?"

Will took a deep breath before breaking it down for T. "I got a text from Nathan last night. He told me Isobel Hernandez is in the hospital again. Did you ever think that maybe Gabi pushed you away in the first place because she's already at her lowest point? Her mother is dying, remember?" Will gave T an obvious look, but T looked away. He continued, "I've tried to be understanding because you have a son or daughter out there and your parents have kicked you out, but you need to see that your anger and frustration are now making you into a huge douche!"

"My parents, Kinsey, and Gabi were all douches first, so they deserve it," T threw back.

Will put his hands on his hips for a moment before countering, "Sonny has been friendly to you. He was supportive and didn't need convincing when you needed a place to stay. You pretty much screwed his life over by that stupid stunt you pulled with Kai yesterday. I should have known you two weren't up to any good yesterday when you told me you were going to hang out alone! I should have picked up on your recklessness when you asked me to kiss you! Tell me, T... was it all worth it?"

T had never seen Will so angry with him before and knew Will had made many valid points. Looking down, he shared his mindset, "I completely crashed when we came back to Salem from New Year's. How am I supposed to continue my life when it's so messed up? I don't know who I am anymore. How am I supposed to live in a new context, when I don't even know what to live for?"

Will pulled back as he could finally see T dealing with what he was feeling and not trying to mask it with anger. He gave his oldest best friend a look of sincerity as he shared, "I know you're scared about what to do with your life now and what exactly it's supposed to look like when your parents kicked you out, you lost your girlfriend, and then you're confused about how to be a dad when your baby isn't around. I know it's a lot, but you need to see what you have now."

T still felt so defeated. "Which is what, Will? I really don't know anymore."

Will's shoulders fell down as his heart sank for his friend. "You have me as your friend to talk to. You have Josh. You could have Sonny again. You have school. You can prove to your parents that you can do this on your own and that you don't need them to succeed in life. Your future is not gone, T. You still have life."

T couldn't help but smile because he honestly felt the love from Will. He knew Will believed in him and that seemed like it was enough for now. "I am so sorry for causing so much stress in your life."

Will pulled T into a hug and held him for a moment, so T would not give up again. "It's going to be all okay, T."

T continued to smile as Will finally released him. "I should take a shower before Sonny kicks me out for good." Will smiled and told T not to worry.

After helping T get settled in the bathroom to shower, Will made his way back into the kitchen to make sure Sonny was okay. Sonny, who was now enjoying breakfast at the table, looked up at Will saying, "I made you a plate if you want some." Will gladly accepted and joined Sonny at the table to eat. Sonny swallowed his bite and asked, "Did I hear right about Isobel being in the hospital?"

"Yeah," Will answered. He drank some orange juice before starting on the breakfast Sonny provided him. He thought about how he told Chad he wanted to help his friends get their lives back, but it was really starting to wear on him. He really needed Chad around to help him recharge.

Sonny looked down and thought about Dario. He knew Dario must be going through hell, and wondered what caused it all. He contemplated going to the hospital to check in, but he realized he couldn't because he had cut ties with Dario, and it wouldn't be fair if he tried to be in Dario's life after everything that happened.

Will noticed Sonny stopped eating his food when he came out of his thoughts about Chad. "I think I got through T in my bedroom. He feels bad for what he did to you and admitted he wasn't really thinking about that part. I think his pride led him to act like he hated you, too. Can we just keep it cool until T comes up with a plan?"

Sonny could see Will really needed this. "I'm still annoyed with him, but I won't start things with him again. If he needs a place to stay, I'll be cool."

Relieved, Will gave Sonny a smile of appreciation before realizing Sonny probably had Dario on the mind since he asked about Isobel. "Now that you and Kai are officially done, have you thought about Dario at all? Have you forgiven him?"

Sonny didn't want to answer that question. Instead, he offered, "I think I need to focus on forgiving myself first." Will nodded his head in agreement, but Sonny couldn't just stop there. "But I have thought about Dario, and I do feel bad. I don't know if I can really fault Dario for what happened. He sincerely was just following his heart, and it took guts with the way he put himself out there to me. I know that had to be hard for him to get to that point. I should have just had more control over my feelings. It just all sucks because..." Sonny paused as he could feel a deep sadness take over him. He finally finished his thought, "…now, we're nothing to each other."

"Personally, I think Dario would appreciate seeing you there to support him," Will said aware that Sonny was psyching himself out. He knew Sonny wanted to go see him. "I know you still care about him on some level."

Sonny shrugged his shoulders and tried to focus on eating again. He couldn't. "Do you know what exactly happened to Isobel?" he asked trying to keep the focus away from him and Dario.

"Nathan didn't go into specifics. He just mentioned something about Dario upsetting her, and then having to rush her to the hospital," Will answered reading Sonny's eyes.

Sonny's eyes went to the side as he contemplated going to the hospital again. "I have to stay away. I think my presence would only cause more heartache for him. It might be too much for him."

Will could see it all over Sonny's face. "You still love Dario – don't you?"

Sonny looked directly at Will deciding not to deny it. "It doesn't matter. Too much has happened." Sonny decided he had enough to eat. Standing, he grabbed his plate and rinsed it off in the sink.

Will decided he was finished, too. He stood up and joined Sonny by the sink. Sonny grabbed it and began to rinse it off for him. Will placed his hand on Sonny's shoulder to say one last thing, "I'm glad you're moving on and forward, but I really wish you would stop punishing yourself by staying away from what you really want." Will walked off towards his bedroom to get his stuff ready for the masquerade. Sonny sighed as he contemplated a friendship with Dario.

* * *

><p>Lexie rushed around her house trying to get ready for the night's festivities. As she hurried down the stairs, Celeste followed behind her at a slower pace. "Darling, take your time. Take a moment. Going to that masquerade tonight is a horrible idea! Why don't you stay in with Theodore?"<p>

Lexie was set on ignoring her mother, but she couldn't take it anymore. Facing Celeste, she reminded her, "Mom, the therapist said yesterday that if we want to help Theo out right now, he needs to spend some time with his friends from school to bring some normalcy back into his life. He can't find that here because Abe is not here. I set up a back to school sleep over with Ciara and a few of his other school friends at another parent's house. He won't have to think about his father." Lexie turned and began to rush around again.

Chad walked down the stairs after helping Theo find something to change into. Noting the look of distress on Celeste's face, Chad knew she wasn't having any luck in getting Lexie to change her mind about going out. Celeste then gave him a look to suggest he give it a go. He didn't really want to, but he decided to give it one last shot. Still getting over the fear from his nightmare earlier, he said, "Lexie, you can rest and relax if that's what you need. I can do whatever it is you need at the event for you. I can be your representative at the party."

Lexie stopped in place again as she found the other earring she was looking for. "I appreciate the both of you for trying to look out for me, but I have to be there. I have to be there because I have to make the important announcement."

"What announcement?" Celeste asked confused.

Lexie put the earring in her pocket for later. "Since it's a masquerade, there will be an unmasking, but that's all I can say about that."

Chad and Celeste traded indifferent looks as EJ walked through the front door after a small knock. "Alexandra, I am here to talk to you about how everything should work tonight – well, with security that is. I told Marco I would do this for him, so you didn't run him over for interrupting you." EJ was sure to give his sister a wink to let her know he was making fun of her.

Lexie appreciated EJ's lightened mood. After giving him a hug, she commented, "So Marco admitted he's afraid of me. Good to know. Tell me what father has planned for us this evening."

EJ held his smile as he explained what the evening would look like. "Well, security will arrive to take the family to Chez Rouge while making sure the media doesn't maul you or anyone else for that matter. Maggie and I worked together to be sure media is limited at the event and those who are allowed have agreed to a set of rules for the evening."

Lexie sighed and turned around to her mother and Chad. Brushing off her blouse, she said, "See, I told you. I will be okay. I feel fine." Walking over to Chad, she took his hands and squeezed them. "You have been truly helpful, but I really think it's time. You don't have to stay here anymore. You can go home with Will tonight. I'm sure he's more than ready to have you in his arms again."

Chad smiled widely and hugged his sister. "If it's what you want..." Chad thought about living with Will again. He wondered if he would be able to handle the pressure of having his focus solely on his own issues. He was excited to spend more time with Will again, but a part of him feared it because of what would come after he told Will everything. Chad thought about Mia and wondered if she should be included in everything since she would be gone soon.

* * *

><p>Nathan gave Isobel and Arianna an update on her health through some of the tests' results he had gotten back. After he finished explaining the results, he informed Isobel, "I want to keep you in the hospital overnight so we can keep an eye on you. Things don't seem to be improving."<p>

Arianna grew worried because she didn't understand how things could reverse so quickly. She looked at her mother and asked, "Why aren't you fighting like you were before?"

Isobel chose not to answer and gave Nathan a dirty look. She was happy that Dr. Jonas wasn't around so he could reveal that she lied to her kids, but she wasn't happy she had Dr. Horton. She knew he was the one that took Melanie away from Dario, and if that hadn't happened, Dario would have never claimed to be gay. She began to replay Dario's confession to her in her head causing her to feel worse.

Arianna grew frustrated with her mother and wondered if she should try to find Daniel to get clearer answers. When Melanie walked in, she asked her friend, "Is your dad here?"

"He's not. He has the whole day off," Melanie answered as she began to check the monitors to make sure everything was reading correctly. She knew Nathan was concerned about Isobel's health and wanted to be sure that the machines weren't spitting out the wrong data. "Gabi and Dario are waiting outside. They're wanting to come in," she mentioned as she took some notes from the machines.

Nathan looked over Isobel. "I don't see a problem with them coming in. I think Ms. Hernandez could use all the family support right now."

"Dr. Horton. I don't care what you recommend, but they are not coming in," Isobel demanded. Trading a glance with Ari, she could tell her oldest daughter wanted her to reconsider. "Okay... Gabi can come in, but she's all for now. I can only handle so much at the moment."

As Melanie and Nathan looked at each other, Arianna knew she had to do more than give her mother looks. "Mama, I know that you are feeling hurt right now, but you need to think about what Dario is going through. This isn't easy for him."

Isobel shook her head. "I don't want to think about that."

"Well, he's going to be waiting out there until you see him. We're all going to be here all night with you. No one is leaving you tonight," Arianna informed her mother.

Isobel's eyes lit up with concern. "No, you will not be waiting here with me all night. You and tu hermanos will be going to that dance tonight. I want to have the night alone, so I can rest. Besides, you are interested in someone. Tell me who it is."

As Melanie's ears perked up, Arianna gave her mother a look of disbelief. "We are not talking about this. We need to talk about Dario. I'll see if I can talk them into going tonight, but you at least need to say something to the both of them before anyone leaves." Isobel sighed as she didn't appreciate the ultimatum.

In the waiting area, Gabi and Dario sat next to each other hoping they could see their mother soon. Even though a part of her believed Dario was to blame for their mother being in the hospital, Gabi felt sorry for her brother. "Dario, things will be okay," she said not completely believing it.

"I am so selfish!" Dario let out in frustration. "I killed Mama!"

Gabi put her hand on Dario's back and continued to try to cheer him up. "She is not dead. She is still breathing. Yeah, she's upset, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love you. You are her son. She would never disown you."

Dario gave his sister a look of skepticism. "What about Rafe and Manny? Mama gave Rafe up for adoption because he was a bad kid she couldn't control."

"As much as I hate to say it, Rafe turned out to be a demon child," Gabi argued. "You, on the other hand, are Mama's favorite. She loves you more than anyone, and this is your first real mess up. I blame Sonny. Stupid rent-boy can't keep his hands to himself and has to have a piece of everything."

Dario watched Gabi as she continued to talk trash about Sonny. He looked away deciding not to stop her because he couldn't even try to defend Sonny anymore. He feared it would keep him wanting something he couldn't – and probably shouldn't – have.

Colin walked up interrupting Gabi and Dario. "I am sorry to hear about your mother. What exactly happened?" He hoped Dario and Gabi would tell him what happened and how Isobel was doing, so he could give Azzura an updated report on her health while also wanting to know if she could possibly be a future candidate.

Gabi and Dario looked Colin over because they really didn't know him that well. They remembered him from the island they were being held captive at, but they wondered why he was so interested in their mother. They stood up when Melanie walked over to them. "How is she, Melanie?" Gabi asked.

Colin stepped back as Melanie answered honestly, "It's not looking so good, and it appears your mom will be in the hospital for a while. Nathan wants to keep her over for the night at least and go from there." Deciding he heard enough Colin, stepped back and walked off.

Gabi looked over to Dario and could see he wanted to get away from everything. Turning back to Melanie, she asked, "What did Nathan say about Dario and me coming in to see our mom?"

Melanie put her finger in her mouth not wanting to share what she heard in the room. "Nathan said it would be fine, but your mom doesn't really want you guys in there. She said that you could come in, but she wanted to keep it females only." She hoped that by answering Gabi's question in this way, they wouldn't get the point that Isobel wanted to purposely cut Dario out. Feeling uncomfortable, Melanie decided to continue her rounds on the floor. "I should get back to work," she shared as she walked backwards.

After Melanie was gone, Dario placed his right hand on his left shoulder to scratch his back. "I really need to fix things. I know Melanie didn't want to say it, but I bet Mama said she didn't want to see me at all."

Gabi gave Dario a look of defeat but then remembered something. "You can fix this by proving what happened with Sonny was a huge mistake."

Dario wasn't confident because he remembered telling Will and Justin that he didn't regret what happened. Even though he had begun to regret it, he wasn't sure if he could convince his mother that she could pretend it didn't happen. "She already thinks it's a mistake. I don't know if I can convince her I think it was one, too."

Gabi heard Dario's response as if he was giving up and was offended because Dario made it sound like he still didn't think of his affair with Sonny as a mistake. "What needs to happen so that you're convinced that you having anything to do with Sonny was a mistake? You can't throw in the towel, Dario. This is Mama and her life we're talking about here. She was fighting and improving, but now she's not. You have to save her because without her, this family will fall apart!"

Dario looked down as he realized Gabi did blame him for putting their mom in the hospital. He really hated himself and wished he had never returned to Salem or listened to Manny's advice. Looking back to his sister, he realized she was waiting for him to say something. "I don't know," was all he could get out.

"What about your date with Chelsea tonight? I think that it would really help Mama if she saw you trying to have a relationship with a girl. She might think that you know better than to be gay," Gabi pleaded with Dario.

Dario put his hands up to make Gabi stop. Hearing her talk about how he should know better than to be gay made him sick to his stomach. "I need a moment alone to think about this. Go see Mama. See if you can convince her that I am still Dario either way." Gabi gave Dario a sad look before heading for their mother's room.

Dario grabbed a chair and took a seat. Running his hand through his hair, he thought about how Adrienne and Sonny helped open his eyes on the fact that gay people were not the filth of the human race. He knew his mother and sister thought differently. He didn't want his family to see him as scum, so he knew he had to do whatever it took to fix this. He had no reason to pursue his feelings and attraction because Sonny had made it clear they were over when he ditched him to pursue Kai.

Pulling out his phone, he decided to call Chelsea. When she picked up, he replied, "Hey Chels...ea..." Dario wanted to hit his head for slipping up like that. "I wanted to talk to you about our date tonight."

"Oh, yeah, my sister definitely told my dad about our date tonight," Chelsea shared. "He's been giving me a hard time ever since. He thinks you're going to break my heart."

Dario ran his hands through his hair again feeling uncomfortable. He didn't know what to say to Chelsea's comment about Bo, so he just laughed it off. "I was thinking we would go to the event together. Am I going to have to talk to your dad to make sure you can go?"

Chelsea let out a giggle. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he stays away. He can be quite intimidating, and I'll make sure he doesn't ruin our night. So are you going to pick me up at his house?"

"Yeah, if that's where you'll be," Dario responded. Chelsea confirmed that she was getting ready there. "I'll pick you up a quarter 'til then." After hanging up, Dario took a deep breath as he questioned if he was way in over his head.

* * *

><p>Azzura walked into Maddalena's office holding Maddalena's gown and a pair of heels for the night. "Signora, this is what I have picked out for the evening. I decided to go with your favorite colors – black and white – to showcase the red tint in your hair. I left the mask in your bedroom next to your jewelry."<p>

Maddalena covered her mouth as she coughed and stood up from her desk to look the dress over. She loved how the black and white weaved diagonally into each other. She also loved the hints of grey on the straps. "You have out done yourself, Azzura. I love the dress. I will call you when I am ready to get dressed. You can take this to my bedroom."

Before Azzura could leave, her phone made a sound. She received a text from Colin about Isobel's prognosis at the hospital. She hung up the dress for a moment so she could read the text. After reading it, she thanked Colin for the update and informed Maddalena, "Colin sends word that Isobel Hernandez is not doing well, and that she is being kept at the hospital overnight. It seems her time is close."

Maddalena thought about Isobel and her health. "We are going to have to make some time for a side trip tonight. For now, take my dress and white heels to my bedroom, and if you see Ricardo, send him my way."

Azzura slightly bowed her head, grabbed Maddalena's gown, and walked out to find Ric on her way to Maddalena's bedroom. Maddalena walked over to her desk as she thought about Isobel Hernandez. Pulling the file out, she looked it over and shook her head. Looking up, she asked herself, "What am I going to do about my nipote?"

As soon as Ric walked in, Maddalena put the file away so she could focus on the problem in front of her. "Thank you Ricardo for coming in. I want to talk to you about your family."

Ric gave Maddalena a troubled look. "What about my family, signora? You already know my family's story."

With a knowing look on her face, she said, "Humor me. I need a reminder. Let me ask you specifically – was your family very religious?"

Ric was completely mystified, but he identified his boss had to be digging for something. He knew she already knew the answer to her question, so he couldn't lie. "My father was not religious. He was an awful drunk and did nothing for our family. My mother became religious after you saved us from my father."

Maddalena came out around her desk and leaned on it. "What about you? Are you religious?"

Ric didn't know how to answer her question. "I cannot say I am as I do not follow any religious practices."

Maddalena nodded her head in agreement. She knew he would say that, but she wasn't satisfied with his answer. "When I saved you and your mother, your mother offered your lives to pay the debt. What would you do if I forgave the debt and set you free?"

"I've never thought of it," Ric started. Maddalena's question truly caught him off guard, but he continued, "I would stay in your service nevertheless."

Perplexed, Maddalena asked, "Why would you chose to remain here when you could be free to live your life as you saw fit?"

Ric stood firm as he explained his answer, "I believe this is my home, and I don't want to leave it."

"You wanted to leave it before, but you changed your mind." she commented with a raised eyebrow. "I think it would be a good idea if I set you free, so you can return to Italia to find a wife."

Ric nodded his head respectfully while sharing, "A wife in Italia is not important to me." There was a time when Ric had yearnings to settle down, but he felt like he already had that.

Ignazio walked in with Chad on his mind. He wanted to talk to his grandmother before he went through with his plan for the night. Maddalena quickly turned to Ric and requested discretion from him before facing her grandson. "I'll let you and your amico have a moment. I need to head to my bedroom, so I can prepare for tonight."

Ignazio stopped his grandmother from leaving. "I need a moment before you leave, per favore."

Maddalena looked to her grandson and asked, "What is it, mio nipote?"

"It's about Chad. I need a little direction before I go ahead with my plan," Ignazio informed Maddalena. "Why do you want to get rid of him?" Ignazio couldn't stop thinking about his initiation the night before, and that caused him to have doubts.

Maddalena knew she couldn't reveal everything to Ignazio, so she simply answered, "He's a threat to our plan. He's a threat to EJ taking his place and what the family stands for. We will remain pure. When you're ready, I hope you will be EJ's right hand." Maddalena turned around as she said, "Now if you'll excuse me... I will see you tonight." She walked out of the room, but made sure to stand right outside the door, so she could overhear Ric and Ignazio's conversation.

After he believed Maddalena was gone, Ignazio turned to his friend. "Ric, why were you alone with Maddalena this time?"

"Your nonna wants to send me away to Italia, so I can marry and move on," Ric shared.

Ignazio couldn't believe his grandmother. "That can't happen," he let out before Maddalena decided to head to her room since she heard enough. Ignazio pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Mia about their plan. Looking up to Ric, he exclaimed with more confidence and resolve for his mission, "Tonight will make Maddalena proud. Chad's life will be over, and I will take my rightful place in this family."

* * *

><p>As the event was underway, Jack, who was wearing a black vest with black slacks and a long bronze mask outlined with red, took the opportunity to talk to Maggie about the event. Maggie felt uneasy about answering Jack's questions, but Jack assured her he had his questions screened to make sure no drama was added to the already tragic events. After Maggie agreed to answer a couple of questions, Jack got his mic ready. "Can you tell us how this whole event came about?"<p>

"Well, a few months ago, Abe Carver came to me and told me about his idea for tonight. He wanted to use Chez Rouge for the first Friday, the 13th Masquerade," Maggie answered running her hands down her black, blue, and red dress to make sure it looked perfect on camera.

Jack thought about how he broke the story about Abe and how upset Jennifer was with him. He decided to wrap up his Q&A with Maggie by asking her, "Would you like to make a statement about the situation concerning Abe's disappearance?"

Maggie adjusted her white and red mask before sharing, "Abe Carver is a great man, and his presence is truly missed. He really cared about everyone in Salem and did his best to better everyone's lives. It is my hope that Abe is found soon – alive and breathing."

Before Jack could thank Maggie for her time, Victor walked up annoyed. "Excuse me. Jack, you need to go snoop around somewhere else. I know you are the one who caused all the chaos around Salem."

Jack waved the camera down as the interview was clearly over. Noting that Victor was only wearing a simple tux, he shook his head. "I am here on peaceful terms, so I will not be the starter of any drama or fireworks tonight. Maybe you should have taken the pledge as well."

Arianna, Gabi, Dario, and Chelsea arrived interrupting the tense moment between Jack and Victor. Jack decided to take his leave to get statements from others and waved at his camera man to follow him. Surprised to see Chelsea with Dario, he stepped in to welcome them to the event. First, he spoke to his granddaughter. "Chelsea you look amazing as always. I do have to say that lime green and black suit you very much." Turning to her date, he said, "Dario, interesting to see you here with my granddaughter. Is this an evening for friendship or something more?" Arianna, who had her arms wrapped around her dark multi-colored dress, looked at her brother as she wondered the same thing.

Chelsea gave her grandfather a look to get him to back off. "Grandpa Victor, please don't do this. Dario and I are just trying to enjoy our evening."

Dario decided he should take Victor head on if things were going to work out with him and Chelsea. "Chelsea is beautiful and extremely intelligent. It's hard not to want to spend time with her. I will make sure she remains safe."

Gabi's dress was mostly green with a small hint of white and yellow towards the bottom. Adjusting the bronzed fringe connected to her sleeves, she pushed Dario and Chelsea forward, so they would walk away from Victor. She didn't want anything or anyone getting in the way of their first date. Arianna followed suit after saying a quick hello to Victor.

After Maggie greeted them, Daniel and Jennifer made their way to the grab a drink from the bar. Jennifer had spotted Jack as soon as she walked in and wanted to avoid him at all costs, but Jack spotted them at the bar. Noting that his ex-wife was wearing a white gown with hints of fuchsia all over, he made sure to share his thoughts on the look, "Jennifer, I have to say you look very beautiful tonight. I love your gold mask, too." Jack decided to ignore the fact that Daniel wore similar colors except for the black slacks and suit jacket.

As Daniel rolled his eyes, Jennifer struggled with making eye contact with Jack because she still felt guilty about what happened between her and Jack. She was thankful both had masks on. "Thanks Jack. Are you staying out of trouble?"

Jack gave Jennifer a smile and nodded his head. "Yes. I figure it would be optimal to be on my best behavior to avoid the wrath of the Dimeras, Victor, and your Aunt Maggie."

Jennifer almost laughed with Jack but stopped herself. She grabbed Daniel's hand as she traded a glance with him. Turning to Jack, she said, "I hope you don't get kicked out tonight before the big announcement. Abigail should be here later. I hope she will be more receptive to you than she has been with me recently whenever I mention you." Jennifer wanted to ask Jack if something happened, but she didn't want to spend more time with him.

Daniel gave Jennifer a look of concern. Ever since Jack approached them, something seemed different about her. He began to question if some of Jen's old feelings for Jack were returning. "Do I need to let you two have a moment to talk about your daughter? I just spotted Melanie and Nathan, so I can go say hi to them if you need me to."

Jennifer held on to Daniel's hand, so he wouldn't leave. "No, Jack and I can talk later. Tonight we are here to relax and enjoy the evening. Good night Jack." Jennifer led Daniel away from the bar after grabbing their drinks.

On their way to say hello to Melanie and Nathan, Jennifer and Daniel walked by Marco, who was scoping out the place to make sure everything was in order before the Dimera family entered the restaurant. Bumping into a woman, Marco quickly apologized. "Excuse me."

Arianna removed her dark green and pink mask as she smiled. "Hey Marco, It's me, Arianna. I didn't expect to see you here." Arianna smiled widely as she looked Marco over. He looked really good in his baby blue vest with grey pants and coat. She noted he did not have a mask.

Marco smiled but knew he didn't have the time to enjoy Arianna's company. "I am sorry, but I am still working. Security is tight for the event. We want to avoid any more incidents. I hope your mother is doing okay. I heard she was rushed to the hospital yesterday."

Arianna tried her best to be strong at the mention of her mother, but her face showed the fear she felt from the situation. "She is still at the hospital, and will be there for some time. I'm not sure she will ever be released."

Marco couldn't help himself and pulled Arianna into a hug. "You must remain hopeful. EJ is doing everything he can to get Manny out to help your mother," he encouraged.

"I had no idea he was doing that," Arianna said. She looked around the room for Gabi and Dario and spotted them at a table talking with Chelsea. She gave Marco a look of appreciation before saying, "I would really like to talk more, but I know you are a busy man."

Marco sent EJ a text as he replied, "I hope we will get a moment alone with no distractions soon. There are things I would like to discuss with you." Marco turned his attention to the entrance when EJ, Sami, Will, Chad, and Lexie entered the room without Stefano and Kate. Marco watched as the press surrounded Lexie with questions causing EJ to step in to keep them away from her. Lexie wore a velvet dress with gold trim surrounding a pink patterned stripe going down the middle. She held her velvet and gold mask in place as the reporters continued to ask questions. EJ wore mostly black, but had a cape that was black on the outside and purple on the inside. His mask matched the inside of his cape. Sami, who stood close to Will and Chad, wore mostly purple. Her dress had ruffles on the bottom that contained hints of lighter fuchsia. When the reporters would not let up, Sami tried her best to help Lexie through the media. "I should go assist them." Marco gave Arianna a quick smile before making his way to the others to keep the press at bay.

Will couldn't get over how attractive Chad looked in his suit. He loved that they had managed to coordinate their costumes by having royal blue in their color scheme. Adjusting his blue mask, he whispered playfully, "It's going to be really hard to control myself with how good you look. Your silver full-faced mask is very tempting, too! I don't know if I will be able to keep my hands off of you tonight. Maybe we'll have some time after the party."

Chad pulled Will away from the others, so they could have some privacy. "I've got some great news. I'm coming back to the apartment tonight – after all of this."

Will smiled widely and wanted to kiss Chad, but he refrained. Instead, he gently brushed his hand down Chad's arm. "Is that what you wanted to tell me yesterday? Is everything okay with Lexie now? She seems to be in a better place tonight."

Chad scratched the back of his head as he tried to figure the best way to answer Will's questions. "Lexie has convinced me she doesn't need me as much, so I'm coming home. There's a lot I want to tell you – about my secrets and dreams, but Chez Rouge isn't the place. There's too much press, so I think we should talk tonight at the apartment."

"If we have time to talk," Will winked at Chad. He couldn't help but feel a little frisky. It felt like forever since Chad was this close to him. Turning serious, Will said, "I am glad we will get to return to our relationship. I know we've both been distracted by other things."

Chad smiled and nodded his head. Looking towards his sister, who was no longer surrounded by the press thanks to Marco, he commented, "It's good my father is arriving later or he would be all over Lexie right now to make sure she did not make any false moves."

Will looked over in Lexie's direction as well. "I've known Stefano for a long time, but he seems even more protective and involved with the family. Do you still question if he had anything to do with Abe's attack and disappearance?"

Chad shook his head. "No, but I think Lexie still does. She hasn't said much about it lately, but I think she's afraid to at this point because she fears father will somehow cover his tracks. I just think he's not really helping himself by telling us what we should do and how to live."

There was a lot Will wanted to say to Chad about Stefano's control in his life, but he refrained. He figured they could talk about that all later tonight. "It's going to work out in the end, Chad. I know it will." Chad put his full attention on Will again and smiled. He almost grabbed Will's hand, but stopped himself when their fingers touched.

* * *

><p>T and Kai walked out of Enchanted after doing some last-minute shopping. "Thanks for helping me pick out this gold mask. I'm not very keen on wearing masks like this, so a second opinion definitely helped, and I think it will go well with my green and gold cape," T said as he whipped his cape around in an overdramatic way. Stopping the silliness for a moment, T asked, "What happened to Brett? I thought he was coming."<p>

Kai's smiling face turned into disappointment as he explained, "Brett's job called in last-minute, so he has to work tonight." His facial expression then shifted again as he shared, "I'm glad I have you to hang out with though."

"You're a pretty good guy, Kai," T told him with a smile. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that B.S. with Sonny for us to be friends."

Kai almost blushed. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss he shared with T outside of Java Café. "It's cool. Even though Sonny hurt me in the end, I think I learned a lot about myself. The question is what I do now."

"What are you going to do now?"

Kai suddenly became nervous again. He looked up to give the illusion that he was deep in thought when the truth was he was too afraid to look directly at T. "I'm not sure. I've been thinking a lot about relationships, and although I know I am not ready to dive into a serious relationship again; I have started to wonder if monogamous relationships can exist for me."

"Where does that leave you?" T asked completely clueless to where this was headed.

Kai quickly glanced at T before he continued, "I've been thinking that maybe what I need right now is a friend. A friend whom I can be really close to and just call him when we both have stuff to take care of – live in a new context."

T still wasn't following Kai and began to scratch the top of his head. "Stuff to take care of? New context?" T paused for a moment as he finally realized what Kai was talking about. "Oh... you mean a friend with benefits?" T looked directly into Kai's eyes as he made the connection as to why Kai mentioned living in a new context. Kai wanted T to be his friend with benefits.

Kai didn't say it verbally to confirm T's suspicions, but he did give T a look to let him know he was game if he was. "Yeah. A friend with benefits might be nice to get over this heart break. Have you ever done something like that?"

Before T could say anything, Josh ran out of Enchanted dressed in an orange and black small poncho that barely covered any of his upper body. Pulling out his new mask as he rushed over, he called out to the guys, "Hey! I thought I saw you guys in there. The line is so freaking long in there. You guys headed to the masquerade?"

T nodded his head as he continued to think about Kai's proposition. He remembered his conversation with Will earlier about how he was hurting so many people due to his anger. He realized that Kai might be another person he would hurt just to get revenge on Gabi.

Kai noted T's silence and wondered what he was thinking. He turned to Josh and asked, "I haven't seen you since almost two weeks ago. Where have you been, Josh?"

Josh put on his feathered mask and answered, "I've been working actually. I had to do a few parties to help the bank account. I have a few more before school starts, but luckily, I have most of the night off so I can enjoy that."

"Parties?" Kai questioned. "What do you do at the parties?"

T came out of his thoughts and smiled as he thought about Josh's line of work. "He's an entertainer for many different parties. He DJ's, he plays the guitar, and he takes off his clothes."

Kai's mouth opened wide as he asked, "You're a stripper?"

Josh smiled and didn't show shame in his profession. "Why do you think I spend so much time at the gym?" he joked as he lifted his poncho to show his well-formed abs and pecs. "I don't plan to do it for the rest of my life. I just need the money, and after school, I'll be able to move on to bigger and better things."

"What about your parents?" T asked realizing he didn't know much about them. "Tell me they're not like mine and won't help you out financially."

Josh kept his smile, but it was forced. "Not exactly. They're away," he answered vaguely. He remembered when Jennifer asked about his parents' absence when he and Abigail returned from New Zealand. He had managed to keep their absence a secret from everyone so far and had managed not to talk about it. He planned on keeping it that way. Changing the subject, he exclaimed, "Tonight should be a blast!"

T patted Josh on the back. He was glad Josh showed up and distracted the conversation Kai wanted to have with him. "Are you going to make any moves on Abigail tonight?" Josh shrugged his shoulders as the three guys walked past the arts and crafts store.

Ric walked out of The Mighty Pen holding a shopping bag after finishing some last-minute shopping as well. Ric looked over his shoulder and spotted Azzura trying to keep her distance from him to remain unnoticed by him. Shaking his head, he turned around to confront her head on. "Why are you following me? Did Maddalena send you?"

Azzura didn't appreciate Ric's attitude. "You are definitely getting too comfortable again. Watch it! You are beneath me, and I am not fearful to put you in your place. What are you and Ignazio planning tonight?"

Ric didn't have a problem putting Azzura in her place knowing he had Ignazio on his side. "Ignazio is Maddalena's grandson. You are not related, so it would make sense that you are beneath him. I don't have to tell you anything."

Ric tried to walk off, but Azzura grabbed his arm to turn him back around. She really didn't have time for this since Maddalena was waiting for her to return with the car. "Don't walk away. You better watch it. Your loyalty should be to Maddalena over everyone. Yes, Ignazio is Maddalena's grandson, but she trusts me more. He had better not mess things up again. If I were him, I would have gotten rid of you a long time ago, but unfortunately – and disgustingly – you two are infatuated with each other."

Ric pulled his arm from Azzura's grasp and adjusted his coat. "You better watch it. If I were you, I would be more careful with how you cross Ignazio."

Azzura wanted to go after Ric and pull rank, but her phone vibrated. Maddalena was ready to be picked up. Whispering to herself, she warned, "Ignazio better watch out or I'll be the one to take over Maddalena's assets and home."

* * *

><p>Back at Chez Rouge, Chad and Abigail bumped into each other at the bar. "Abigail?"<p>

Abigail lowered her black and pink mask and gave Chad a smile. "Good eye. I really like your mask and costume. It's very masculine and enigmatic with the full-faced mask. Don't tell me you came here by yourself like me."

Chad wasn't sure whether he should smile or not. Pointing behind him, he replied, "Well, tonight is about reconnecting with Will since we haven't spent much time together in the last couple weeks, so he is here. He's talking to Sonny, Justin, and Adrienne. Where's Josh? Is he working tonight?"

Abigail looked around for Josh but didn't see him anywhere. "I'm not sure. I haven't heard from him in a while. We're sort of on a break because of some issues I need to deal with," she answered honestly. She hoped that Josh hadn't given up on her and moved on.

"Your dad?" Chad asked causing Abigail to give him a surprised look. "I saw him standing next to Adrienne, Justin, and Sonny when Will went over to say hi. I sort of bumped into you on purpose to check in with you."

Abigail smiled appreciatively. It felt good to know Chad still cared about her. "Yeah, his return to Salem has really brought a lot of things to the forefront." Scratching her forehead, she thought about her father and knew he had to be there for work.

Chad looked around for Jack but spotted his father walking in with Kate. He turned his head back to Abigail and got her attention again when he shared, "You're probably really mad at your dad, but maybe it's good that he's here, so you can work on those things. I remember when we broke up, you talked about your dad. He really does have this hold on you that dictates how you handle relationships."

Abigail nodded her head as she agreed. "I want to change that." She thought about her last run-in with Jack and how he tried to make her feel guilty by lying about where he was. She thought about her mother and really wanted to protect her, but at the same time she wanted to avoid having to fully deal with the implications of her father again.

Stefano and Kate walked up to say hello. Kate wore a long gown that was mostly dark red but also contained gold and black, while Stefano wore a dark red vest with a long gold outlined black colonial coat that matched his walking cane. He decided to go without a mask like Victor. Stefano figured with the initiation, things were better between him and Chad. "Good evening, son. Abigail. Tonight looks to be an interesting and eventful night. I have to admit I am surprised to see you here talking to this beautiful woman. You look lovely Abigail. I just got déjà vu because I remember when you two had a double date with William and Gabriella at this very restaurant last year."

Abigail thanked Stefano nervously as Chad felt frustrated at him for bringing up the past. He wondered if his father had just hinted that he wanted Chad to be straight again, and for that reason, he didn't really want to talk to his father. "Yeah. It's good you set up security. I don't mean to be rude, but Abigail and I were talking about something."

Before Stefano could say anything, Kate took his arm to direct him away from Chad and Abigail. "Come on, Stefano. Let's go say hello to the others." Stefano shook his head in frustration as he followed Kate to say hello to Lexie, EJ, and Sami.

"Sorry about that," Chad said wanting to return to their conversation. "You were saying?"

Abigail attempted to read Chad as she shared, "You know; I was trying to figure out when you became so intuitive on relationships because you were right on the money with the way you described how my issues with my dad have affected my relationship with guys. I thought maybe you talked to Chelsea, but now I can see that the reason you can see my daddy issues is because you're still dealing with yours."

Chad's first instinct was to deny it. "I don't know what you're talking about. Your dad doesn't compare to mine. My father is Stefano Dimera. He's done some horrible things in his life."

Abigail gave Chad an unimpressed look. "You still want his respect though. You still want to prove something to him. You want to act like he's not important when he's around, but I can see it in your face that it's all for him. You want to prove to him that you can be your own man, but you still need him in your life, so he can see you do it. You have some sort of hole you're trying to fill with him. I recognize it so well because I have something to prove to my dad, too. I want to show him that I don't need him, but as you pointed out, I do need him to resolve all of this animosity I feel. I tried to fill you in that hole I have, and it didn't work. Then I tried to do it with Josh in a different way."

Chad scratched the back of his neck knowing Abigail was right. "I guess in a way we both need to stop putting up walls because those walls don't just block our dads out but everyone around us, too." Chad felt stupid for not realizing this sooner as Abigail agreed with his realization. "Growing up, I struggled with the family I had. I loved my parents, but something always seemed off. When I found out that Stefano Dimera was my father, I was skeptical, but they have such a tight family dynamic, I thought this was what I was missing my whole life. I guess in some ways I got lost in it, and that's why Will and I have struggled so much to get where we are. I purposely separated my family life and my life with Will to make my father proud and to protect Will at the same time."

"That's huge," Abigail told Chad. "Now I know why things between Josh and I have been rough. I let my disappointment and the walls I built stand in the way of me being fully happy with him. I just wish I knew how to let my dad in without really letting him in."

Chad could relate to Abigail's frustration. "It sucks." Thinking about his conversation with Celeste earlier, he began to question if he could wait until after the masquerade to talk to Will. He wanted to get this all out now.

Ignazio arrived with Maddalena and Azzura. Spotting his second cousin, he joined Chad and Abigail to say hello. "Looks like we had the same idea, cugino," he said announcing himself.

Chad looked Ignazio over and saw that they had almost the exact same masquerade costume on – mask included. The only difference was Chad's hooded cape was royal blue, while Ignazio's hooded cape was black with a green inseam. "Great minds think alike."

Ignazio patted Chad on the back and looked the room over to see who was there. He didn't see the person he was hoping to see, so he pulled out his cell phone to look at the time. He searched the crowd once again and was surprised to see Dario and Chelsea together. They were walking and holding hands. Abigail noticed the two as well.

Dario took Chelsea to the dance floor, so they could dance. Chelsea smiled at Dario as she commented, "This really turned out great. Everyone looks amazing, and I do have to say the Phantom of the Opera-esque mask makes you seem really mysterious. Trust me, that's a good thing!"

Dario was extremely nervous and struggled with keeping calm. He wanted to complement Chelsea, but all he could do was ask questions. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look? Did you find the dress at Enchanted?"

Chelsea nodded her head as she relaxed her hands around Dario's neck. "Yeah. Gabi was right about them having good prices."

Dario and Chelsea remained silent for a moment as they danced. Dario looked around and suddenly felt more nervous when he realized he and Chelsea were dancing next to Justin and Adrienne. He looked over and spotted Sonny staring at him. He quickly looked away, but he now had Sonny on his brain. Dario couldn't stop thinking about how the only part of Sonny's face that his silver mask didn't cover were his lips. He looked really good.

"Are you okay?" Chelsea asked because she could feel Dario's nerves through his hand and shoulder. Dario didn't say anything, so Chelsea decided to share, "I think I know what you're thinking about. It's kind of obvious."

Dario's body shifted as he asked, "It is?"

Chelsea gave Dario a softened look as she said, "You're thinking about your mom. What happened yesterday? Gabi told me that she had to be rushed to the hospital, but didn't really give too much detail about it."

Dario looked away filled with shame. "I... I'd rather not talk about it," he said finally. In an attempt to smooth things over with Chelsea, he proposed, "I came here tonight because I wanted to see you. My mother told me to come out and have fun and focus only on that, so that's what I plan to do." As Chelsea gave Dario an understanding smile, Dario thought about how he still hadn't seen or talked to Isobel since she fainted.

After Stefano and Kate decided to dance to avoid having to talk to Maddalena, Lexie, EJ, and Sami found Mr. Olsen by the decked out podium in front. Mr. Olsen looked at them and paid each a compliment. "I have to say Lexie, you look beautiful in that velvet dress. Mr. and Mrs. Dimera, you look like the perfect couple with the purple ensembles you are sporting. Just gorgeous." Turning the topic to business, he shared that it was time to make the announcement. Moving and then standing behind the podium, Mr. Olsen stopped the music and got everyone to stop dancing.

As Mr. Olsen began to introduce Lexie, Ignazio found Will standing alone and commented, "I saw Chad with the blonde again the other day. Did you two ever clear that up? I really thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend before I found out you and Chad were dating."

Will had forgotten all about Ignazio telling him about Abigail outside of Salem Inn. Without looking at Ignazio and keeping his eyes on Mr. Olsen, Will informed Ignazio, "Well, Abigail is Chad's ex. They broke up last summer." Looking around the room, Will spotted Abigail and Chad standing next to each other. He pointed them out to Ignazio and said, "There they go over there. They're just friends now."

Ignazio looked over but then gave Will a confused look after taking off his mask. "That's not the blonde I was referring to," he said as the crowd began to applaud loudly.

Before Will could say anything, Lexie took her place at the podium and began to speak. Ignazio seemed really interested in what she had to say. "My husband, Abraham Carver, has done a lot for Salem and continues to do so even after the tragic events that occurred on December 30th, 2012. I have not given up hope, but I do think it is important that we try to move forward as a community. Yes, I am still grieving, and I appreciate the prayers, concern, and thoughts from all of you, but Abe would not want this city to remain in a panicked or fractured state. He has always been about progress."

Lexie had to take a moment to collect her emotions before moving on to the next part of her speech. "I have met with the men and women who have worked closely with my husband, and we have agreed that during this most difficult time, we needed to appoint someone to lead this city in Abraham's absence. After discussing our options, we decided on someone who I love and trust with all my heart. He is a good man, and will help Salem transition out of the darkness. I would like to introduce everyone to our new interim mayor, EJ Dimera."

As the crowd began to applaud and react, EJ made his way to Lexie and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. Taking his place at the podium, he began his speech. "People of Salem. I hope that you are here tonight because you believe Salem will survive this dark time. I hope that everyone here tonight feels safe and secure, while also remembering how much this office cares for its people. As my sister mentioned, Abraham Carver is and will always be a great man. He put so much of his heart into making this town a better place, and I believe it shows! I will admit that when I found out I was on the shortlist to finish my brother-in-law's term as mayor, I was skeptical because I never thought about running for office. Luckily, I have Abe to look at as the perfect example, and I know my sister will keep me in check if I mess up." EJ smiled as the crowd began to laugh. "We will fight through this, and we will keep our people safe. I will be working close with the Salem PD to see what we can do to make sure that something like what's been happening the last couple of months will never happen again, while also finding my brother-in-law. You have my word."

Lexie led the audience in applause to EJ, as EJ pulled Sami next to him to wave at the people. As people began to talk to each other about EJ's appointment, Kate grabbed Stefano's arm and asked, "Did you set this up?"

Stefano was just as surprised to find out his son now held the office of mayor. "I did not. I don't know what just happened because something feels eerie about how this all played out," he admitted.

Arianna, who stood next to Melanie, Nathan, and Brady, was surprised that her friend was the new mayor. She wondered what this meant for Roman and the rest of the Police Department. Even though she was standing close to Brady, she didn't really say much to him because she knew Melanie would make a big deal out of it if she did. She thought about Marco and looked for him in the crowd as she wondered if he was still busy. She finally found him, but noticed he was with Azzura, who seemed to think she was attending a slutty masquerade party because her short dress left nothing to the imagination. She had her hands all over him, and Arianna questioned why Marco seemed to have time for Azzura when he said he was too busy with work.

Maddalena was pleased that her plan was working perfectly. She turned and realized Azzura was no longer by her side. Looking around, she spotted Azzura talking to Marco as well. Heading over, she told Azzura, "I am ready to call it a night. I am not feeling well, so it's best if we leave."

Azzura knew Maddalena wanted to head to the hospital and lied because she was with Marco. She gave Marco a flirtatious smile and whispered in his ear, "One of these days we will have to finish what we started." After letting her hand linger on his chest for a moment, she pulled out her phone and called Maddalena's driver to be ready outside.

After Maddalena gave him a snooty look, Marco walked off to check on security to make sure there were no problems – especially since EJ was now the mayor. He believed this would only make things more complicated and dangerous for the Dimera family. He made eye contact with Arianna for a moment, but she quickly looked away. Not seeing Melanie and Nathan next to her, it looked like she was talking to Brady. He wondered what that was about.

Chelsea noticed that Dario had remained silent for the most part since the announcement. She decided to break the ice. "I guess it makes sense to replace Abe with some familial connection, but EJ Dimera as mayor seems so random. I can't imagine my dad is happy about this." Dario wasn't sure what to say and just nodded his head. Spotting Bo and Hope, Chelsea placed her hand on Dario's arm deciding maybe he needed some space. "I should go say hi to my dad and Hope. I'll be back."

After Chelsea walked off, Sonny took the opportunity to approach Dario. "Hey. I'm probably the last person you want to see ever, but I wanted to see how you were doing."

Dario was surprised that Sonny approached him and didn't know what to make of it. He glanced over to Chelsea to make sure she didn't catch them together. "I don't know what to say to you, Sonny. I just don't know if you really want me to answer that question."

Sonny hated seeing Dario like this and felt the distance Dario was trying to maintain between them. He felt guilty about it, but now that he and Kai were over, he hoped that he and Dario could at least be friends again – even if he questioned if he deserved Dario's friendship. "Will told me about your mom. How is she doing?"

Gabi had spotted Sonny talking to Dario from her table and rushed over to get him to back off again. "What is your problem, Sonny? Back off! You have already screwed over this family enough! You want to know why my mother is in the hospital permanently? You! You are the reason because Dario came out to her yesterday! You just..."

"Gabi, please stop!" Dario requested feeling embarrassed, angry, and hurt that she would put him on blast like that. Unable to stand around due to the awkwardness, he rushed off.

Chelsea made her way back over and asked, "What just happened?"

Gabi didn't want Chelsea to find out what was going on, so she came up with a fake excuse. "Sonny, kept egging my brother on about our mother." Abigail walked over to find out if everything was okay, too, so Sonny took the opportunity to go after Dario while Gabi tried to play everything down for her brother's sake.

Meanwhile, Chad made his way over to Will and Ignazio to see what they were up to. Grabbing Will discreetly, he smiled, "What does everyone think of the good news? I can't believe my brother is the mayor."

Will forced a smile as Ignazio agreed with Chad. He couldn't get what Ignazio told him out of his head and couldn't think of what to say to Chad. Suddenly, Dario rushed past them throwing them off guard. When Sonny rushed past them to follow Dario outside, Chad and Will traded glances through their masks and decided to follow them to see what was going on. Ignazio, however, pulled out his cell phone to make a call even though he wondered why Dario looked so upset. He needed to stay focused on the task at hand.

Outside of Chez Rouge, Sonny managed to catch up with Dario and stop him. "Dario, don't run away. Is it really true you came out to your mom?"

Dario thought back to his confession and was filled with regret and disappointment. "It was a huge mistake on my part because she now hates me and doesn't even want to look at me!" Dario looked at Sonny and saw him as the thing that stood in the way of him and his mother as well as his mother's life. "I'm going to make it right."

Sonny couldn't believe this was happening to Dario. He felt responsible for Dario's life being turned upside down. He shouldn't have cut Dario off the way he did. "Dario, I made a huge mistake!" he exclaimed as Chad and Will stood at a distance where they could overhear everything.

"No, I am the one who made a mistake," Dario shouted as he thought about his idea to seduce Sonny on Sonny's birthday. "I hate myself for what I did to you and me – and now my mother!"

Sonny moved closer to Dario wanting to help him feel better about things. "Dario, I may hate myself for cheating on Kai, but I don't want you to hate yourself in any shape or form."

Dario looked down and with a calmer voice commented, "You regret what happened between us in Colorado. I didn't regret it until recently because I now know you were never really into me. After I came back, things were awkward between us. When that whole Kinsey situation happened, you asked me to be there when you told Kai. I think I know why now. You were afraid Kai would break up with you, and you needed me there to comfort you and be with you. I've always been your second choice. I'm your backup."

Dario's claims threw Sonny off for a moment. "What are you talking about? You overheard me tell my parents that I still love you in my mom's office! If this is about Manny, I was interested in you before he even entered the picture. In fact, I got with him to get over you, so you being second choice makes no sense. I guess the same could be said about Kai because I initially got with him to get over you, too."

"Okay. What about Will? You can't tell me you weren't interested in him before me!" Dario said not knowing that Will and Chad were nearby. He played back what Gabi said to him earlier about how Sonny wanted a piece of everything. He remembered how close Will and Sonny were when Sonny first moved to Salem, and he knew Sonny had a thing for Will because they talked about it.

Clueless to the fact that Will and Chad were close as well, Sonny chose to be honest with Dario. "Okay, yeah. I had a small crush on Will when I first moved to Salem, but when you and I got close, it all changed for me. I fell deeply in love with you, Dario!"

Dario shook his head as he countered, "With how things are now, I really doubt that. I don't believe you. We had our chance, but you chose that jerk over me. I would never intentionally set out to hurt you. I know I hurt you, but I wasn't thinking everything through that night…" Dario stopped because thinking of that night made him sick to his stomach now because he knew how much his mother hated him and how much it ruined his life. He wished he never gave in to his feelings with Sonny. He wished he never fell in love with another man. Homosexuality was evil and only led to destruction.

Sonny took a deep breath knowing he had proof that he wasn't necessarily keen on sharing. He figured he had to share it, so Dario would stop thinking he was nothing. "Will and I nearly had sex after you pushed me away over the summer. We almost had sex when we moved in together, but I had to stop it because I knew you were the one!"

Chad gave Will a look of disappointment and rushed back into Chez Rouge to get away from Will, who, in turn, was shocked by the fact that Sonny had brought this up when he had forgotten it even happened to begin with. After a moment of thinking, Dario decided, "It doesn't matter because it's not like that now. I'm moving on with Chelsea, and we should stick with what you decided on in Colorado. We're just going to avoid each other and pretend we never happened. I'm not gay anymore, and I never was. I just had a lapse of judgment because I'm sick."

Sonny stood there for a moment looking at Dario. He decided not to push any sort of relationship with Dario even though he felt his love for Dario come back stronger than ever after talking about their relationship. He knew he wasn't ready to be in a relationship and needed to give Dario the space he wanted, but he didn't want Dario to lie to himself or beat himself down either. "Dario, we did happen, and I will never forget that night or the time I spent with you before that night. You're better than this. I'm sorry your mom is treating you like this, but she…"

"Don't you dare talk about my mother!" Dario interrupted Sonny. "You don't know her. She's not some stuck up bitch who hates fags like you!"

Sonny tried to interject to explain he wasn't trying to judge his mother, but when Dario said the "f" word, he couldn't explain anything to Dario anymore. "Do you feel better now? Did you hurt me the same way I hurt you?"

Dario wanted to take back what he said to Sonny, but didn't know how to. Filled with shame, he looked down as he quietly said, "I am nothing and anyone would be better off without me. I ruin everything." Sonny tried to say something, but Dario rushed off.

Back inside, Ignazio was talking to Mia, who managed to remain unnoticed by everyone at the party thanks to her mask. Spotting Chad sprinting into Chez Rouge, Ignazio signaled to Mia to follow Chad to wherever he was going. Ignazio walked towards the entrance as he adjusted his mask and cape because he knew Will would probably enter next.

Will rushed in bumping into Ignazio. At first he thought he ran into Chad and exclaimed, "I can explain everything, Chad. That was a long time ago, and I was being stupid. I never cheated on you, and I never will."

Ignazio removed his mask to show his face. Will responded by looking for Chad in the crowd and began to head off, but Ignazio managed to stop him. "Whoa. Will. Is everything okay my friend?"

Will continued to look around the room, but couldn't find Chad anywhere. With a sigh of frustration, he shared, "I think Chad is upset with me because of something that happened a long time ago. Did you see him run by here?"

Ignazio looked around knowing where Chad and Mia were but decided to play dumb. "I haven't seen him. I can help you look for him if you want."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate the extra set of eyes," Will said as he continued to look the room over.

Ignazio smiled and put his hand on Will's back to lead him in the opposite direction from Chad. "Let's look over here. Maybe he's with the rest of our family."

Mia caught up with Chad outside of the restrooms trying to calm himself down after finding out that Will and Sonny almost slept together. He remembered the kiss he witnessed between the two the night someone broke into Abigail's house over the summer and realized he had overreacted because he was with Abigail at the time, and hadn't caught on to the full extent of Will's feelings for him.

Before he could go back into the main dining room to find Will, a girl dressed in a masquerade costume that made her look like a dark fairy stopped him. He looked closer and recognized Mia standing before him. "Mia, what the hell are you doing here? I thought we agreed you would stay at Maggie's until you flew out to keep you safe."

Mia ignored Chad's question because she wanted to know if something happened between him and Will. "You look upset. What's going on?" she asked as she took off her mask.

Chad took off his mask to help himself calm down. "I guess I was just confused about something." Looking at Mia without their masks on caused Chad to think about everything that confused him and told him that he wasn't supposed to be with Will. He remembered Abigail's comment about soul mates and reflected on the dreams and nightmares he had since last fall. André seemed to warn him a lot about his relationship with Will ending in disaster. His insecurities came to the forefront as he thought about the many times Mia reminded him he wouldn't have the family he had always wanted growing up and the times he closed himself off from Will because of Will's friendships with T and Sonny.

Mia knew this was her opportunity to sell herself to Chad one last time. She placed her fingers on his arm and let them slide down so she could grab his hand. Making direct eye contact with him, she admitted, "Chad, I am still in love with you, and I want to have a family with you! I know that a part of you at least cares about me because you have been so great and supportive of me. You and Will have had so many problems and will continue to do so. We had our complications in the past, but together it would be easier! We have chemistry. We have history!" Chad looked at Mia and didn't know what to say.

Will and Ignazio walked through the dance floor looking for Chad. Ignazio placed his hand on Will's back as he mentioned, "We should probably check the restroom. Maybe he ran in there to get away."

Will smiled feeling dumb for not thinking that from the get go. "I'm glad I have your help. I probably wouldn't have thought of checking there." Will headed for the restrooms with Ignazio in tow.

Ignazio eagerly followed Will to where he expected to find Mia with Chad as he had planned. Turning the corner, he bumped into Will because Will suddenly stopped in his tracks. After apologizing for running into Will, he asked, "Why did you stop?"

Will looked on in shock as he saw Mia kissing Chad. "Mia?"

Chad pushed Mia off him as he realized what was going on. He turned and gave Will a look of regret. "Will, this isn't..." Will didn't even let Chad finish and ran off clearly shocked and hurt. Chad tried to follow suit, but Ignazio stood in the way. "What are you doing?"

Ignazio put his hand on Chad's chest to keep him there. "I don't think it's a good idea to go after Will at the moment. He's in shock and will most likely not hear anything you have to say about what he just saw."

Chad stopped trying to follow Will as he questioned if Ignazio was right. Grabbing the back of his neck, he looked over to Mia. "What the hell were you thinking just now?"

Mia gave Chad an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Chad. I didn't know Will was close. I have wanted to tell you how I feel, so I had to try. I thought you felt the same way with how close we've gotten."

Chad shook his head feeling disappointed in himself. "We can never happen again." Turning to his cousin, he said, "I really want to find Will and explain everything."

Ignazio stopped Chad from going after Will once again. "I have a solution. I'll go find Will and talk to him. I'll get a feel for what he's thinking and try to persuade him to come talk to you."

Chad nodded his head as he figured that was a better idea. "Thanks, Ignazio. I don't know what I would do without you right now."

Ignazio patted Chad on the chest and made a face to show his concern for the situation Chad was in. "It will all be okay. I'll try to call him now to see if he'll pick up." After giving Mia a look, Ignazio pulled out his cell phone and pretended to call Will as he walked off. Mia watched Chad as he placed his hands on his hips. She wondered if she could persuade him to change his mind with this time alone.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Isobel laid in her hospital bed thinking about Dario. She didn't want to believe her favorite was a homosexual and held onto the fact that Gabi and Arianna mentioned Dario was going on a date with Chelsea Brady. Even with that hope, she couldn't shake the thought of Dario having sex with another guy. A tear fell down her face as she wondered what her youngest son's life would be like after she was gone. She truly needed to step in before that happened.<p>

All of a sudden, the door swung open and Maddalena walked in. Isobel felt disoriented for a moment as she questioned if Maddalena was a nurse at first, but when she saw the dress Maddalena was wearing she knew she didn't work at the hospital. "Who are you? I told the nurses I didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the night."

Maddalena pulled off her white laced black gloves and placed them in her purse. "My name is Maddalena Dimera."

Isobel quickly caught on that Maddalena was Andres' mother. She remembered all the horrible things Andres told her about Maddalena and began to worry with questions as to why she was in her room. "What do you want?" she asked as she sat up.

Maddalena stepped closer to Isobel as she informed her, "I know all about your health, and I want to help you."

Isobel remained cautious as she felt wary of getting help from Maddalena. "You want to help me? Do you have some magical cure that will heal me from this cancer?"

"Unfortunately, we didn't catch your illness in time." Maddalena shared.

Confused, Isobel asked, "How are you going to help me then?"

Maddalena coolly adjusted her purse under her arm as she answered, "We will take good care of your son."

Isobel became befuddled with Maddalena's answer and quickly shot back, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Maddalena tilted her head as she asked, "Am I incorrect then about you and my son, André, being lovers?" Maddalena shook her head knowing Isobel couldn't deny that truth. "I truly wish you the best. This has been a lovely conversation." Maddalena turned around and exited the room. Isobel sat there shocked to the core that one of her darkest secrets had come back to haunt her. She looked up to the ceiling wishing her son, Manuel was there.

Maddalena closed the door and smiled at Colin, who was keeping watch to make sure no one intruded on Maddalena's conversation with Isobel. Colin looked around before questioning, "What are your instructions?"

"You are right. It's too risky to try the fast solution on her," Maddalena shared.

Colin was glad Maddalena agreed with him as he mentioned, "This works out for us because my tests are still showing complications in Abe's recovery. We will have more time to fiddle with the quick solution." While they were discussing the quick solution, he felt uneasy about asking his follow-up question, but he managed to keep a straight face. "Did you happen to grab one of the vials of the fast solution on your way out tonight?"

Maddalena gave Colin a questioning look as she denied it. "Why do you ask?"

Colin chose not to share that he had misplaced a vial of the quick solution and covered, "I wondered if you had taken one since you have been ill. Now that I think about it, I believe I brought one to my office in case you wanted to use it on Isobel."

"It better be. I can't afford someone else getting their hands on our research," Maddalena warned with some restraint.

Azzura walked over to update Maddalena on their progress. "Thanks to the event tonight and the tight security, we were able to do a lot of the final construction needed. Unfortunately, it appears we will need another evening where the mansion is empty like it was tonight."

Maddalena was a bit frustrated. "I don't think another event like this will be happening for a while. We don't have the time!" Maddalena put on her gloves and turned to Colin. "We will need to find a new test subject. See what you can find on other patients here." Turning to Azzura, she said, "I'm ready to head home. I need my rest."

* * *

><p>Will kept running until he ended up at the pier. He had to get away from everything and wanted to make sure no one could find him. Taking a seat on a bench he reeled over the fact that Mia was in town and was kissing Chad. Replaying the kiss in his mind, he realized that Chad lied to him the entire time about spending so much time with Abigail. She wasn't the blonde Ignazio saw Chad with, and Chad had kept Mia's return a secret from him. It all made sense now. Mia was the one who sent Chad the picture of Grace in the mail.<p>

Tears formed in his eyes as he grabbed his neck wondering what this all meant. He pulled out his cell phone and began to look at pictures of him with Chad. His crying became harder as he realized his worst fear was correct. Chad was never his and wasn't gay. Will began to blame himself for not accepting this before because maybe it would have been easier.

Will thought back to catching Mia and Chad wishing he hadn't just rushed off. He wished he had said something to Chad about how bad he hurt him. Kai had warned him that Chad would cheat on him, but he didn't even want to believe in the possibility. Will felt so betrayed and neglected. He hated Mia for what happened. She won in the end and the love between Chad and him was now gone because Chad had chosen her over him. He felt so deceived by Chad, but at the same time blamed himself for believing in something he should have known would have never worked out.

Will felt like such an idiot for believing his life would have a happy ending. He reflected on his parents' relationship and how he was often used as a tool by his parents so they could get what they wanted. He questioned if Chad had used him to get back with Mia. Would he really pretend to be gay to get back with his ex? Will was upset, but he knew Chad better than that. At least he hoped so because deep down Will knew he still loved Chad and hated himself for it.

After a while, Will wiped his face when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He was afraid that Chad may have found him, but when the person came closer, he realized it wasn't Chad. When the person came even closer, Will recognized him. "You. Did you need something?" he asked somewhat impolitely because he wanted to be left alone. Will then noticed more guys walking up. A sudden chill went through his spine when he spotted the first guy pulling out a knife. Will didn't waste a moment, got up, and ran. Fortunately, he still had his phone in his hand. He decided to call the first person that came to mind. Speed dialing Chad's number, he tried to get away from the guys who were now following him.

* * *

><p>Chad paced outside of the bathrooms of Chez Rouge wondering if Ignazio had any luck in finding Will. Growing impatient, he turned to Mia, who was standing there thinking of what to do now, and said, "I can't just stand here anymore. I love Will, and I need to find him." Chad rushed off leaving Mia to think about how Ignazio's plan didn't go in the direction he claimed it would. She had lost.<p>

Chad looked around the main dining area walking past EJ and Sami hoping to find Ignazio or Will. He then headed outside to see if Will decided to get some air because he couldn't find Will or Ignazio anywhere. Outside, he found Sonny standing there sulking alone. Making his way over, he asked, "Have you seen Will? I messed up big time, and he's avoiding my texts."

Sonny, who had been stuck in his own world since Dario left, wondered how Chad messed up, but before he could say anything, Sami and EJ made their way over having overheard Chad talking to Sonny. They followed Chad out because they saw the distress on his face when he rushed by them inside the restaurant. "What did you do? When's the last time you saw Will?" Sami asked concerned for her son.

Chad's cell phone began to ring and when he saw that it was Will, he quickly picked up. "Will, I am so sorry!"

Will didn't have time to talk about the kiss. "Chad! I… I'm being chased…."

Chad could hear what sounded like Will dropping to the floor. His eyes widened as he heard Will yelling at someone to leave him alone. Suddenly, the phone disconnected. "Oh my god. Will? Will are you there?" Chad turned to the others with great fear in his eyes and voice. "Something has happened to Will."

Sami jumped on Chad as her concern grew as well. "What do you mean something happened to my son?"

"I don't know. He said someone was after him, and then he was yelling at the top of his lungs. His phone disconnected, so I don't know what happened," Chad shared as his hands began to shake.

EJ decided to move into action. "I'll have Marco send out some men to look around the perimeter. We have plenty of eyes and ears that we'll be able to find him."

Sonny decided to do his part as well. "I can try to look up Will's location using his cell GPS. We synced our phones once, so I think I can try to find him through my phone."

As EJ and Sonny fiddled with their phones, Ignazio rushed out as he informed Chad, "I've been trying to call and find Will, but he's not answering or nowhere to be found."

Mia rushed out as well wondering what was happening, too. "Chad, is everything okay?" Mia turned to Chad hoping that Will would be so upset with Chad that he would break things off with him. If Will was out of the picture, she could help Chad pick up the pieces.

"Mia McCormick?" Sami exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" Seeing the look on Chad's face, Sami jumped to assumptions. "Oh my gosh, she's the reason you can't find Will. What were you and Mia doing that caused my son to run out?"

EJ removed his phone from his face and pulled Sami close to him, so she could stay as calm as possible. "Samantha, we will find Will. He will be fine. I assure you." As EJ pulled Sami into a hug, he traded a glance with Mia and then Chad. He couldn't believe his brother messed up in this way when he gave him multiple warnings not to hurt Will.

Chad watched as Sonny continued to mess with his phone. He wanted to ask him if he was having any luck in finding Will's location, but EJ's phone began to ring. "Did they find him?" he asked as Sami turned her attention on EJ, too.

* * *

><p>Out by the pier, Will stepped back as he held onto his abdomen with both of his hands. He looked down as he removed his right hand from his left side and looked it over. There was blood on his hand. He looked up to the guys confused as he fell to the ground feeling weak from the stab wound. The guys circled Will as he continued to fall onto his back in agony. When Will felt a sharp pain in his leg, he mustered all the strength he could, quickly reacted by grabbing whatever they stabbed him with, and threw it into the water. One of the guys began to curse. Will suddenly felt weaker and began to struggle with keeping his eyes open.<p>

Will was so confused about what was happening as he began to see flashes. A sudden strong scent began to enter his nostrils as he heard a harsh sound hurt his ears. The scent seemed to keep him conscious for a while longer. He struggled with this daze for what seemed like an hour, but in reality, it had only been five minutes. Will tried to force himself to get out of the daze, but it didn't work. Hearing footsteps, the group of guys panicked and ran off leaving Will on the ground.

Dario, who had decided to leave Chez Rouge after his confrontation with Sonny, walked along the pier and saw Will's body on the ground. He rushed over and saw blood staining through Will's blue vest. "Will? What happened? Will?" Will didn't respond. Dario looked around to see if there was anyone else nearby. Smelling the strong smell that Will picked up on earlier, he looked up and noticed there was fresh spray paint on the walls as well as the crates on the pier. Someone had spray painted different homophobic comments, and Dario quickly realized what had happened to Will. He pulled out his phone to make a call as he encouraged Will, "Stay with me, Will. It's going to be okay. I'm here with you."


	56. Chapter 56 Hello

**Chapter 56: Hello – Saturday, January 14, 2012**

"Mia?" Will stated horrified by the fact that Chad and Mia were kissing outside of the bathrooms of Chez Rouge. Pushing Ignazio to the side, Will threw his mask off before separating Chad and Mia. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded to know.

Chad didn't know how to respond because he was surprised himself. "Will, I…"

"How could you do this to me, Chad?" Will interjected as he pushed Chad back. "I thought you wanted to be with me!"

Chad glared at Mia as he exclaimed, "Mia kissed me! I didn't kiss her. She followed me back here, and she kissed me. I did nothing wrong."

Will gave Chad a look of disbelief. "Do you really believe you have done nothing wrong here? Do you think I am that stupid? You've been hiding Mia from me for weeks, and you expect me to forgive you and pretend this never happened! I'm not some robot you can control. You can't make me turn off my brain or my heart. This hurts too much."

Will began to turn around to leave, but Chad grabbed his arm to stop. "Will, we can talk this out. Please don't walk away. Something bad will happen to you if you do. Don't turn this into something it's not. I'm sorry that she kissed me, but I can't be as sorry as you think I should. I need you here with me. I love you more than anyone ever could!"

Will yanked his arm from Chad's grasp. "Don't touch me, Chad. You lost me, and you'll never get me back!"

"Will, please!" Chad tried to grab Will's arm again, but Will punched him in the face making him fall to the ground. He was knocked out cold, and everything went black.

Chad stood by the nurse's station. The hospital was utterly empty – full of bright lights and white walls. Slightly shielding his eyes from the intense illumination with his hands, Chad looked around for someone to tell him about Will's condition. He needed to find Will. He needed to make sure he was okay. Lowering his hands to his side, Chad squinted his eyes from the brightness and headed down the hall stopping outside of Will's room. He walked into the room, but the room was empty. Only silence filled the room as Chad couldn't even hear himself breathe or feel his own heart beating.

Chad's ears perked when he heard a female voice in the distance. As the voice spoke it became clearer and louder. "This is all your fault, Chad! You did this to Will!" Chad recognized the voice as Sami's, but when he turned around no one was there. Something was different about the room though. There was now a poster on the door. Chad walked closer to the door to look the poster over. He didn't understand it, but it had a picture of Will on it with the word "MISSING" on the bottom. He remembered it from his dream – the one where he found Will a different person in the basement of the Dimera Mansion. The lights in the room began to intensify once again causing Chad to shield his eyes once more. Chad shook his head and closed his eyes, but when he opened them, all the penetrating lights went out.

"Hello?" Chad said nervously into the dark. "Is someone there?" As soon as he asked his last question, the lights came back up, but Chad was no longer in the hospital. He was now in his apartment standing in the kitchen looking into the living room. He saw Sonny and Kai trying to comfort Will, who seemed inconsolable, on the couch. Chad remembered this dream well and thought back to when he fought with Will because he wasn't ready to have sex. Chad was about to say something, but a sudden light irradiated around Kai. Chad watched Kai intently as he transformed into Dario. When the transformation was completed, the light exploded into Chad's face causing him to shake his head for a moment. The explosion caused Chad to feel somewhat disoriented.

"You guys found Will," Chad let out as he rubbed his eyes. Removing his hands from his face, he set his gaze back onto the couch in the living room. Will, Dario, and Sonny turned around and faced Chad as he tried to move forward. Chad looked into their eyes and noted the terror in them. Reflecting on the last time he had this dream, he remembered thinking they were afraid of him, but they were really scared of someone who stood behind him. Chad turned around and spotted André, but André didn't have a sword in his hand and didn't threaten to kill anyone. Instead, André stood in the middle of the kitchen with his back facing everyone. Chad cautiously got closer to his cousin as he guardedly whispered his name.

André turned around and faced Chad as Will and the others faded from the living room. He began to pace around Chad in silence looking Chad up and down. Chad questioned what his cousin was doing, but his thoughts were interrupted when André finally spoke, "I believe death is upon us to claim its victim."

"Have you seen Will?" Chad asked as André stopped moving. "I can't let anything happen to him."

André began to walk towards the front door away from Chad, but stopped when he touched the door knob. Turning his head, he suggested, "Let me guide you to him. I know the path very well."

Chad made his way over next to André as he opened the door. They walked through and were now somehow standing inside the Brady Pub. Chad glanced over the pub for Will but saw no one. "Is Will here?"

André remained silent as Lucas and Sami made their way from the back. Ignoring André, they went for Chad and began to yell at him. "The man of the hour," Lucas called out to Chad with his hands in the air facing towards him. Lowering his left hand and pointing with his right hand, Lucas continued, "You have got to be the worst boyfriend ever – and that means a lot coming from me. I hate you for what you did to my son. Where were you? Did you have more important things to do? Did you have more significant people to spend your time with? As far as I'm concerned Will should have been the most important person in your life!"

Chad stepped back unsure of what to say. He could feel the heat of anger coming from Sami and Lucas's bodies. "Where's Will now? Have you two seen him? I'm here now!"

Sami stepped in front of Lucas and began to push Chad back. "You were supposed to protect my son! I trusted you because I thought you loved him! I was so blind! You don't even love yourself! How can you love someone else if you can't love yourself? What were you thinking when you cheated on him with Mia? How could you do this after everything she did to you and Will?"

Chad looked down at himself disappointed and hurt. He couldn't look at Sami or Lucas because it only made things worse. "I'm sorry," he finally let out. "I don't know what I was thinking… I… I wasn't thinking!" Chad finally looked up, but Sami and Lucas were now gone.

André moved so he stood in front of Chad. "Your problem isn't that you weren't thinking – it's that you were thinking too much."

Chad didn't know what to think of André's comment. He shook his head trying to remain on the task at hand. With a firm voice, he claimed, "We have to find Will. He's not here."

"Let's move along then," André said as he turned around to lead Chad out of the pub.

Once they were outside, they ran into Abe and Lexie. Chad smiled as he could see how happy they were to be together. "Lexie! You found Abe!"

Lexie turned and gave her brother a warm smile. Holding Abe's hand, she shared, "Yes. I was very lucky to find Abe when I worked for the police department. He was such a good man and a good example. His love will always stay with me. Unfortunately, forever is never promised on earth." Lexie continued to smile even with the turn in the conversation.

Abe nodded his head. "We all leave at some point. Some sooner than expected." He turned his head and gave Lexie a kiss on her cheek. "I love you so much, sweetheart. One day I'll see you in heaven."

Tears began to form in Chad's eyes as Lexie turned towards Abe to say her goodbyes to her love. "I will never forget you – for as long as I live. Not even death can make us part. Until we meet again." Abe slowly faded while Lexie gave him one last kiss. After he was gone, Lexie turned towards her brother as she, too, began to fade. "Cherish what you have before it's gone to you. Don't waste another moment on something you can't change."

Chad didn't want his sister to disappear because he wanted to comfort her. "Lexie, I am so sorry about Abe. I think I wasn't thinking clearly, and now I can't find Will."

Lexie faded completely before André moved to stand where she once stood. "Your problem wasn't necessarily that you weren't thinking clearly – there's more to thinking things through. Shall we continue?"

Chad nodded his head and followed André to the Horton Town Square wondering why his cousin seemed to be talking to him in riddles. Chad's eyes wandered onto the tree in the middle of the square as they walked around it. It wasn't the same tree that was normally there, but it still looked very familiar. Chad then noticed that the tree had fruit on it, but the fruit seemed to be rotting. Spotting a brown snake on the tree, Chad watched as it climbed to the top and then dangled from the highest branch to turn into a noose. Chad remembered when André and his lover tied the noose around Will's neck in a previous dream, but then his thoughts went to another dream as a silhouette of Will actually appeared hanging on the noose. The silhouette of Will looked Chad dead into his eyes and said, "This is all your fault." Chad immediately looked away, shook his head, and when he looked back up, the noose and Will were gone.

Chad looked around the town square in search of Will. Instead, he saw missing posters of Will all over. Chad stopped André from going any further. Frustrated, he said, "Do you even know where we're going? Will isn't here or anywhere else you've taken me."

André didn't face Chad when he responded. "Patience will get you into trouble, whether there is a lack of it or if there is too much of it. Be careful what you wish for because the truth is not always something to smile about."

Before he could call out André for talking in riddles, Chad suddenly heard voices coming towards him from behind. Turning his attention to where they were coming from, he saw T and Sonny coming his way. "Guys, have you seen Will?"

T looked over to Sonny as he commented, "Look at this guy. Can you believe him? He's asking if we've seen Will. What a crock of shit!"

Sonny shook his head in disapproval as he and T stopped in front of Chad. "You may have been Will's boyfriend, but we were his best friends. Now he's gone, and it's all your fault!"

Chad couldn't believe the reactions he was getting from Sonny and T. He put his hands up in surrender as he spoke, "I know I messed up, but Will is going to be fine. We just need to find him. If we do this together, we can find him and bring him home."

T gave Chad a look that suggested he wasn't convinced. "Okay. We'll bring Will home," he stated in a mocking tone. Turning serious, he went on, "My best friend is gone. I shouldn't have allowed you to take Will away from me. You're going to be sorry for what you did! He was mine first."

"And mine, too." Sonny said crossing his arms over his chest. "When I came to town, Will was afraid of you, but you devoured his life. You took him in and made him trust you. I'm thinking his first instinct was right. He should have stayed with T and me and forgotten all about you! We would have made better boyfriends."

Tired of the yelling and guilt, Chad turned to André and screamed, "Get me out of here! What is this torture? I need to find Will, so I can convince everyone he's fine. I know he's okay! I know he's safe! He can't be gone! Take me to him now!"

After Chad yelled, Sonny and T were nowhere to be seen. André nodded his head to Chad saying, "Your brain seems to be telling you one thing, but what does your heart feel?"

Chad's focus remained on his cousin with a questioning expression on his face. "What are you trying to tell me? I'm not getting it."

"You will soon, my cousin. Death has a way of bringing change and growth."

André turned his body again causing Chad to realize they were now standing on the pier. Chad grabbed his chest as he began to feel his heart beat very slowly. It gradually increased in speed as Chad turned André around and looked into his eyes. "What is going on here?"

Before giving a slight bow, André returned a question to Chad, "Are you finally listening to your heart?" After his bow, André slowly faded.

Chad turned around, looked down, and saw Will's lifeless body lying on the pier. He threw himself on the ground, so he could hold Will. "Will? Are you okay? Wake up! I found you!" Will didn't respond in any way. His heart was not beating. Chad could feel his own heart hurting with every beat that seemed to pound right through his chest. He felt tears coming down his face and saw them falling on Will's hair. His emotions were strong, and they came flooding as Will continued to show no signs of waking or even breathing. "This can't be happening! I can't lose you now! This is all my fault!"

Chad lowered his head on Will's and continued to cry as he kissed the top of his boyfriend's face. He got so lost in what he was feeling, he didn't realize that Will was no longer in his arms, and he now stood inside the hospital again. Chad opened his eyes and walked back into Will's hospital room. It was still empty. Will wasn't there. Chad began to hear his name, but he didn't see anyone around him.

_"Chad_... Chad..." Chad heard as he woke up seated in the chapel at the hospital. Someone had their hands on him and was shaking him slightly to get him to open his eyes. "Chad... Now is your chance."

Chad finally opened up his eyes wide enough to see who was talking hazily to him. "EJ?" he said feeling a bit confused as to what was happening. He looked around and realized where he was. Reflecting on the nightmare he just had, he fearfully questioned if Will was gone to him for good. "I must have fallen asleep in here. Is Will?"

"He's still in there. No response yet," EJ shared. "I'm taking Samantha home to have lunch with the kids. We're going to tell them about Will being in the hospital, and I am not sure how they'll do with the news about their older brother."

Chad sat up more as his mind continued to awaken. "Is Sami still mad at me?"

"Yes," EJ started not wanting to sugar coat the truth, but he added, "She's just concerned about Will and what happened last night. Will is her main priority – as it should be." EJ helped Chad stand up from the pew. "You can go see Will now."

Chad felt the heaviness of the tragic situation sink in as he stood on his feet. "I don't know if I can do this," he said as water formed over his eyes. As much as he tried to fight it, he couldn't help the tears.

To stop his brother, EJ placed his hands on the sides of Chad's shoulders. "Chad, you can't be like this. I don't understand what has happened to you because you used to be a stronger and more individualistic person before you became comfortable with being a Dimera. You must to be strong for Will. He's in there doing what he can to stay alive, but he needs all of us to fight for him, too. You have to encourage him to stay with us. He needs to hear your voice – full of strength and love." EJ gave his little brother a softened look trying not to think about the times he warned Chad to stay away and not get caught up in Mia.

"You're right," Chad said wiping his face. "I need to go in there and fight. I can't turn back now."

EJ pulled Chad into a hug and promised, "I guarantee nothing like this will ever happen again. As mayor – you, Will, and any of your friends will not have to look over your shoulders anymore."

Chad thanked EJ as he walked out of the chapel with his brother. EJ headed out, and Chad made his way to Will's hospital room. He thought about how in his dream he always found the room empty. Taking a deep breath, he walked inside.

Will laid on the hospital bed connected to quite a few machines. Chad stood by the door for a moment as he tried to contain his emotions on seeing Will like this. He remembered everything that went down the night before after Will called him.

Sonny worked fervently on his phone as EJ sent Marco and some other men out to check the perimeter. Sami was pacing as she tried repeatedly to get in touch with Will by calling his phone. Chad stood there as Mia and Ignazio tried to talk to him, but he wasn't listening to them. Sonny exclaimed, "I think I know where he is. He's on the pier."

At that moment, Chad's phone began to ring. It was Dario. Chad hesitantly answered, but was glad he did when Dario informed him that he was with Will at the pier. Dario told him that they needed to get to the pier soon because he wasn't getting a pulse from Will. After Dario told Chad he was going to call 911 and start CPR, Chad got off the phone as Lexie rushed out to see what was happening. Chad told them what Dario said, and they were off to the pier.

Once they arrived, Chad hurried to Will's side to check his pulse, but couldn't feel anything. Lexie rushed over and began to check Will's vitals as Chad and Sami began to ask her questions. Lexie shared that she couldn't feel a pulse, but that there was something weird going on because Will's body felt really warm. Lexie ripped Will's vest and shirt to look for the wound because something seemed off. Finding the knife wound she began to put pressure on it. When the ambulance arrived, Lexie shared, "There should be more blood here because it appears Will has been stabbed. Another thing that is odd is that his blood should be dropping due to gravity. That doesn't seem to be the case. He's still bleeding slowly, but there's something else going on here. I think Will is still alive."

Chad stopped thinking back to the night before and focused on Will where he was at the moment. Will's pulse was now somewhat noticeable, but the doctors claimed he was in some sort of comatose state. Chad moved closer and pulled up a chair, so he could sit next to Will. He looked him over deciding not to touch him just yet. Grabbing his necklace from the island of Maddalena, he remembered the promise he made to Will about always being there for him. He promised to protect him and failed miserably.

Chad wished Will hadn't run off after Will found him kissing Mia. He believed if Will had remained there this never would have happened. Chad shook his head because he believed he was now putting the blame on Will, but he knew this was his own fault. He betrayed Will in the most shocking way, and Will couldn't handle it. Will had no other choice but to run away from him.

Grabbing Will's hand, he kissed it before saying, "Will, I can't apologize enough for what I did to you. Please come back to us. I want to make this better. I want to show you that there's no one else but you that is important." Chad continued to kiss Will's hand as he remembered Celeste telling him that Will not being in his life completely was the missing puzzle piece. He couldn't lose that now.

* * *

><p>Caroline walked out from the back of the kitchen as quickly as she could holding a small tray of food for a table. Handing it off to Gabi, she frantically made her way over to Chelsea, Bo, and Maggie. "I wasn't really paying attention, but I think I just heard on the radio that something has happened to Will. Am I only hearing things?" Caroline didn't even need an answer to her question because the looks on the others' faces said it all. "Is that why you two are here at the moment?" she asked looking at Bo and Maggie.<p>

"Ma, we didn't want to worry you," Bo started feeling a bit nervous as he thought he had put her radio on a station that wouldn't have said anything about what happened to Will. "What exactly did you hear?"

Before answering her son's question, Caroline wanted to set one thing straight. "I am not some fragile woman who wants to be kept in the dark about anything going on with our family. I have been getting stronger by the day and have fought to be where I am now." Wiping her hands together, she went on, "As I said before, I didn't hear much. What exactly happened to Will? Is he okay? Was it a mugger or is this connected to what happened to Abe?"

Bo was relieved to hear his mother's questions because it seemed she didn't know about Will's attack happening because of his homosexuality. Maggie stepped in to answer Caroline's question, "Will is at the hospital and is being watched closely. Lexie believes he will be just fine but hasn't really shared what exactly she thinks happened."

Bo placed his hand on Caroline's upper back as he suggested, "Maybe you should stay calm and relax upstairs. You could visit Will later after a nap." Bo wanted to make sure Caroline stayed away from all forms of media.

"Who is going to run the pub?" Caroline questioned feeling overwhelmed by the news of Will.

Chelsea stepped forward, "I'm here grandma. Gabi and I can run the pub. We have before."

"If that's not enough for you, I can stay, too," Bo volunteered. "I'll let Roman and Hope know I will be here if they need to contact me about anything work related."

After Caroline nodded her head, Maggie volunteered to take her upstairs. After they were gone, Bo took Chelsea aside to talk to her about Caroline and Will. "Your grandma can't know the reason Will was attacked last night. I want to make sure it stays on the DL because we can't afford to have her stressed out and possibly ending up in the hospital again."

Chelsea nodded her head as she remembered how stressed Will was about it before. "I'll make sure I do whatever I need to help," she responded as she reflected on how she discovered what happened to Will. Dario had disappeared, and she called him to find out where he was. He told her he was on the pier and that the ambulance had just taken Will to the hospital. Dario sounded so distraught.

Bo could see that Chelsea was in deep thought. "Everything okay?"

Chelsea snapped out of her thoughts as she declared, "I want to visit Will. What was he doing out there anyway? I can't imagine the fear he must have felt when he was attacked."

Bo placed his hands in his pockets and looked around the room before asking, "Do you know who Mia McCormick is?" Chelsea shook her head. "She is the ex-girlfriend of both Chad and Will and there is speculation she is involved somehow. I can't really say more than that at the moment."

Chelsea returned to her thoughts to Dario and shook her head. Noticing Gabi working hard, she wondered if maybe she should put visiting Will on hold since word was he was still unconscious. "I'll be right back. I need to check in with Gabi."

Bo went behind the bar as Chelsea walked over to Gabi, who had just finished taking an order from a table. Gabi stopped when Chelsea stood in her way. "Hey Chelsea, what's up?" She didn't want to admit to it, but she was avoiding Chelsea somewhat after the way Dario disappeared on her the night before.

"I just realized that you're working when you should be at the hospital with your mom or visiting Will," Chelsea mentioned.

Gabi tried not to make a big deal of it as she claimed, "I need to work. Ari will call me if something comes up."

Chelsea didn't let up. "I can cover things here. I think my dad and Maggie are going to help out anyway," she offered.

Gabi shook her head and replied, "Thanks, but no thanks. I need to keep my mind off of things. I heard that Will got hurt last night, but I didn't hear the details. I tried to talk to Dario about it at home, but he wouldn't say anything to me. What exactly happened?"

Chelsea looked around to make sure no one else could hear. "Well, Will was attacked last night on the pier. I'm not exactly sure why he was there in the first place, but it seems he was a victim of gay bashing. There was graffiti everywhere on the scene from what I heard."

Gabi couldn't believe it as guilt began to hit her because she had distanced herself so much from Will. A thought suddenly crossed her mind. "We can't let Mrs. Brady find out. Last time she found out about Will, she kind of lost herself," she shared with concern. Gabi blamed herself for what happened. She also realized why Dario was so silent with her about what happened the night before.

Maggie walked down the stairs and over to the bar. "Caroline is trying to take a nap. When we got up there she said she really wanted to see Will now, but I convinced her to rest first, so she had more energy when she does see Will."

"Thanks Maggie," Bo said before taking a deep breath. He motioned Chelsea over because he had a request. Once Chelsea joined them, he asked, "You said you wanted to visit Will. Can you wait awhile and take Ma up to the hospital to see Will after she wakes up?"

Chelsea nodded her head. "Yeah, I can take her. I'll be sure to keep an eye on her and avoid any media at all costs."

Maggie let out a sigh of despair as she reflected on what happened to Will. "Poor Will. I was at the hospital when Sami called Lucas. He's trying to get here as soon as possible."

Bo scratched his neck with his index finger as he shared, "Yeah, Roman is beside himself as well. He called Marlena and told her to stand by for updates. Have you talked to your mom, Chelsea?"

"Nope," Chelsea quickly answered. She didn't want to have anything to do with Billie – even on a surface level. Wanting to focus on something else, Chelsea suggested, "Maybe we should get to work so that Grandma Caroline doesn't come down and try to overwork herself." Bo agreed and the three dispersed.

* * *

><p>After lunch and talking to the kids about Will, Sami and EJ returned to the hospital. Roman spotted them together and began to question them hoping he could get more details about the night before. Sami wasn't amused. "I don't want to waste time here. I want to go see my son and talk to him, so he'll come back to us. If it wasn't for EJ and you guys talking to me when I was in a coma, I never would have woken up."<p>

Roman tried his best to keep calm. "Sami, I know we are not in a good place, but we have to work together to find out who did this to Will."

Sami turned to EJ to ignore her father. EJ knew if he remained, she and Roman would never work things out. "I'll let you two have a moment of privacy. I'll see if I can find out any new information on Will's current condition. Will could use all the support he can get."

Sami sighed after EJ walked off. She couldn't believe he left her alone with Roman even though she knew her husband was right. Looking down, she awkwardly started a superficial conversation with her father. "Lucas and Allie are on their way back to Salem. Lucas finally got cleared to fly out here. I believe Kate is picking him up at the airport when he arrives."

"What did Lucas say when you told him?" Roman asked wondering if he and Sami could patch things up.

Sami blew her hair out of her face as she began to vent about Lucas. "Of course he's upset, but then he started going off on me about how I didn't tell him about what happened to Abe even though he was here the weekend Abe was attacked. I reminded him of that fact and then reminded him that he was around when we talked about it. He then gave me this lame excuse about how he must have zoned out because EJ was around. I don't even know what that…" Sami stopped talking once she realized this was the most she had said to her father since her marriage to EJ. Looking down, she removed her hair from her face as she returned to a more disconnected tone in her voice. "Have you talked to anyone about Will?"

Roman awkwardly adjusted his coat as he commented, "I already talked with your mother, John, Carrie, and Eric. There are still a few calls that need to be made, but I am trying to focus all my energy on what is going on with Will and find whoever did this to him."

Sami wiped her eyes as she continued to look down. She didn't want to be with her dad because of how he treated her for getting back together with EJ. "Yeah, I talked to Eric earlier. He mentioned you had already called. He wants to take time off to come see Will, but I don't know if he'll be able to make it."

"Sami, I'm sorry," Roman finally let out causing Sami to look up. "I know that things have been tense with us since I didn't go to your wedding with EJ, but I couldn't handle it. I've done a poor job at being involved with the family, and I can see that needs to change. I know EJ makes you happy even though I don't understand it."

Sami didn't know what to say at first because she didn't expect to hear an apology from Roman. She decided to leave it be and let the focus remain on Will. "EJ was right earlier. Will is going to need everyone by his side. I'm sure he'd love to hear your voice."

Sami began to head towards Will's room, but Roman stopped her. "I put myself in the dark and never talked to Will about him being gay. I feel bad for staying away from him like that. Can you tell me more about it?"

Sami let a small smile form on her face as she nodded her head. "Yeah. What exactly do you want to know?"

While Sami and Roman continued to talk, EJ ran into Jennifer and Daniel. "Afternoon. Do we have any updates on Will's condition?"

Daniel turned his whole body to EJ as he shared, "Your sister, Lexie, is currently looking into some things at home. She claimed she might know what is happening to Will."

EJ placed his hand on his chin as he wondered, "I'm curious about the state we found Will on the pier. Dario and Chad believed he was dead because they couldn't read a pulse."

"Honestly, I am just as curious and confused," Dr. Jonas admitted. "I don't know how that works, and I am not sure how Lexie knew to look at Will's wound next to make sure he was alive. We're lucky she noticed there was something off about his body temperature."

Thinking aloud, EJ shared, "The press wants answers about William's attack. They want to connect it to Abe's attack even though Will didn't disappear and that homophobic graffiti was sprayed everywhere."

"It's possible Dario scared off whoever did this to Will though," Jennifer countered feeling horrible for what her nephew must have gone through. She then shared, "I am doing my best to keep the media out of the hospital."

Jack arrived and headed over. "Just the woman I wanted to see."

Jennifer crossed her arms to let Jack know she wanted to keep her distance from him. "Jack, I cannot believe you managed to sneak in here for a story."

Jack sensed Jennifer wasn't pleased to see him, and even though she was right about him wanting information about the story, he played it off as if he wasn't there on business. "I'm not here for work. I came to talk to you. I got a new cell phone finally."

EJ didn't buy Jack's lie and commented, "You need to stay away from William and bugger off."

Jack didn't skip a beat as he questioned, "Is that an official statement from our new mayor?"

EJ scowled at Jack and replied, "It is not. Don't mess around about this because you will ruin things just as you did with my sister and her husband."

Jack didn't back down. "You should be thanking me for your new prestigious position." Thinking of Tony, he then added under his breath, "Your brother is definitely the nicer Dimera."

EJ gave Jack a stern look as he requested, "Can you repeat what you just said?"

Luckily, Jack was able to cover. "I said your brother is definitely the nicer Dimera. I was referring to Chad."

Jen's body shifted as she began to worry. "Did you confront Chad about what happened on the pier?"

"No," Jack answered honestly, but he now knew who he needed to talk to. "I know that I am in the way, so I'll be in the cafeteria grabbing a snack if you want to talk, Jennifer. If not, I suppose I can just head to the town square where I hope I'll be able to spend time with JJ and Abigail. Have you had any luck with convincing Abigail to bring her brother down to come visit with me?"

Jennifer was ready for Jack to leave. "I'm still working on it. They will be there."

Jack smiled and then mockingly winked to Daniel. "If you'll excuse me..."

Back in Will's room, Chad continued to hold Will's hand as he started to talk to him again. "I will make this all right. I made a lot of mistakes in the past, but the biggest one was taking you for granted." Chad thought about the words spray-painted on the pier and closed his eyes in shame. "What those guys did to you would have never happened if I had been there – if I had fully committed to you. I am going to make this up to you, Will, and prove that I am a good boyfriend who wants to be with you no matter what."

Chad was so focused on Will, he didn't hear Sami walk in. "How do you plan to do that?" she asked filled with skepticism.

Chad immediately stood up becoming nervous because he remembered how Sami chewed him out earlier. "I'm not sure," he let out somewhat meekly, but then added with more confidence, "I'm not going to keep Will and me a secret anymore."

EJ walked in and asked, "How is that a good idea?"

As EJ placed his hand on Sami's back, Sami agreed with EJ. "Your brother is right. Will was gay bashed, and putting yourself in the same predicament will not help things. At one time I believed you and Will were having problems because your relationship was a secret, but now I think it's something deeper. You putting your relationship with my son on blast will not help things."

Chad could feel the fear in Sami coming out. "I know this is all so scary, but I have allowed Will to feel insecure repeatedly! I need to make sure Will knows I am committed to him."

Sami gave Chad a stern and serious look. "I think you're very aware of the fact that I am not happy with you Chad. You may think you're helping Will out here, but I know desperation when I see it!" Sami softened somewhat as she repeated, "I know you're sorry, but you should think things through before making any rash decisions!"

"I love Will," Chad said firmly.

EJ tried to reason with Chad because he wasn't listening to Sami. "Look, I think it's great you want to be public about your relationship with Will, but maybe you should take a step back and look at everything. Do you sincerely want to do it like this – while Will is laying there in a coma? Are you truthfully prepared to be out when Will is unable to speak and share his take on everything that happened? That seems like a lot of pressure for you to take on without thinking things completely through. Why go into battle when everything is not working together?"

Chad thought back to his dream with EJ as the charioteer. Before he could say anything, Sonny walked into the room since the door was open. Quickly noting that things seemed tense, he apologized. "I'm sorry if I interrupted something."

"I should go so that everyone else can spend some time with Will," Chad said as he walked out.

Sonny looked up to EJ and Sami deciding to follow Chad out. "I'll come by later to talk to Will. I'll go talk to Chad now."

After Sonny walked out, EJ closed the door and joined Sami at Will's bedside. Kissing the top of her head, EJ wrapped his arms around her as she spoke to her son, "Come back to us, Will. We all need you to come back to us."

Sonny caught up with Chad at the end of the hall. "Chad, I know you have to be going through hell right now."

Feeling guilt and disappointment, Chad struggled with keeping his emotions in check. Fighting a few tears, he shared, "I did this to Will. I let him down in the worst way possible, and everyone else is giving me the feeling that this can't be fixed."

Sonny got in Chad's face and reminded him, "What happened to Will out there isn't your fault. Some sick people chose to do that to Will. You had no part in that."

"I should have been there with him," Chad countered. "I should have been the one who was beaten and stabbed because I am the weak one. Will has always been the strong one, and now I have to step up and be the strong one. I don't know if I can."

Sonny placed his hands on Chad's shoulders to encourage him. "I know that this has been a struggle for you. Will knows that, too, but you need to forget all of that and do what you have to do now." Noting Chad was still in his tux from last night, Sonny changed gears somewhat and asked, "Have you left the hospital at all since last night?"

Chad shook his head. "No, I can't leave Will here by himself."

Sonny let go of Chad's shoulders and placed his hands on his hips. "Will won't be alone if you just go home and shower. His family is here. Go put on some fresh clothes, and you'll feel so much better. I promise."

"I can't leave. I just can't."

Sonny knew he couldn't convince Chad to change his mind, so he had to come up with another plan. "They have showers here. I am sure Maxine would let you use one. I'll go back to the apartment and get you some clothes. Are you okay with that idea?"

Chad nodded his head. "Yeah, that would be great. Thanks for doing this for me, Sonny. I wish I could be more like you sometimes. You really are a good friend."

"So are you, Chad," Sonny said pulling him into a hug. After releasing him, he announced, "You stay here. I'll go to the apartment and find you something. If I have any questions, I'll text you."

Chad stopped Sonny from leaving deciding to ask him one last question. "Why are you being so nice to me? You should be yelling at me for what I did to your friend."

Sonny grimaced as he admitted, "Everyone makes mistakes Chad. I think I can relate to you in your situation because I have allowed myself to get lost in old feelings. We're all human."

Chad nodded his head, and Sonny walked off. Chad stood there for a moment as he thought about what he needed to do. He wanted to do whatever he could to show Will that he wanted to be with him, but Sami and EJ seemed to doubt his resolve. He questioned if Sami didn't want him in her son's life anymore after this happened. He wondered if he was bad news all around for Will. Reflecting on his Chariot dream, Chad remembered what EJ instructed him to do. He needed to armor himself first and then focus on his goal. He wondered what that would look like in this situation.

Finding Chad alone, Jack approached him and asked, "What's going on with Will Horton? I heard about the attack."

Chad turned around and quickly recognized Jack from the masquerade party from the night before. He immediately remembered that Jack was a reporter and questioned if he should be talking to him. "Yeah. It was terrible, but I don't really know much," he lied.

Jack caught on that Chad was unsure about talking to him. He needed Chad to open up, so he could find out the truth on Will's attack. "A lot of people are worried about Will, including my daughter, Abby. I think you know her. I am here as someone who is connected to the family, and I want to get the real story out, so rumors don't run rampant."

Chad still felt skeptical and remembered what Sami and EJ said to him about not doing anything desperate and irrational. "I'm sorry. I can't give you anything."

Deciding to back off for now, Jack pulled out a card and handed it to Chad. "If you change your mind, and you want to stop hiding, call me. That's my new cell number, so you won't have to talk to anyone else but me." Jack walked off leaving Chad to look over Jack's business card.

* * *

><p>Kate sat in a limo outside of the airport on the phone waiting for Lucas and Allie to arrive. "It's horrible, Billie. I got to see Will for a few moments, and he's just there. They beat him pretty bad and stabbed him as well."<p>

"How is Chelsea handling all of this?" Billie asked.

Kate rolled her eyes and answered, "She is okay."

Billie only had more questions. "Has she said anything about me? Do you think she'll ever call me?"

Kate decided to take the opportunity to chew her daughter out. "I cannot believe what you did to Chelsea. You acted selfishly and are continuing it! How can you think about yourself at a time like this?"

"But mom..."

"I don't want to hear it," Kate interrupted Billie. Spotting Lucas and Allie coming down an escalator to exit the airport, Kate decided to end the conversation. "Your brother and niece are here. I have to go." Kate hung up the phone.

Lucas and Allie made their way to the limo and entered when the driver opened the door and took their luggage to put in the trunk. Allie gave her grandma Kate a hug first, while Kate traded a solemn look with Lucas. "Has there been any updates?" Lucas asked.

"It's looking better, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions," Kate replied vaguely. She and Lucas were trying to communicate without saying too much since Allie was there.

Lucas glanced at his daughter, who was now distracted with her hand-held game. He felt it was safe to share his frustration. "I am so upset with Chad. I should have vetted the guy before allowing him to date Will. The Dimera men are all the same – they cause pain and misery."

Kate was not pleased with Lucas for taking the opportunity to talk down about her husband, EJ, and Chad, but she knew he was on edge because of what happened to Will. Changing the subject, she asked, "What's going on with Sophie?"

"Sophie is staying in Hong Kong for now to make sure everything remains in order," Lucas explained. "I think we should head out because I need to see my son." Kate nodded her head and let the driver know where they were headed first.

* * *

><p>T opened the front door at Chad, Will, and Sonny's apartment since he was the only one there. He was surprised to see Kai standing on the other side. "Kai, what's up?"<p>

"I came over to talk to you about Will," Kai informed T. "Is Sonny around?"

T shook his head and wasn't sure why Kai came over to talk to him about Will. "Sonny went to visit Will, so I'm the only one here at the moment."

Kai walked into the apartment and immediately went into stress mode. "I can't believe what happened to Will last night. I saw pictures of the graffiti on the walls. It's disgusting."

T agreed as his blood pressure began to rise. "I'm shocked, too. I never expected something like that to happen."

Kai felt extremely uneasy about the whole thing. He admitted, "I feel like everything seems so different. The fears I had about being openly gay have returned to the max."

"I can imagine," T responded. "Are you thinking about going back into the closet?"

Kai shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I mean, I'm not dating anyone anymore, so I could just go back into hiding unless I get involved with someone else."

T noted the way Kai bit his lip after he spoke. Feeling alarmed, he asked straight out, "Are you attracted to me?"

Kai's eyes widened and played off his sudden attraction to T by asking T his own question, "Do you take pride in knowing that guys find you attractive?"

T wasn't sure how to respond, but said, "It's a compliment, I guess, in some ways, but I don't enjoy being gay bait." Kai remained speechless as he thought about the kiss he and T shared outside of Java Café. T reiterated, "I'm straight."

Things became awkward quickly, but things got worse when Sonny and Abigail walked into the apartment talking about Will and Chad. Shocked to see Kai and T together, Sonny asked, "What are you guys doing?" Sonny wanted to say more, but he didn't want to make a big deal out of seeing them together.

T put his hands in his pockets not wanting to stir up drama with Sonny. "We were just talking about Will. Did you already visit with him?"

"No, I told Chad I would get him a change of clothes," Sonny informed T.

Clueless to the tension between the three guys, Abigail turned to T and asked, "Have you seen Josh? I didn't see him last night."

T scratched his arm thinking about what Josh would want him to share with Abigail. "Yeah, I ran into him at the square last night. There was even a little entertainment. This guy and this lady were arguing. They sounded foreign..." T stopped talking realizing he was talking nonsense to buy himself some time to think of what to say to Abigail. Returning to Abigail's question, he said, "Josh has just been really busy with work. He was all set to come to the masquerade, but at the last minute, he claimed that something came up that he needed to take care of."

"Oh," Abigail said. She wondered if she was the real reason he decided not to show up.

Wanting to avoid Sonny and the awkwardness present in the room all around, Kai turned to T and stated, "I should go. Please give Will my best." Kai quickly made his way out of the apartment.

With Kai gone, Sonny could finally ask the questions he wanted. "What's your relationship with Kai?" he asked causing Abigail to give him a confused look. She thought the question came out of nowhere.

T kept his hands in his pockets and responded, "Kai and I are just friends. That kiss the other day was a stupid idea to get payback."

Abigail's eyes widened as she realized that T and Kai kissed. She immediately went for the attack as she blasted T. "You kissed Kai? What the hell were you thinking? Why did you want payback on Sonny? What did he ever do to you or Kai?" Sonny and T tried to explain what happened, but Abigail was not ready to let up. "I'm going after Kai. He needs to be yelled at, too!"

Sonny stood in the way of the door and Abigail. "Abigail, wait! You don't know everything that's happened. I'm not exactly innocent." Abigail became even more confused, but Sonny didn't want to talk about it right then in front of T. "Can we please just get clothes for Chad and talk about my life on the way to the hospital?" Abigail agreed and headed to Chad's room with Sonny.

T received a text from Kai about their friendship. T responded to Kai typing: "I will try my best not to be awkward with you, but the truth is we barely knew each other before we kissed."

Kai responded soon after with: "I promise it won't happen again. I'm sure I'll find someone else to be friends with benefits."

T slightly smiled as he returned one last text. "Friends with benefits isn't all it's cracked up to be. It may not be true in your case, but the last girl I tried that with ended up pregnant and shady as hell."

Sonny and Abigail walked into the room with a bag with Chad's clothes and stuff he probably needed after he showered at the hospital. To show there was no animosity between them, Sonny asked T, "Are you going to visit Will?"

"I'll be there later," T shot back trying to play off his fear in visiting Will in the hospital.

Sonny and Abigail made their way back to his car. After getting in, Abigail turned to her cousin saying, "So what did I miss? What's going on with you and Kai, and why did Kai kiss T?"

Sonny sighed as he put his car into drive. "It's all complicated I guess, but it pretty much began on my birthday when I cheated on Kai with Dario," Sonny admitted.

Abigail tried to keep her mouth shut and not show the surprise in her face, so Sonny could continue to tell her what happened but failed. "Wait… You did what?"

"You probably noticed how awkward I was at the Kiriakis cabin," Sonny continued. "Dario and I kept our affair a secret while avoiding each other for the most part. Dario was so supportive in whatever I decided, but I know I hurt him bad. I finally told Kai the day after we got back, and he broke things off. I tried to fight for him while I continued to push Dario and my feelings for him away. I was so dumb because I pushed for something I know now was a waste of time. Kai hates me, and he proved it to me when he kissed T to hurt me."

Abigail put her hand on Sonny's shoulder. "That really sucks, Sonny. I'm sorry I had no idea. I've been so caught up in my own drama with my dad, but that's no excuse."

"Yeah, it is," Sonny quickly opposed. "I know things have always been complicated with you and Uncle Jack."

"I don't really want to talk about it right now. I'm supposed to meet with him later, but... yeah." Abigail decided to stop talking about her dad. "So if you and Dario slept together, what was he doing with Chelsea at the masquerade last night? Is he trying to stay in the closet?"

Sonny felt bad for Dario. He had really turned his back on someone who truly was a supportive friend. "Actually, he's trying to forget me by going out with Chelsea I think. I don't blame him though. I treated him horribly because I was angry at myself. He's going through a rough time right now because he actually came out to his mom. She's currently in the hospital, and I think he now blames himself for possibly putting her there for good."

"That's really sad," Abigail replied. Even though she felt sorry for Dario, she was wary of the fact that Dario was using Chelsea to get over Sonny. She wondered if she should talk to Chelsea, but then questioned if it was her place.

* * *

><p>Azzura met with Maddalena in the entry way to discuss Colin's latest report on the happenings at the hospital. "Colin said he's heard some rumors about Will Horton's condition and needs to check on a few more things before he can provide a full report on what's going on."<p>

Maddalena's nerves were in hyper drive. "I fear what that could mean," she disclosed wondering if the reports were true about Will being a victim of a hate crime.

Trying to help with Maddalena's nerves, Azzura reported, "Besides the fact that Lucas Horton is returning to Salem, I have other good news to report. We may have the opportunity to finish the construction project at your brother's mansion since it has been close to empty all day thanks to Will's attack last night."

"I would like to look at the progress made so far to make sure we have the time we need to complete it," Maddalena ordered. As she and Azzura headed for the basement, she mentioned, "It is amazing how it seems that things have suddenly worked out for our benefit. It must be a sign that what we are doing is just and right."

Ignazio caught their attention when he entered the room with a big smile on his face. "Are you pleased with life and how things have turned out?" Maddalena and Azzura traded questioning glances as Ignazio continued, "I have separated Chad and Will, and Will's attack has most likely scared Chad. It will not be long until Chad is gone for good."

"I can see you are pleased with yourself, nipote," Maddalena started on her grandson, but then questioned, "I am not sure what that has to do with our business." She wondered what part luck played in Ignazio's plan working out the way it did.

Ignazio chose to keep his grandmother and Azzura in the dark for now. He didn't want them to know that he was the reason their plans got the movement they needed. He thought about his initiation once again and even though he felt Stefano, EJ, and Chad were welcoming him into the business, a part of him felt that they had taken advantage of him and saw him as someone who was weak. Returning to his grandmother's thought, he stated, "I only wanted to share my excitement with yours since things are going in all of our favors."

The doorbell rang. Azzura gave Ignazio a skeptical look as she answered the door. Stefano made his way in. "Maddalena, we need to talk."

Maddalena clasped her hands together. Of course," she stated. Turning to Azzura, she spoke in code, "Please set up an appointment with my doctor. I am still feeling under the weather, and I think a home visit is required." Azzura understood her signora wanted her to set up a meeting with Colin.

Stefano eyed Ignazio as he stood in place. With Azzura gone, Stefano got to the point, "If I find out you had anything to do with William's attack, things will not be easy for you."

Ignazio quickly became nervous as Maddalena remained confident and unaffected by her brother's threat. "I swear to you, fratello, I had nothing to do with the attack last night. What would papà say to the way you spoke to me just now?"

Stefano ignored his sister's passive-aggressive question. "I know you're aware of Chad and Will's sexuality thanks to Ignazio," he shared turning his gaze back onto his great-nephew. Ignazio remained speechless wondering if Stefano regretted his initiation. "I am keeping my eye on you as well."

The doorbell rang once again. Ignazio took the opportunity to escape Stefano's gaze by answering the door. Hope stood on the other side of the door this time. Holding her badge out, she smiled, "I wanted to talk with your grandmother. Is she in?" Hope let out a sigh as she thought about how the police force had a lot on their plate at the moment – including finding out how Abe's file was leaked to the press.

Ignazio planned on lying to Hope, but Maddalena stepped in. "Come in. Come in."

Ignazio moved out of the way, so Hope could enter. After she walked in, he closed the door behind her. "She is busy with her brother at the moment."

Stefano turned to Hope and questioned, "Do the police force believe my sister is guilty or something?"

Hope continued to smile as she responded, "No. I just want to ask Maddalena some questions. She's not under suspicion or anything."

Maddalena returned Hope's smile as she claimed, "I am open to talk as I have nothing to hide." Turning to her brother, she sarcastically told him, "We can trade conspiracy theories at another time. I think you have said your piece for now." Stefano didn't argue with his sister and left. Maddalena returned to Hope deciding to formally introduce her grandson. "This is Ignazio, my… grandson."

"Yes, I remember him. He was at the scene when Will was transported to the hospital," Hope brought up.

Ignazio wanted to leave, so he excused himself. "I need to check on something, so I will leave you two to talk."

As Ignazio headed to the dining room, Maddalena led Hope to a room on the opposite side that contained a fireplace. Hope remembered when she met Maddalena the first time at Lexie's house and found her familiar. The feeling was still there. "Before you moved in this house, had you ever visited Salem?"

"No, my brother made sure I stayed away," Maddalena denied it. She felt the familiarity of Hope as well.

Hope continued with her questioning. "As you are aware, we are trying to find out what happened to Mayor Carver. I'm here to see if you noticed anything suspicious around the time he was attacked and abducted since you are related to his wife."

Maddalena took a moment to think about Abe. She didn't want to answer Hope's queries too fast, so she didn't seem suspicious. "I only met with Alexandra's husband a couple of times before the incident. He seemed like a really intelligent and ambitious man, but I did hear from others in the family that my brother and Abraham did not get along very well."

Hope took Maddalena's bait as she followed up, "What is your relationship like with your brother, Stefano?"

Hope's question confirmed for Maddalena that the cops believed Stefano was a suspect in Abe's attack and kidnapping. "I would say Stefano and I have a normal sibling relationship. He can be protective of me at times since I am the youngest, but he also has his moments where he will keep me at a distance because he has many secrets."

"Secrets?" Hope asked for clarification as she raised her eyebrow.

Maddalena nodded her head. "I am not sure what he is hiding, but he was always against me moving to Salem because he wanted to keep me at a distance as I said. Since I moved here, he appears to be on edge quite a bit. You saw him when you arrived just now."

Hope tapped her finger on her chin for a moment before asking, "Why did you move to Salem?"

Somewhat annoyed that Hope returned the focus onto her, Maddalena adjusted in her chair. "I am older now as is my brother. I wanted to be close to family, and my brother seems to love this place. I wanted to reconnect with Stefano and his family here."

While Hope and Maddalena continued their conversation, Ignazio walked towards the doorway that connected the entry way and the dining room because he heard the front door. He smiled when he saw that it was Ric. "You arrived quickly. Have you destroyed all the evidence?"

Hope walked out with Maddalena and was surprised to see Ric there. Ignazio quickly dismissed Ric before he could answer his question, so he could find out why Hope was there. Clueless that Hope was in the room, Ric left the room through the dining room. Hope took note of Ric's presence but didn't say anything. Turning to Maddalena, she smiled, "Thanks for your time. I'll let you know if I have any more questions."

As Maddalena returned pleasantries with Hope, Ignazio made his way over and asked, "Have you two finished talking?"

Hope nodded her head. "Yes, do you have a moment to talk about my nephew, Will? I was told you two became friends when you moved here."

Ignazio's body shifted as he thought about Will's being in the hospital. That wasn't supposed to happen. "Yeah, is he going to be okay?"

"We're not certain," Hope answered. She didn't really have many questions for Ignazio because she didn't suspect him of anything, so she asked him one last question. "Do you know if Will received any threats or did anything happen recently that told you that he may be in danger?"

Ignazio shook his head as he remained calm. "No, Detective Brady. Everything was going well until Will and I discovered Chad cheating on Will with some girl. I guess she was his ex-lover or something."

Hope nodded her head and gave Ignazio a warm look as she thought about Mia and her connection to Chad. "Thanks. You have been helpful. If I have anything more, I'll be sure to call you."

"Anytime," Ignazio responded. Hope thanked Maddalena again and headed out.

Maddalena looked her grandson over questioning once again what exactly his plan to get rid of Chad was. "When Hope Brady and I walked in, what were you and Ric discussing?"

"It is not important," Ignazio said remaining mum on his plan with Ric, Mia, and Will. He was not ready to come clean just yet. He wanted to make sure everything played out perfectly first.

* * *

><p>After showering and changing at the hospital, Chad walked out of the locker room thinking about what Jack said to him earlier. He pulled his wallet out from his tux pants and looked at the card that Jack gave him for a moment. He put the card back into his wallet and then placed his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans. He made his way out of the hall running into Sonny. "Thanks for helping me out. You were right. I feel a bit better with the shower and change of clothes. Where's Abigail?"<p>

"She went to something she promised her mom she would do with JJ," Sonny responded as he and Chad headed for Will's room. "What did you do while you waited?"

"Well, since Sami wanted to be alone with Will, I hung out where you left me - well until I was approached by Jack Deveraux. I think he was trying to get information out of me on what happened to Will."

Sonny rolled his eyes. "That sounds like my uncle. I'd be careful with him. He always finds a way to uncover the truth, and I know your family and the police department want to keep what happened a secret."

Chad understandingly nodded his head as they arrived at Will's hospital room door. "I hope Sami doesn't try to give me a lecture again."

EJ was already in the room sitting there silently. He stood up as he informed them, "Samantha had to step out. I'll give you guys time to spend with Will."

"Thanks," Chad said with relief and patted his brother on the back as he walked out of the room. Chad motioned for Sonny to go ahead.

Sonny made his way over to Will and took a seat next to the hospital bed. Looking him over and thinking about the darkness that surrounded his friend, he took a deep breath before starting, "Hey Will. It's Sonny." He paused for a moment hoping that Will would somehow respond to him, but Will remained completely still and unfazed by his surroundings. Trying not to be casual about this, he poured out his heart, "I really miss talking and laughing with you. You're the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for. I seriously don't know what I would do without you, Will. Please come..." Sonny stopped as his voice went out. It was really hard to see Will like this, and he tried his best not to break down. "I don't understand the hate that must have gone through your attackers' minds. Why do they hate so much?"

Chad placed his hand on Sonny's shoulder to help calm him down. "We will find whoever did this. I will make sure of it!"

Sonny wiped his face and stood up, so Chad could sit next to Will. "Maybe he'll respond if you talk to him again."

Chad wasn't so sure, but Sonny seemed to hope differently. He grabbed Will's right hand with both of his hands and moved in closer. "Will..."

Colin coming into the room interrupted Chad from continuing. He had seen EJ walk out and figured now was his opportunity to learn more about Will's condition. "I'm sorry to barge in here like this, but I need to run some tests on Will to see how he's doing. You two will have to leave the room. I'll make sure I send a nurse to come get you guys when I am done."

Sonny and Chad looked at each other a bit confused by Colin's abrupt entrance and kicking them out. "Okay," Sonny released putting his hand on Chad's back to lead him out.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Dario met up with his sister to talk about their mother. "So things are still looking bad?"

Arianna gave her brother a sad look because she knew her answer would only add on to Dario's guilt. She didn't want him to blame himself for what was happening. "No. I talked to Nathan in Mama's room, and the tests aren't looking so great. I'm still working on her to convince her to let you come see her. She's been asking about Manny a lot this morning."

"Well, maybe she will get to see Manny soon," EJ said as he walked up. I am hoping for a release tomorrow or Monday, but Brooktree is making it difficult."

Arianna adjusted her body, so she could face her brother and EJ. "Why are they being difficult? They seemed understanding when they let him out after Christmas. Do they not believe my mother is really dying?"

"They believe that your mother is sick," EJ responded. "The issue is that I am trying to get Manny out for good. He's done well with his treatment and seems to be making great strides with his therapy sessions, but the state wants him to finish his time requirement."

Dario wondered what kind of therapy sessions Manny had to do. "I hope that they can let him out either way."

Arianna nodded her head knowing Isobel needed all of her children there. "Thanks EJ. If there's anything that you need from us to help with on getting Manny out let us know. It really means a lot that you're still looking out for us when you have your hands full with your own family problems."

EJ gave Arianna a sad but understanding smile. "Hopefully, things will work in all of our favors. I need to go find my wife, so I will be sure to keep you updated." Turning to Dario and placing his hand on his shoulder, he shared, "Be careful out there."

After EJ was gone, Dario placed his hands on his stomach as he rhetorically asked, "Does everyone know about me and Sonny now?"

Arianna hated seeing her brother in this situation. "So are you still set on trying to forget about Sonny? I don't like how you're going about this because in the end, you will only hurt yourself?"

Dario couldn't believe what Ari was saying to him. "Have you been talking to Manny? I have to do this for Mama. This is what she needs, and I want to do this for her."

"What do you need though?"

Dario couldn't look at Arianna because her question frustrated him. "I need the same thing," he stated adamantly.

Arianna wasn't convinced. She wondered if Dario was even more adamant about this after finding Will on the pier. "Stop lying to yourself! What you're doing with Chelsea is wrong!"

Dario spotted Chelsea coming from the elevator with Caroline. He quickly put his hands up to stop Ari from saying anything else. "Stop talking. She's here."

Arianna stopped as she spotted Chelsea, too. Caroline told Chelsea she had to go to the restroom, so Chelsea walked up to Dario and Arianna alone. "Hey Chelsea," Arianna said somewhat awkwardly. "I'm going to go talk to Mama," she told her brother to give Dario and Chelsea a moment alone.

Chelsea looked at Dario as she realized this was the first time she had seen him since last night. "So you were the one to find Will. I'm really happy you were there."

Dario grabbed the back of his head as he simply said, "Yeah."

"What were you doing out there?"

Dario recalled what happened with Sonny outside of Chez Rouge, but he decided not to share that with Chelsea. Instead, he shared, "I was upset about my mother and needed some air. I'm sorry I completely ditched you on our date. It was definitely very uncool of me."

Chelsea decided to let it go. "If the night hadn't ended the way it did, I wouldn't be talking to you right now – truthfully. You found my cousin, so I guess in a way it worked out. You're a hero in my eyes."

Dario smiled nervously as he reflected on what he saw at the pier. It bothered him that Will was attacked by homophobes, left for dead, and was now in a coma. "I really hope Will pulls through. No one deserves to go through that – gay or whatever."

"Yeah," Chelsea agreed with a slight nod. "It's sad that things are still this bad for gay people. You'd think people would know better than to hate."

Dario looked down as he thought about the things he was taught by his mother as well as the things he heard about gay people growing up. "People will believe what they want to believe and you can't change their minds. It's probably best if gay people just stay in the closet and pretend they're not gay to stop the hate."

Chelsea looked Dario over to make sure he actually believed what he was saying. "I guess that might keep gays and lesbians safe from danger, but that's a huge step backwards in my opinion. People shouldn't have to live in fear either way because that's what they'll be doing if they pretend to be something they're not."

"I don't know. Maybe it's better if people recognize that being gay is a choice and that it goes against everything nature represents," Dario stated matter-of-factly.

Chelsea stepped back, but then forward to grab Dario's attention. "What have you been reading because that's not true at all?" Chelsea placed her hands on Dario's chest so he would look at her. "Dario, homosexuality is not a choice."

"It can be for some," Dario quickly quipped looking at Chelsea.

Chelsea removed her hand and gave Dario a frustrated look. "I guess there are some people that experiment, but what about the people who didn't chose to be gay and have always been attracted to guys? Are they supposed to conform to what everyone believes to be 'normal'?" Crossing her arms at Dario, she decided to ask him a question that hit closer to home. "So are Chad, Will, and Sonny supposed to turn off who they are to make the world happy?"

Dario didn't have to think through Chelsea's questions because his emotions already had a response. "It would keep them safe! It would keep them from ridicule and judgment. It would keep them from having to live a life of shame and disappointment!"

Chelsea didn't respond right away because she realized that finding Will on the pier really affected him more than he probably would like to admit. "Dario," she said softly hoping to help him through the fear that he felt. "I'm sorry that you had to…"

"I'm sorry," Dario interrupted shaking his head. "I shouldn't have talked to you in that way. I don't know what got into me."

Chelsea gave Dario an empathic look as she rubbed his arm. "You got to see the ugly side of the world when you found Will on that pier, but life is so much more than that. We can't let evil or hate win. We cannot allow this incident to get in the way of people trying to be who they are or might be."

Dario's fear increased as it felt like Chelsea could see right through him. He wondered how she could know the truth about him. Unhinged, Dario quickly came up with an excuse to leave and ran off.

In Isobel's room, Arianna crossed her arms as she informed her mother, "Dario is waiting with Chelsea by the nurse's station. He really wants to come see you."

"Have you heard anything about Manny? Will he be here soon?" Isobel asked ignoring her daughter.

Arianna was clearly annoyed. "Mama, did you not hear me? I just said that Dario is out there waiting for you. He hasn't seen you in almost two days! This is not healthy for anyone!"

Isobel was surprised with how Arianna was talking to her. She knew she couldn't avoid Dario anymore, but a part of her feared having to talk to him about everything. "Is it true he went on a date with Chelsea Brady?"

"Yes," Arianna reluctantly confirmed before adding, "but I think Dario is trying to do whatever to make you happy so you'll fight this illness again. You were actually improving but now you're digressing fast! What else is he supposed to think?"

As Isobel remembered her lie, she put her hand up and turned her face away from Arianna. "I don't want to hear that. My son will not be gay!"

Arianna put her hand on her forehead feeling frustrated. "What about Manuel? You turned your head when he was fooling around when he was younger."

"Yes, the family is cursed. I knew Manuel messed around with other men, but it was nothing he ever publicly shared. I discovered years back Rafael did the same things after I sent him away to the Convent of the Holy Cross Orphanage."

"So Dario's fault is that he admitted to it to you?" Arianna called out her mother.

Isobel shook her head and began to cough. "He shared it with the world. He has been blinded by the world and has forgotten how I raised him. Yes, I was disappointed in my other two sons, but Dario has always been special to me. He can't be like his older brothers."

Arianna noted that her mother was coughing quite a bit now, but she couldn't stand back and say nothing about how her mother was treating Dario. "If Dario is so special to you, then why are you keeping him away? Does this one part of him ruin everything for him? Are you going to allow his last memory of seeing you be that moment he honestly told you everything at that store?" Isobel only coughed, but didn't say anything in response to let her daughter know she was finished with this conversation. Arianna placed her hands on her hips and reminded her mother, "Do you remember what you said the other day? You said you wanted us to be happy with anyone. You just want us to be happy before you're gone. Dario was happy with Sonny."

Isobel threw her hands up once again. "No, Arianna. I will never accept that Dario is gay, and I will make sure he rejects any notion of the kind. You are right in that I need to talk to him. Dario will be straight because I will help him through this. Please help me get dressed. I feel like walking around."

Arianna headed for her mother's bag fearing what Isobel planned on saying to Dario. She knew she couldn't worry about that now though because she had accomplished the feat of convincing her mother to at least talk to Dario again. She hoped Isobel would come around for all their sake.

* * *

><p>Abigail and JJ arrived at the town square to meet with their dad. JJ couldn't believe that Abigail brought him to visit their dad and smiled widely when he spotted Jack sitting at a table. Abigail knew she needed to do this for her brother, but at the same time she wanted to protect him, too. She believed this way she could keep an eye out.<p>

Jack stood up when he saw Abigail and JJ making their way to him. He thought about his story at the hospital but knew he'd rather spend time with his kids. "Hey guys. Thanks for meeting me here. I know this is your last weekend before school starts, so I am excited to spend some time with you two before things get hectic."

Giving his father a hug first, JJ asked, "I heard you work here now. What exactly do you do?"

Letting go of his son, Jack explained, "Well, I am an investigative reporter for one of the news stations. They give me time for breaking news and developments around the town. I get to tell the truth and bring down the bad guys."

When Jack turned to Abigail, she gave him a slight hug for JJ's sake. She wanted to call him out for implying that the police force were the bad guys for his first big story, but she refrained for the same reason. "What story are you trying to break this time?"

Jack began to mess with his collar figuring the complete truth probably wouldn't make her so happy. "Well, everyone is trying to find out if Will's attack is connected to Abe's attack, but I don't really want to talk about that now. I want to focus on what's going on in your lives." Jack motioned to the table, and all three took a seat.

Abigail remained aloof because she couldn't let go of the lie Jack told her about why he was gone for so long. Knowing she couldn't trust him, she questioned how long it would be before he walked away from them again. "So is this job temporary?" she asked, causing JJ to give her a look. She decided to word her question better, "Are you trying to get another job through this one?"

Jack didn't know what to do because Abigail seemed set on talking about his job. "I'm not sure what's going to happen with the job, but what matters to me is that I am with you two." Changing the subject somewhat, he asked, "Have you two gone to see Will yet?"

As Mia walked by overhearing their conversation, Abigail answered, "Well, I saw him for a little before I picked up JJ to head here to meet with you."

"I don't really know Will," JJ answered honestly. "Have you seen him, dad?"

Jack leaned in as he placed his hands on the table. "I was at the hospital to talk to your mom, but I didn't get the chance to see how he was." Turning to Abigail, he asked a follow-up question, "How did he seem to you?"

Abigail didn't really think much about Jack's question at first and answered, "It's actually really bad. He's in this weird coma and there's no movement at all from him."

Jack felt bad for Will, but he wanted to know more. "Did anyone say anything to you about what exactly happened to Will last night – like if they have suspects or how precisely he was hurt?"

Abigail's ears perked up as she recognized what her dad was doing. "Oh my gosh. I can't believe you're trying to get information for your story from your own children! Just when I think I couldn't be more disappointed in you, you do this!"

As Jack realized he unconsciously tried to get his story through his kids, JJ turned to his sister and with a slightly raised voice told her, "You need to stop this! Why are you always thinking the worst of dad?"

Abigail became cautiously defensive. "I'm sorry JJ, but I don't trust dad. He's lied too many times!"

As JJ and Abigail continued to go back and forth, Mia decided she needed to talk to Chad. She pulled out her phone and sent him a text message asking him to check in with her. She hoped Will's lack of a response was good news for her.

JJ and Abigail's arguing was interrupted by Jack's phone when he received a text message. Jack quickly read it and looked up realizing they wondered who he got a text from. Deciding not to tell them the truth, he shared, "It's work. There's an emergency meeting, and they want me there. They can wait though because I am spending time with you, and I want to fix this."

Abigail stood from the table feeling wrong about having anything to do with Jack. "I think you should go. You don't want to be fired after you were just hired. I think JJ and I should be heading out anyway."

"No!" JJ shot back. "I want to spend time with dad. He wants to spend time with us."

Jack received another text and after reading it, he gave JJ a look of regret. "I really do have to go into this meeting. I will call you later, and maybe we can go grab a hot cocoa or something."

JJ agreed, and Jack left. Turning to his sister, he shared annoyingly, "I can't believe you sometimes, sis! You ruin everything!"

"I ruin everything? You can't believe me?" she threw back at her brother. "Our dad just majorly dissed you! He chose to work over spending time with you."

JJ became defensive of Jack. "Only because you told him to! He said we would hang out later anyway."

Abigail let out a quiet groan before laying it out for her brother. "You have no idea how this works. Yeah, he'll be around and make you feel safe again, but when you do, he's going to disappear and break you apart! I'm trying to protect you here!"

"I don't want your protection!" JJ yelled before running off.

Abigail followed suit, but both stopped by the stairs when they ran into Josh. Josh looked at both asking, "Is everything okay?"

JJ was clearly upset as he shared, "No. It's not okay. You should break up with Abby because she's a bitch! You should already know that though because she said no when you proposed to her." JJ ran off again.

Seeing Josh caused Abigail to remember Chad's advice to her the night before. She realized that she had really messed up with her brother and had not pushed herself in the right direction with her father. Feeling embarrassed by what her little brother called her and for bringing up Josh's rejected proposal, she said, "I should catch up with him. Can we talk later?"

"Sure." Josh said unemotionally trying not to get pulled in.

Abigail didn't know what to think of the tone of Josh's voice but didn't have time to figure where he stood in their relationship. "Okay. I'll call or text you," she replied before heading off to find her brother. Josh remained still and took a deep breath.

Hope walked past Josh and headed for Mandalay Café because Maggie had told her that Mia was headed that way. Spotting her, she rushed over and stopped her from leaving. "Mia McCormick. I need a moment of your time."

Mia wasn't pleased that a cop decided to waste her time. "Why? I don't know anything about Will's attack."

Hope raised her eyebrow because she sensed Mia's urgency to get out of any type of conversation with her. "We can get to Will's attack later. I wanted to talk to you about when you were attacked on Thursday. I heard that Chad Dimera brought you in to the hospital after it happened."

Mia quickly got nervous as she thought about the staged attack on her life to get Chad's attention. She remembered Ignazio swearing her to secrecy about their plan and Ric threatening her life if she should talk about it to anyone. Adjusting her purse over her shoulder, she stated, "I have nothing to say about that."

Hope stopped Mia as she tried to walk off. "So you do know something that could help us!" she gathered with Mia's response and body language. "You can help us out here because you may be the first and only person to survive an attack from whoever is doing all of this. Do you know who attacked you?"

Mia kept her distance as she pondered her options in this situation. She felt they were limited, so she stood firm with her response before. "Like I said, I can't help you."

Hope gave Mia a look of concern. "Has someone approached you and/or threatened you?"

"You mean besides the attack on Thursday?" Mia threw back rhetorically.

"This is very serious, Mia," Hope countered hoping to talk some sense into her. "There is someone out there attacking people at random. The mayor has disappeared, and Will is now in a coma." Changing her approach, she asked, "Do you care about Chad at all?"

Mia gave Hope a questioning look. "Why is that important? I do care about Chad."

Giving her an endearing look, Hope replied, "Chad is beside himself and is really hurting. You could help us by telling us what you know. He would appreciate you more if you helped us."

Mia thought about what Hope had to say. She thought about the fact that Ignazio's plan didn't work as he had promised her, so maybe she didn't have to keep her end of the deal. Figuring that she couldn't take the chance just yet, she decided to point to someone else. "I told Chad this, so I'll tell you the same. I think Victor Kiriakis is behind this. He made Kinsey disappear, and I think he was trying to make me do the same."

Hope crossed her arms wondering if Mia was trying to pull her leg. "Yes, Victor was suspected of being involved with Kinsey's disappearance, but that was all cleared up. Victor did nothing wrong, and Kinsey is safe and sound."

Mia rolled her eyes as she countered, "That's what you want us to believe. I think it's kind of odd that I haven't heard back from Kinsey and that Victor's name was cleared even though Kinsey never opened his email in the first place. It all just sounds so suspicious, and I am almost positive it was Victor who set up my attack."

Hope continued to be skeptical of Mia's blaming her father-in-law. "What makes you think Victor would want you out of Salem?"

Mia shook her head not wanting to say another word. "I've said too much already. I am sorry I can't be more help. If you see Chad, tell him I am sorry about what happened to Will." Mia quickly turned around and left. Hope wondered what Mia wasn't telling her.

* * *

><p>Back in the halls of Salem University Hospital, Chelsea wandered around after her talk with Dario in search of her grandmother. She was a bit worried because Caroline hadn't returned from the bathroom. Fortunately, she found Caroline talking to Lucas, Sami, and EJ. "Grandma, there you are."<p>

Caroline turned to Chelsea and apologized. "Sorry, Lucas just arrived, and I wanted to talk to him and Sami about Will's situation."

Sami gave Chelsea a look to let her know that they were limited in what they could say because they didn't want Caroline to know everything about Will's predicament. Turning to Lucas, Sami asked, "So did Kate take Allie to the mansion to see Johnny and Sydney?"

Lucas nodded his head feeling uneasy about his daughter being at the Dimera Mansion even if his mother promised to keep her safe. "Yeah, against my better judgment. Is there any new updates on Will's condition?"

"I just talked to Daniel and all they can do is run tests and observe him at this point," Sami answered indifferently.

Caroline sensed things weren't looking good for Will. Grabbing Chelsea's arm for support, she asked, "Are we able to visit with Will?"

Sami nodded her head. "We are, but I wanted to talk to Lucas about a few things before we do," she informed her grandmother. She gave Chelsea a knowing look for help.

Chelsea helped support her grandmother and suggested, "We can see Will, but let's go grab a bottle of water from the cafeteria. I don't want you to get dehydrated."

Caroline knew Sami was trying to get rid of her, but she decided not to question her on it. "That's fine. Let's go." Caroline followed Chelsea to the elevator to head to the cafeteria, so Sami could talk to Lucas about what exactly happened with Will.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Isobel took a hold of Dario's arm, so he could help her walk around. Feeling his mother's grip and seeing her for the first time since his confession, Dario wondered if she forgave him for what he did to her. He began to speak, "Thank you for walking with me out here. I want to..."

Isobel stopped Dario from speaking by placing her hand over his mouth. She looked into Dario's eyes as she remembered the sadness she sensed from Dario when he called her from Colorado. She needed to mend some fences if she was going to help him through this. "Mijo, I need to say something first. I am sorry for shutting you out the way I did. I am your mother, and I should have been there for you."

Dario wondered what Arianna said to Isobel for her to apologize. It didn't matter because he wanted to finish what he was trying to say before. "I am sorry for what I said to you at that dress shop."

Isobel remembered Dario's confession clearly. Even though his confession disappointed her there was one word that stuck out more than the word "gay". She looked down for a moment because she had a question for Dario even though she didn't really want to hear the answer. "You told me that you 'think' you are gay. I want to know the truth about your attraction to Sonny Kiriakis."

Dario could tell how uncomfortable his mother was because she couldn't even look at him. He decided to lie. "Sonny and I became friends over the summer and we were really close. You once told me that I could still be his friend even if he was gay." Dario looked at his mother wondering if she had changed her thoughts on homosexuality because she had apologized to him before. Sensing she wanted to know about his attraction to men and the fact that he used the word "think" when he admitted to being gay, he realized he had an opportunity. "Sonny is the only guy I have ever found attractive." Dario felt a tad guilty for lying, but he figured since Sonny was the only guy he messed around with, it wasn't that bad of a lie.

"What about Chelsea Brady?" Isobel asked in a warm and welcoming tone.

Dario paused for a moment before replying. "I really like Chelsea because she's caring and is really smart, but first I need to fully get over Sonny before I can commit to anyone else."

Isobel's sweet tone suddenly disappeared as she stopped walking and turned around to look at her son. "Dario Hernandez! You need to grow up, be a man, and commit to a woman!"

Dario thought about the online research he had done on how to fix his attraction to guys and claimed, "It's not that easy, Mama!"

Raising her hand and pointing her finger, Isobel suggested, "There is therapy for this, so you can learn how to control it. It won't be hard since Sonny is the only guy you have found attractive. Go to church. Talk to Father Matt and repent of your sin. Prayer and guidance from the church can go a long way." Isobel began to shake her head as she mentioned, "Maybe if you grew up with your father things might have been different for you. I babied you too much!"

Dario wished he had more faith like his mother, but he still struggled. "Do you really think you turned me gay?"

Isobel became more agitated and continued to lecture her son, "No. You did this when you got involved with Sonny. I told you time and time again to stay away from homosexuals and have nothing to do with them. They corrupt people! Look at the lives your brothers lived! You need to fix this! I don't want a gay son because I know, deep down, you are not homosexual!"

"Mama, I just reminded you that you said I could still hang out with Sonny even though he's gay…" Dario started, but he realized he had lost her attention. Her face had turned pale as if she had seen a ghost. "Mama, are you okay?"

Isobel shook her head to get the blood flowing again. For a split second, she thought she had seen Andres walking down the hall. She contemplated if the guilt of her secret was getting to her. She looked up to her son and strengthened her grasp upon his arm as she requested, "Please take me back to my room. I need to lie down." Dario nodded his head and gave Isobel a look of concern. He hated seeing her so weak and couldn't shake the thought that he was responsible.

Back in Will's room, Chad held onto Will's hand trying his best not to be discouraged by the fact that Will hadn't responded at all. Chad kissed Will's hand as he kept repeating, "Come back to us, Will. Open your eyes or squeeze my hand to let me know you can hear me."

Suddenly, Lucas busted through the door with EJ and Sami in tow. When he saw that Chad was next to Will, he went ballistic. Separating Chad from Will, he shouted, "You should not be here! I disapprove of whatever you and my son had!"

"Mr. Horton, I promise to make it up to Will," Chad claimed.

Lucas got in Chad's face and continued to shout, "You've already done enough by always leaving Will alone when you don't need him! Where were you that night, Chad? I thought you loved my son? Why was he on that damn pier all by himself?" Chad stood frozen and couldn't respond. Sami grabbed Lucas's arm to calm him down, and it helped. Lucas backed off and turned around to look at Will as he made one last comment to Chad. "You have got to be the worst boyfriend ever! Will deserves so much better!"

"What did you just say?" Caroline asked as she entered the room with Chelsea. Everyone else froze in the room as Caroline suddenly dropped her water bottle and fell over unconscious. Fortunately, EJ managed to catch her in time. Overwhelmed, Chad rushed out of the room to be alone. Sami kept her hand over her mouth as she wondered what would happen to her grandmother now that she knew the truth about Will again.


	57. Chapter 57 Pushing Me Away

**Chapter 57: Pushing Me Away – Sunday, January 15th, 2012**

The next morning, Sami and Lucas sat near the nurse's station in the hospital hoping to hear some good news on Will's condition. Sami's hands didn't leave her face as she worried about Will and Caroline. She couldn't believe her grandmother overheard Lucas yelling about Chad and Will's relationship. She was upset with Lucas, but she knew now was not the time for them to have a disagreement because she needed to think about Will's needs first. It was a definite struggle for her.

Lucas's thoughts on Will's recovery focused on how to get Chad out of the picture. He remembered when he called Will after finding out what happened to Abe. Will was so short with him, and that was the last time the two talked. Lucas raised his voice in frustration. "Chad is completely bad news, and I think Will can do better. I say we fix it so Chad can't see Will and go near his hospital room. He's technically not family. Where was he when Will was attacked? Why was Will even on the pier alone?"

Sami wasn't completely sold on the idea of keeping Chad away from Will because she wanted to use any tool necessary to bring her son back to them. Thinking about how it all went down, she knew Lucas had a point though. "Chad was with Mia the night of the masquerade, and Will ran off because he found them together. That's why Will rushed off to the pier. I'm not sure keeping Chad away is a good idea though. Will still called Chad when he needed help. Chad seems to regret what happened, but that won't matter if Will doesn't wake up."

Lucas moved past his frustration with Chad for a moment to encourage Sami. "Will is going to come back to us. I don't doubt it. I'm sure if we brought Johnny, Allie, and Sydney up here, he'd respond to them."

Sami gave Lucas a skeptical look. "I am not sure it would be a good idea to have the kids come see their brother like this. Johnny is already going to therapy, and I am not confident that would help things."

Lucas crossed his arms across his chest to stand his ground. "That's what therapists are for. The kids will be able to process the experience, and we could just have Johnny's therapist help the other two."

"That's not how it works exactly, Lucas. Johnny has only had three sessions with his therapist, so they haven't even built that type of relationship yet," Sami informed Lucas. Deciding to change the subject she added, "We will discuss that later since EJ should be included, but for now, I need to process something with my grandmother. She's been cleared to have visitors, and I need to figure out what it's going to look like now that she remembers what she did to Will last summer."

Stefano arrived hoping to find his son because he couldn't get in touch with him over the phone. "Samantha, have you seen Elvis?"

Sami looked at her watch before answering, "EJ is in a meeting I believe at the mayoral office. They are discussing a new course of action on the safety in Salem."

"I can't believe EJ is actually the mayor of this town," Lucas started. "I guess that's one more reason I am glad I don't live here, and another reason I think Will should move to Hong Kong with me."

Sami gave Lucas a look to make him stop talking. She struggled even more so to keep herself in check with Will and Allie's father. Stefano, on the other hand, wanted to talk about that very subject because he was still confused by EJ's quick appointment. "Do you know how EJ becoming mayor came about?"

"Are you questioning your own son's ability to lead?" Maddalena asked as she walked up with Azzura. Noting Lucas's presence, Azzura smiled because she didn't have to do anything for him to return. Although, she thought it was strange how everything seemed to be coming together for their plans.

Stefano shifted his body when he heard his sister's voice and sighed when he turned to face her. "Why are you here? Do you have another appointment with your so-called doctor?"

Maddalena smirked at her brother before answering, "Azzura and I are here to support the family, and it is my understanding that Will is family since he is involved with my nephew."

"Not if I have any say on the matter," Lucas said under his breath.

Sami eyed Lucas and suggested in a whisper, "Maybe you should let this go."

Lucas didn't want to stand around chatting it up with the Dimeras anyway, so he decided to excuse himself. "I am going to visit with Will. You all have fun plotting on how you're going to destroy the world as we know it or whatever it is that you do."

Walking towards Will's hospital room, Lucas bumped into Chad, who was hoping to sneak into Will's room. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Only family is allowed in my son's room!"

"Mr. Horton," Chad started.

Lucas didn't let Chad say anything else by cutting him off. "Chad, there's nothing you can say that will convince me you belong with Will. I know my son pretty damn well, and I also know the dangers of your family from my own experience. There's nothing good that can come from the Dimera name, and if you think I will stand by and allow my son to become a Dimera through any kind of association, you have one thing coming to you. Now stay the hell away from my son!"

Chad didn't even bother saying anything else to Lucas because he had managed to keep him away from Will since the day before. He didn't want to make things worse and knew he needed to play things differently if he wanted to see Will again. Dejected, Chad walked off running into his father, Sami, and Maddalena.

Before Stefano could ask about Will, Maddalena made sure to steal her brother's thunder. "Chad, how is Will doing?'

Chad shrugged his shoulders as he scratched the back of his head. "As far as I know, there's been no change. I'm not allowed to see Will at the moment, so I can't really be sure."

Sami traded a glance with Chad because she knew Lucas wasn't helping their situation, but her thoughts focused on Azzura, who had walked away to make a phone call after Lucas walked off. She informed the others around her, "Will's wounds are healing mysteriously, but the doctors aren't getting any reactions to make them think Will is going to wake up."

Stefano gave Chad a glance finally getting the chance to say something to his son. "I told you this would happen, didn't I?"

Chad looked away.

Maddalena really wanted to talk to Colin since he couldn't meet with her the night before. She questioned if he had results from the tests he ran. "I cannot believe Will was attacked in that way. I know this has to be hard for you two," she shared looking at Sami and Chad.

Sami nodded her head, keeping her eye on Azzura. When Azzura seemed done with her phone conversation, she decided to excuse herself from the conversation to confront her new friend about something. Digging through her purse as she walked towards Azzura, she pulled out a tube of lipstick. When she found it, she remembered how she was given the tube by Harold. Harold claimed it was in one of EJ's coat pockets that he sent over to be dry cleaned and assumed it was hers, but Sami recognized the shade immediately. Finally at her destination, Sami held up the lipstick to show it to Azzura. "Hey. I hope you have a moment. I wanted to check and see if this belonged to you."

Azzura smiled inside as she remembered planting it in EJ's coat pocket when he helped her with her car. Holding her phone in her hand, she decided to play innocent while hoping that Sami believed EJ was having an affair. "I do not know. Where did you find it?"

Sami paused for a moment trying to read Azzura, but Azzura was really good at masking her true thoughts and emotions. "I found it on the floor in Johnny's bedroom," she lied hoping to see Azzura slip up.

Grabbing the tube of lipstick to look over, Azzura decided to lie flat out as well. "It is my shade, but this is not my tube. I think it is great you know my shade. It makes me believe we are meant to be the best of friends." Azzura figured she would rather confuse Sami than claim it was hers since her original plan didn't follow through.

Sami decided to let it go for now. "Yeah, I know it's not Kate's, so I assumed it was yours because you've helped me with the kids a couple of times. Anyway, I should go. I need to visit with my grandmother." Walking away, Sami wondered how much she could trust Azzura. She wondered if Marco had any luck in figuring her out.

Azzura returned to her signora's side miffed that her plan didn't work how she had hoped. She couldn't believe her lipstick fell out of EJ's pocket. She needed Sami jealous and suspicious of EJ, so she could swoop in after the two fought. She looked Maddalena over and wondered why Chad was still around when Ignazio promised he would be taken care of.

Maddalena turned to her brother and gave him a suspicious look. "I hear Will's grandmother and her husband John have been trying to come to Salem but are unable to do so. Fratello, do you know what the problem is there?"

Stefano ignored his sister because he had no intentions of talking about John and Marlena with her. He noted Chad seemed curious by Maddalena's question and figured he needed to keep Chad focused on what he needed in this exact moment. Stefano really wanted to take Chad aside so he could talk to him without any interruptions. "Son, do you want me to fix this, so you can spend time with Will?"

Chad felt so confused by his dad and wasn't sure what to say. "Lucas is in there right now anyway. There's no way he's going to let me talk to him." Turning to his aunt, he gave her an uneasy smile. "Thanks for coming. It really means a lot."

Maddalena pulled Chad into a hug and patted him on the back as she encouraged, "Don't give up on Will. He's the love of your life and you two deserve to be happy together no matter what the world thinks."

Stefano could not help but shake his head as he watched Maddalena comfort his youngest. He did not understand why Chad felt so connected to her, and he definitely didn't comprehend how his sister, whom he knew as being extremely anti-homosexual, could stand there and give Chad her blessing on his gay relationship with Will. Seeing enough, he quickly separated the two as he asked, "Maddalena, what are you trying to pull here with your encouraging my son to be in a homosexual relationship?"

Maddalena responded first by shifting her body to let him know his question offended her. "Caro fratello, you know I have always been an advocate for all that is good, and love in all forms is good. Chad's mother, Madeline, was the same way."

"Cazzate, Maddalena! You are full of it. Don't lie to my son!" Stefano called her out.

Unfortunately for Stefano, Chad saw the exchange between his father and aunt differently than Stefano had intended. "Really father? Now you show your true and complete feelings about my relationship with Will? I knew you were against us from the beginning and only pretended to be okay with it because you wanted some control over me. I've had it! I can't let you do this to me anymore!"

As Maddalena watched gleefully, Stefano put his hands up in protest. "Son, you've got me all wrong. Will and I have a good relationship. We've even had private conversations."

Chad couldn't even hear his father as he partly blamed Stefano for getting in the way of his coming out process at the end of the fall semester. Remembering how his father stood under Mia's tree in his lover's dream, he decided to put his father in his place. "I can't believe a word you say, Stefano. You have always been more interested in my friendships with girls than my romantic relationship with Will. Please don't offer your help because you will only get in the way." Turning to Maddalena, he calmed his tone and said, "I am sorry for leaving so quickly, but I need to get some air. I hope I can talk to you again soon."

Chad rushed off to do some thinking alone leaving Stefano alone with his sister and Azzura. He glared at Maddalena as he said, "You claim you came here to bring the family together, but the only thing I see you doing is tearing it apart. You don't belong here."

Maddalena crossed her arms and shook her head at Stefano. "Caro Stefano, you are accusing the wrong person of tearing the family apart. You are doing it all on your own. Your presence is getting in the way of what I'm trying to accomplish with our family."

"Is that a threat?" Stefano asked stepping up to his sister.

Maddalena shook her head at her brother. "Do unto others as you would want them to do to you, caro fratello. You came into my home and threatened me yesterday. I only gave you a warning."

Stefano watched as his sister and Azzura walked off. He walked over to the nurse's station to pound his fists. "Merda!"

Meanwhile, Bo, Hope, and Roman were visiting with Caroline in her hospital room. All three were concerned as she wasn't saying much. Bo tried to get her attention, "Ma, say something. What are you thinking right now?"

Caroline had a look like a deer in headlights on her face. She remembered everything she did to Will over the summer, and it hurt her to know how much she hurt her great-grandson. She remembered trying to keep Sonny away from him, and then telling him that homosexuality was wrong. She remembered how she manipulated Gabi into not giving up on Will, so Will would not give in to his sexual desires. The flood of memories was quite overwhelming for her.

Roman tried his hand at getting her attention. "You can talk to us about Will. It's okay. We aren't going to judge you for what happened. This time it can be different."

Placing her hand on Bo's shoulder, Hope pointed out, "I don't think we're helping here. I think she's still processing everything since the doctors believe she got her full memory back."

Caroline finally closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them again, she turned to the three to finally speak. "I want to talk to Will," she shared.

"I can't let that happen," Sami announced as she walked into the room. She didn't really mean to show attitude towards her grandmother, but with how things went down the last time she couldn't take the chance of Caroline talking down to her son when he needed all the positive vibes possible.

Roman turned toward his daughter to try to calm her down. "Sami, I don't think now is the time..."

Sami gave Roman a look of frustration, but that was interrupted when Caroline requested, "I want to talk to Sami alone. I'll be fine, and so will she."

Sami crossed her arms and waited for everyone else to leave relieved she would have a moment alone with Caroline. Bo and Roman gave Caroline a kiss on the cheek before they left the room with Hope. Walking closer to her grandmother, Sami asked, "So how much do you remember?"

Caroline looked down in shame and confusion. "All of it. I remember all of it, Sami. I remember the talk we had the morning Will left with his friends on the Dimera yacht. You were so disappointed in me."

Still on guard, Sami automatically countered, "Well you had it coming after what you did."

Caroline shook her head, mostly at herself, but she glanced up to give Sami a questioning look. "I don't get it. You guys kept me in the dark and pretended everything was fine. Why didn't you tell me? Was our closeness the last six months all faked to keep this a secret from me?"

Sami realized her grandmother wondered if she still harbored bad feelings towards her. Understanding the guilt Caroline was feeling, she softened. "Look grandma – yes, I was upset with you, but I was also really sad, and so was Will. No, we weren't faking our concern for you because we were worried. We didn't tell you because we wanted you to recover from your stroke. I also didn't want to put Will in a position where you might hurt him again. You know how much he loves you. You helped me raise him, and he wouldn't be half the man he is now if it wasn't for you."

Caroline teared up. "He is a good young man. I honestly don't know what I was thinking last summer, but I want to make it up to him now. I want him to know that I still love him. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. He needs to know I accept him no matter what."

Sami smiled at her grandma and took her hand. "I think that he would love to hear that. He needs all the love and support in the world right now, and I think it would do wonders for him to know that you are in his corner. I know it means a lot to me."

Caroline patted Sami's hand. "Oh, Sami, I am so sorry for what I did."

Sami moved closer so she could give Caroline a hug. "It's okay, grandma. We all make mistakes. Someone I really look up to has always told me that it's important we learn from our mistakes and move forward."

Caroline held onto Sami for a moment glad that she and Sami cleared things up. After they let go of each other though, she still had one more question. "Now tell me how you managed to keep Will's secret from me."

Sami smiled widely as she admitted, "No direct eye contact."

Caroline let out a small chuckle as she shared, "Well, I knew something fishy was going on because Gabi and Will claimed they broke up to save their friendship, but I have not seen them spend time with each other. I suppose I am to blame for their distance from each other."

Sami's smile turned to an uneasy one. "I'm sure they are still friends," she responded wondering what the story was there. She hadn't really noticed until Caroline pointed it out. She was right.

* * *

><p>Maggie took a seat next to Victor in her living room after handing him a cup of tea. "I was at the hospital this morning to help Bo with Caroline. She didn't have a stroke thankfully, but the doctors said she seemed drained. I imagine it must be hard on her to see Will like that."<p>

Victor shook his head as he placed his cup of tea on the coffee table. "I can't imagine what Kate and Lucas are going through. I know I would own the person if they had attacked Sonny. They would be very sorry."

Maggie took a quick sip of her tea as she responded, "I don't understand the abhorrence someone must have to do something like that. I've received a few calls from family members outside of the country asking about Will. I try not to say much because I know Will hasn't come out officially, but most of them already know now because of the pictures posted by the media of the homophobic graffiti all over the pier." Shaking her head, she added, "That's no way for people to find out he's gay."

Victor agreed. "Is anyone else coming to town?"

"Marlena and John were planning on coming even though they were told not to, but they're having problems with their passports," Maggie shared.

Victor gave Maggie a suspicious look. "What kind of problems are John and Marlena having?"

Maggie put her finger over her mouth as she shared what she knew, "I am not keen on all the details, but I believe they were told they were invalid at the airport. Now John and Marlena are trying to do whatever it takes to come see Will even though Belle, Claire, and Shawn are still visiting them. Eric apparently is headed their way to see if he can help them in any way."

Mia walked into the room unaware that Victor was there. When she saw him, she suddenly stopped in place. "Maggie, I wanted to talk to you about my flight plans for when I leave Salem."

Victor picked up on the uncomfortableness Mia felt around him and commented, "You picked the right time to leave after all the damage you have done."

Mia played clueless hoping that he had not heard about her conversation with Hope the day before. Maggie stepped in to keep the peace in her house by placing her hand on Victor to calm him first. Walking over to Mia, she asked, "When are you leaving?" Maggie was aware of the fact that Chad was with Mia at the masquerade and questioned how much she manipulated that situation. She chose not to make it into a big argument.

"Tomorrow – early morning," Mia answered still thinking about her conversation with Hope. She thought about Ignazio and started to consider telling Chad about how Ignazio set this all up. She believed it would help Chad forgive her for what happened at the very least, and then appreciate her for outing his cousin as wanting to hurt him. Even though Ric had threatened her, she knew Chad would protect her if he needed to. Thinking about all this, Mia wished Chad had decided he wanted to be with her and didn't understand how he could choose Will over her.

Noting that Mia went somewhere else mentally, Maggie asked, "Do you have anything planned on your last day in Salem?" She hoped Mia wasn't thinking about visiting the hospital.

Mia knew she couldn't tell Maggie or Victor what her plans were. "I have a few errands to run, and I want to visit Grace one last time. I'll leave you two alone." Mia walked out of the room to head out.

Victor turned to Maggie and shared, "I don't trust that girl. She has always been a liar. You're too good to her."

Maggie joined Victor back on the couch and took a sip of her tea. Although she wished the best for Mia in her life, she struggled with what she did to Will. "Well, tomorrow she will be gone. Hopefully that will benefit everyone."

* * *

><p>Brady arrived at the hospital on the phone with John. "I promise I will keep you updated, dad. Just take your time to figure out what is going on, and tell Marlena that everything will be okay." After saying goodbye to his dad, he hung up his phone and put it in his pocket. Walking down the hall, he ran into Arianna close to Will's room. "Ari. How's your mother doing?"<p>

Arianna still felt awkward around Brady even though they had decided to be friends. "She's not doing so well, but I expect that she will be released soon. I heard about Will. I can't believe what happened to him. Please tell Sami and EJ I have been praying for him."

"Thanks," Brady replied. "I'll be sure to say a prayer for your mother later," he added somewhat awkwardly. Brady turned his attention to Will's room when he saw someone go in.

Noting the distracted look on Brady's face, she turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"

Brady put his attention back on Ari when he answered, "I just saw someone who isn't family walk into Will's room. Hold on." He walked past Arianna towards the room. On his way, EJ and Chad came from the opposite direction. Since they were closer to Will's room, Brady called out to them, "Hey guys, did you see the guy that walked into Will's room?"

Chad and EJ shook their heads. "We should check it out," Chad exclaimed. He wondered who Brady saw.

Walking into Will's room, the three men spotted a guy talking to Will. "Who the hell are you?" Brady demanded. EJ echoed his sentiments.

The guy turned around to introduce himself. "My name is Ezra Blakelee, and I go to Salem U with Horton. I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to come in here."

As Brady quickly recognized Ezra's last name, EJ turned towards his brother. "Does this guy really go to school with Will?"

Chad recognized Ezra. "Yeah," he confirmed before adding, "He's the president of one of the fraternities on campus." Chad eyed Ezra as he remembered him inviting Will to a frat party at the end of the fall semester. "Why are you here?"

"I just returned to Salem for school this weekend, and I heard what happened to Will," Ezra began to explain. "Horton is a good guy, and I wanted to check up on him." Chad eyed Ezra and found it annoying that he kept calling Will by his last name like they had some kind of camaraderie.

EJ could tell Ezra's presence bothered Chad and wondered if his brother had a previous run-in with him. Deciding to step in, he said, "Your concern is appreciated, but Will can only be visited by family during this time."

Ezra made eye contact with Chad as he replied, "Family. Right. I'm sorry about the inconvenience." Keeping his eyes locked on Chad, he stated, "I hope Horton gets better and makes it back to school."

"Thanks," Chad responded before Ezra left the room. He couldn't help but question why Ezra felt so inclined to see Will when he had never seen the two talk except for when Ezra invited Will to the frat party.

With that over with, Brady was ready to return his focus onto his nephew, Will. Standing at his side, Brady asked the others, "What's the latest?"

EJ turned to his brother as he answered, "I just arrived. I haven't seen Samantha or Dr. Jonas."

Chad remembered that Colin came into Will's room the day before to run some tests on Will, but hadn't seen him since then. Realizing that EJ and Brady were expecting an answer from him, he spoke up, "I haven't heard anything new. Sami and Lucas might know more since this is the first time I've been able to see Will all day. Lucas is pissed at me and doesn't want me anywhere near Will."

"Lucas is most likely upset about what happened to William," EJ countered.

Brady nodded his head as he added, "Yeah, Lucas has the M.O. to take out his frustration and anger on everyone else, when he's really upset with himself."

EJ eyed Brady deciding to excuse himself. "Since it makes me nervous that Brady and I are being civil, I think I should go look for Samantha. I'll return with some answers hopefully."

With EJ gone, Brady took the opportunity to talk to Chad about what exactly happened. "I have only heard bits and pieces about why Will was at the pier, but I think you can tell me everything I need to know."

Chad wasn't sure about talking to Brady about everything because Mia had warned him that Brady hated the Dimera family. "Why do you want to know? Do you need another reason to hate the other side of your family?"

Brady was thrown by Chad's questions. "If you're asking if I am upset with you, the answer is no. I try to stay away from the Dimera family - well mostly your father - because of the things he's done to my family. You can never trust the man. If he's being kind to you, he's only using you for his gain."

Chad thought about his father and the evil things he was known for doing. He also thought about how he really was good at manipulating any situation to his liking. "I can understand that. I am sorry that he has done so much evil."

"It's not your fault," Brady said hoping that Chad felt safe with him now. "So can you tell me what happened between you and Will?"

Chad looked down in shame as he answered, "I really messed up. I got mad at Will and ran off. I ran into my ex, and Will walked in on us kissing. That's when he ran off for the pier. I don't know who did this, but someone attacked him and put that stupid graffiti up like he wasn't even a person!" Chad began to tear up, but managed to keep his emotions in check. "I've tried talking to Will, but there hasn't been any response. Maybe Lucas is right, and I should stay away because I am probably the last person Will wants to hear right now. I wish things played out differently. Will and I were so happy because I was finally moving back into our apartment."

Brady walked away from Will, so he could ask Chad more questions. "You said Will caught you with your ex. Were you kissing Mia?"

Chad scratched the back of his neck and thought about the past month with Mia. "I seriously let her get to me. She kept telling me that Will and I weren't meant to be because she didn't really believe that I'm gay. I shouldn't have listened to her." Shaking his head, he continued, "Even though she said those things, I know that what happened isn't necessarily her fault. It's mine."

Brady scratched the side of his neck with his index finger as he disputed Mia's innocence. "I'm not so sure that Mia isn't at fault here. To me, it seems like she's playing games. She's lied to you a lot, and remember she kept you in the dark about how my grandfather's name was cleared on Kinsey's disappearance. She knew Kinsey was safe and sound, but she used it to keep you closer to her."

Chad began to think about Brady's points, but dismissed it rather quickly. "She was actually attacked though, so I have no reason to believe she didn't actually believe her life was in danger. She was just pointing the attention to the wrong guy. Salem hasn't been safe, so maybe she was attacked by the same guys who attacked Abe. Who knows?"

"Just don't let her have any influence on you anymore," Brady reacted. "That's what got you here, right?"

Chad sighed because he didn't really want to talk about Mia anymore. "She's the mother of Grace, so that is important to me." Shaking his head to place his focus back on Will, he decided, "I'll let you have some time with Will. I'm going to see if I can find my brother and Sami. I'd rather not get chewed out by Lucas again."

Brady stopped Chad from leaving to say one last thing. "Chad, Will is going to come back to us. Don't give up just yet." Chad nodded his head and left the room.

After Ezra walked out of Will's room, he ran into Abigail when she walked out of the elevator. "Deveraux, I haven't seen you in forever. You went on that study abroad trip to New Zealand, right?"

Abigail nodded and replied, "Yeah. It's going to be weird having to do class work in classrooms again. It's our last semester!"

Ezra smiled with relief. "Yeah, it's crazy that we've made it this far. Have you decided what you're doing after graduation?"

Abigail had plans before, but she wasn't so sure anymore. "I kind of want to stay here at the moment, so I sent in an application for the English graduate program at Salem U. Do you have set plans?"

"I'm actually doing the same thing," Ezra shared. "Looks like we'll get to have the same classes again. I'm specializing in journalism though."

Abigail smiled as she thought about doing the journalism track as well, but her father and mother's history in the field sort of turned her against the idea. "I'm still debating on what I should specialize in. We'll see, I guess. What are you doing up here?"

"I was just visiting your cousin," Ezra informed Abigail as Chad walked up confused to see Abigail and Ezra so chummy. "Are you here to see him, too?"

Abigail sensed awkwardness between Ezra and Chad but went on to answer Ezra's question. "I am here to check in on Will, but I am also here to talk to my mom about something. Hey Chad."

Ezra gave Chad a forced smile and announced, "I should go. I'll see you around."

After Ezra left, Abigail made sure to say something, so Chad didn't ask about Ezra. "I finally heard all the gory details about Will's attack from my uncle Lucas. He's not your biggest fan at all."

"Tell me something I don't know," Chad replied.

Abigail crossed her arms across her chest to let Chad know she was upset as well. "I can't believe you used me to keep Mia a secret from Will. You screwed up royally Chad! Remember how you told me in the town square all that stuff about your fears on losing Will? You told me you feared making one small step would cause you to lose Will. Let me tell you, Chad, that your decision not to tell Will the truth about Mia from the beginning was one huge step in the wrong direction!"

Chad looked away knowing that Abigail had put him on blast for his mistake. "I know I messed up, but I can't go back and fix that. I need to find a way to fix things now."

Abigail could feel the regret in Chad's voice. Moving away from attacking him for hurting Will, she said, "I didn't come here to make things more difficult for you. I know it has to be hard to see Will like that. What's the latest on his condition?"

"There really hasn't been much of a change I guess. Will's still not responding," Chad updated her. Frowning, he admitted, "It's really hard to see this getting better. I wish I had a way to get through to Will to help him out of his unconsciousness."

Abigail placed her hand on Chad's arm. "Don't give up. Maybe you should get out of the hospital for a while. Sonny told me you haven't really left since Friday night."

Chad tilted his head as he questioned Abigail's suggestion. "I don't know. What would I do? I can't stop thinking about Will."

"Only you can answer that Chad," Abigail stated, but shared, "You need to find a place where you can blow some steam while getting your mind off things for a while." Squeezing his arm, she tried to encourage him one last time. "Don't give up, Chad. This isn't over." Abigail let go of Chad's arm and headed for her mother's office.

Chad thought about what Abigail said to him and had an idea where he could get away. Watching two nurses walk around the corner, Chad decided to hold off on his idea. He didn't want to leave the hospital in case something happened to Will.

Abigail arrived outside of her mother's office and could hear her parents talking about JJ and her. Jennifer was clearly frustrated and wanted answers. "Jack, Abigail has been avoidant for the most part. I can't help but wonder if something has happened for her to close herself off from even me. What's going on?"

Before Jack could say anything, Abigail walked into the room, so they would stop talking about her. "What's going on here?"

Jennifer gave Abigail a hug as she greeted her, "I'm glad you're here, sweetheart."

Abigail didn't want to let go of what she overheard. "Mom, I know you and dad were talking about me. Why is dad even here?"

Jennifer sighed trying her best not to let the stress get the best of her. With patience, she explained, "I want us to sit and talk about what we can do to help the family come together."

Moving closer to Jennifer to show a united front, Jack confirmed, "This is what I want, too."

Bothered by the fact that Jack was close to Jen, Abigail threw out a question to keep them distant. "Where's Daniel?"

Abigail's mention of Daniel worked because Jen created space between Jack and her while she brought the conversation back to them. "We need to talk about what the family will look like with your dad's return."

Abigail really struggled internally because she knew she needed to accept this transition, but she felt so sick in her stomach about it. Her gut was telling her to fight it, but she couldn't really listen to that anymore because she needed to heal from all the past hurt if she was going to be able to live any kind of normal life. She remembered what Chad said to her at the masquerade and knew what she had to do at this point. After a deep breath, she declared, "I'm ready to work things out, but I want dad to be honest about where he's been and why he was gone for so long."

Jack got nervous when Jen and Abigail turned to him. Jen didn't see anything wrong with Jack telling Abigail where he had been and thought it might help the situation. "Jack, tell her what happened."

Jack didn't know how to exactly approach the situation, so he pretended this was the first time he had broached the subject with his daughter. "I was injured and was recovering in a hospital. I couldn't get back home because I was out of it… and they had lost my information."

Noting the way Abigail rolled her eyes, Jen stepped in to defend Jack. "Abby, I believe your father is telling the truth. You should believe him."

Abigail couldn't hold the restraint anymore because she knew Jack was lying. "Mom! Wake up! Dad is just playing games again and is telling you whatever you need to hear, so he can pull you back in!"

Jennifer crossed her arms as she created more space between Jack and her. "Abigail, that's not going to happen. You need to stop thinking the worst about your father. Remember the good memories – the good times you two have shared together."

Abigail took a moment as she reflected on her good memories with Jack, but it wasn't enough for her. "I still remember those good times, but it always ends with dad leaving us. Why should this time be different?"

"I've changed," Jack stepped up knowing that he needed to talk more to show Abigail that he was committed to her. "I'm not going to leave my family again because I know this is where I belong. I can chase stories here."

Abigail looked at her mom and could see that Jen believed him. Worried, she knew she needed to put a stop to this before Jack had the opportunity to turn Jen's life upside down once again. She decided to oust her dad on the lie he told her. "Dad, I have a story for you to come clean about."

Unsure of where this was going, Jack carefully took the bait. "What story is that?"

Abigail forced a smile and traded a glance with her mother. Turning back to Jack, she expounded on her story idea. "Remember how you told me that you were held captive to reel me in and guilt me into giving you another chance?"

Jennifer's eyes and mouth widened as she turned to look at her ex-husband. "Jack Deveraux, is that true?"

Jack reflected on his meeting with Tony the night before and how he lied to Abigail and JJ about his needing to go into work when he was with them in the town square. Tony warned him not to say anything and to continue to keep what happened a secret. He hated that he couldn't say anything about it. Instead, he gave Jennifer a look in an attempt to show her that he was telling the truth when he told Abigail he was held captive.

Overwhelmed by the new information and unsure of how to deal with Abigail and Jack, Jen shut down. "I... I need to get back to work. I'm sorry. I thought we would have figured stuff out by now, but I need to get back to work. Jack, I will talk to you later, and Abigail, I will talk to you later, too."

Jack wanted to say something but thought it would be best for all of them if he didn't push it, so he could continue to keep Tony's secret. He simply nodded his head and walked out.

Abigail stayed around to give her mother one last look. Even though she was relieved she managed to keep her parents separated, she felt guilty for manipulating her mother in such a way. "I'll talk to you later, mom," she said quietly before walking out.

Jen walked over and took a seat behind her desk. Putting her head down on her desk for a moment she asked, "What am I going to do?"

* * *

><p>At the pub, Chelsea walked out from the kitchen and spotted Dario talking to Gabi and Ignazio. She remembered her conversation with Dario the day before and hoped he wasn't upset with her. Walking over, she joined the conversation by saying hello and asking, "How's your mother doing?"<p>

"Arianna thinks she will be released soon," Dario answered feeling somewhat hopeful. Realizing he needed to keep things going with Chelsea for his mother's sake, he apologized, "I'm sorry I've been really distracted lately and for walking off at the hospital yesterday." Dario thought about what happened to Will and the thoughts of seeing him like that were only getting worse. Biting his lip, he hoped Chelsea didn't ask him to talk about finding Will on the pier again.

Chelsea was understanding as she accepted his apology. "I think things have been so bad for everyone because of everything that has happened in just the last few weeks." Rubbing her shoulders she admitted, "I am feeling tired because I've had to work the pub. It's been for shorter business times, but it's been taxing. Thanks to Gabi, though, I've managed the cooking and keeping things up. She's a pro at this." Gabi gave Chelsea a smile of appreciation while Chelsea informed her, "We'll most likely be closed tomorrow so my grandma can rest."

Unable to get Will's situation off his brain, Dario decided to ask, "Do you know anything about Will?"

Chelsea shook her head. "I haven't heard anything really. I'm guessing he hasn't opened his eyes or moved since I'm sure I would have heard about that from someone if it did happen."

Gabi still couldn't believe this happened. "I don't understand how someone could do something like this." She looked her brother over worried what this would do to him. She was also concerned that something like this could happen to Dario if someone found out he was gay.

"Does anyone know who did this to Will?" Ignazio asked breaking his silence.

Chelsea shook her head. "No. All they know at this point is that Will's attack was done by gay bashers."

Ignazio said a few cuss words in Italian before asking, "What about Chad? How is he taking this?"

Ignazio's question caused Gabi to realize how she alienated herself from people she used to care about. She felt guilty for not knowing the answer to Ignazio's question. Chelsea's answer was once again limited, "From what I've seen and heard, he's really torn up inside. Apparently, his ex-girlfriend – I think her name is Mya or Mia – was involved."

"What?" Gabi said surprised to hear Mia's name.

Chelsea was surprised about something else though. "Ignazio, why don't you know about Chad? He's your cousin, right?"

Chelsea's question caused Ignazio's body to shift as he tried to think of a feasible answer. "Honestly, with everything that happened, I am not sure if I would say the right thing to comfort him."

Confused, Dario patted Ignazio on the back as he countered, "What are you talking about? You have always been able to help me through things with what you say. You're really empathic – just like Chelsea."

"Maybe you should be a therapist, Ignazio," Chelsea joked.

Gabi let out a small laugh with the others as she noted the closeness between her brother and Ignazio. Sonny entered the pub with Nathan and Melanie and noted how close Ignazio and Dario were, too. He couldn't help noticing how Dario's hand was on Ignazio's back and questioned what was going on. He remembered their closeness in Colorado.

Spotting Sonny, Chelsea dismissed herself to check on the order Sonny had called in earlier. Sonny turned to Melanie and Nathan, so he wouldn't be tempted to keep his eye on Dario. "Thanks for coming with me to help me pick up food and drinks for Sami, the kids, and the rest of the family at the hospital."

"It's no problem. I'm sure they're all tired of hospital food by now," Melanie returned. She and Nathan couldn't help noticing how Sonny seemed to want to avoid looking at Dario.

Ignazio and Gabi noted the change in Dario's demeanor when Sonny, Melanie, and Nathan walked in. Gabi knew it was because of Sonny's presence, but Ignazio assumed it was due to Melanie because he had heard they once dated. Putting his hand on Dario's back, he decided to help his friend. "Chelsea really is a great woman. You better keep her happy, or I might have to step in and show her how a real man takes care of a woman," he joked.

Gabi kept her eyes on Ignazio because his relationship with her brother bothered her. "When did you two exactly become so close?" she asked interrupting their playful moment. Before Dario could answer, Gabi clarified, "I want Ignazio to answer."

Ignazio sensed some hostility from Gabi. "No need to be overprotective of your brother, Gabi. Dario and I started talking and hanging out at Sonny's cabin."

"The same place where Sonny hurt my brother and destroyed his life," Gabi commented before throwing more questions his way. "Who are you? Why do you live in Salem now? What do you want with...?"

Dario put his hand in his sister's face. "Gabi, stop. Ignazio is a good friend. He's the one that actually helped me with Chelsea." After Gabi seemed okay, Dario turned his head to Ignazio to ask, "Do you want to head to the hospital with me? I need to check on my mom, and maybe you can talk to Chad."

Ignazio nodded his head, and wondered how Sonny ruined Dario's life. "Hopefully I will be of some comfort to my cousin. It was good to meet you Gabriella." Gabi forced a smile and the two left.

Gabi went back to work when new customers walked in and took a seat. She grabbed her order pad from the bar and headed to the table. She was now close enough to overhear Sonny, Nathan, and Melanie's conversation as they continued to wait on Chelsea to bring out their big order.

"I was thinking that maybe I should do some cooking for Will's family, and possibly help with taking care of Will when he wakes up," Sonny shared.

Nathan, who was holding Melanie's hand, agreed. "Yeah, I think everyone is going to help out. I'll do whatever I need to do to help Will, and I'm sure Melanie can help you in the cooking department. She's learned a lot from my grandma, Maggie."

Chelsea walked out with a few big bags of food. "I triple checked everything, so it should all be here. Oh, and there are a lot of water bottles for everyone in one bag" she said handing the bags over to Sonny and Nathan. "I'm going to close the pub in an hour, so I can head to the hospital."

"We'll tell the family," Nathan said with a smile. "See you later."

After Sonny, Nathan, and Melanie left, Chelsea found Gabi behind the bar making a few drinks. "What happened to your brother and Ignazio?"

Gabi put the drinks on a tray before answering. "They went to the hospital. Quick question, what do you know about Ignazio Dimera?"

Chelsea smiled when she thought about Ignazio. "He's really sweet, but he is extremely mysterious."

Gabi didn't feel any better with Chelsea's answer. "That's code for 'stay away from him'," she commented before she returned to work on the order she had just taken.

Chelsea thought about that and figured Gabi was right. Heading behind the bar, she pulled out her phone to see if there were any updates on Will. She noticed she had received a text from Abigail asking if they could meet later. Chelsea quickly texted her back stating: "I will be at the hospital later. We can talk there if you want."

* * *

><p>While Theo played with his cars on the floor, Celeste shuffled through her tarot cards hoping for some kind of sign on what was to come. She kept eyeing the stairs because she knew Lexie was upstairs getting ready to go out. When she heard a knock on the door, she put her cards down and headed for the door to see who it was.<p>

Marco walked inside. "I'm here to escort Lexie to the hospital."

"Alexandra is still upstairs," Celeste notified Marco. Turning her head, she realized Theo was no longer playing with his cars because he was nowhere near them on the floor. Turning around completely, she found Theo looking at her tarot cards.

Theo lowered his right hand and grabbed a card from the middle of the deck. He pulled the card to his face, so he could look it over. Turning it to show Celeste, he stated the name on the card, "Death."

Celeste went to put her hand over her mouth in shock but didn't have time to since she heard Lexie heading down the stairs. She rushed over and took the card from Theo's hand before Lexie could see Theo with it. She looked at Marco hoping he wouldn't say anything.

Lexie looked around the quiet room and asked, "Did I just hear Theo say something?"

"Death," Theo repeated.

Lexie was weirded out by Theo's first word since he found out what happened to Abe. "One second," she told Marco. Walking closer to Theo, she gave him a look of concern. "Theo, I'm not going anywhere, and we are going to find your father. I know it now."

While Celeste wondered how her daughter was so sure about finding Abe, Theo moved closer to his mother and asked, "Are you going to disappear again, mommy?"

Confused, Lexie kneeled and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Not showing any affect, Theo explained, "Ciara told me that you ran away and no one could find you like no one can find daddy."

"Oh dear," Celeste said as she realized why Theo asked Lexie his question. "The night you disappeared, I went to the pub in search of you and asked Bo, Hope, and Caroline if they had seen you. Ciara was there."

Lexie remained at Theo's level as she promised, "Theo, I am not going to disappear. I am leaving for the hospital to check on someone because the person may need my help. Do you want to go with me?"

Theo shook his head. "No, I want to play cards with grandma."

Lexie looked over to the table and noted her mother's tarot cards. She gave Celeste a look causing Celeste to grab the cards to put them away. Turning back to her son, she asked again, "Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" Theo declined once again. Standing up, Lexie turned to Marco and announced she was ready to go.

Lexie left with Marco after giving Theo a hug and kiss. Theo headed to play with his cars again. Celeste looked at the card Theo pulled out and wondered what it meant. She questioned if she should tell Lexie about it.

* * *

><p>Inside the parking garage of the hospital, Chelsea got out of her car after putting her keys in her purse. Making sure she locked her car doors, she headed for the elevator to get into the hospital. Before she could though, Abigail found her on her way out. "I thought I would catch you on my way out," Abigail informed her.<p>

Chelsea relaxed her arms after realizing she wasn't being mugged in the parking garage. "Are you sure you want to talk out here? We could go in right quick."

Abigail looked at the time and was in somewhat of a hurry. "We can just talk out here. It won't take that long," she informed Chelsea.

"So this isn't about your dad?" Chelsea asked realizing she assumed Abigail was having problems with Jack again.

Abigail shook her head. "No, although I did get into it with him again in my mom's office. What I wanted to talk to you about is you."

"Me?"

"Yeah," Abigail confirmed. "More specifically, I wanted to talk to you about your relationship with Dario. I'm worried about you."

Chelsea stepped back wondering where Abigail wanted to take this conversation. Chelsea didn't want it to go any further, so she put her foot down. "Abby, there's nothing to talk about. Dario and I are fine."

Abigail became a bit frustrated with Chelsea because she knew what she was doing. "Things aren't fine. There's something you don't know about Dario. He's only going to hurt you in the end!"

Chelsea also became frustrated as thoughts of Max and Billie entered her mind. "Abby, I told you that everything is fine. I know what I am doing with Dario, so just drop it! You should go do whatever it is that you want to do and stay out of it."

Taken aback by Chelsea's cut off, Abigail didn't know what to say at first. She thought about what Sonny had told her about his relationship with Dario and knew Chelsea was way in over her head if she really believed that she and Dario would make it. She wasn't ready to give up. "Stop being so stubborn Chels! I am trying to be your friend here and help you out."

Abigail's persistence only pushed Chelsea further away because she now couldn't stop thinking of the hurt she felt when she found out Max had cheated on her with Billie. Trying to remain as calm as possible, she claimed, "I appreciate you looking out for me, but I am done here. I need to get inside now. We will talk later - preferably about something else." Chelsea adjusted her purse and walked off leaving Abigail alone in the parking garage.

Abigail wondered why Chelsea was so adamant in not wanting to hear the truth about Dario from her. Something else was definitely going on that she didn't know about.

In the waiting room, Chad kept to himself in a corner as the family ate the food that Sonny, Nathan, and Melanie brought in from the pub. Sonny had promised him he'd be back up later, but Chad wished he had stayed with him because he felt cut off by the family. Looking down at his phone, he began to look through his phone and found the one picture he allowed himself to have of Will. He smiled when he saw Will's bright blue eyes and prayed so hard that he would be able to see them again.

Chad got so lost in the picture he didn't realize that Johnny had approached him. Johnny placed his hand on Chad's leg causing him to jump a little. "Oh, Johnny. What's up man?"

Johnny gave Chad his most serious look and asked, "Is Will going to die?"

Hearing the innocence mixed with fear in Johnny's voice caused Chad's eyes to begin to water. He held his emotions at bay though. "No, Will is going to wake up and everything will be good again," he answered. "I promise you." Johnny nodded his head to Chad and rushed off to be with his father. Chad glanced at his phone feeling overwhelmed by everything.

After cleaning up around the waiting room, Lucas and Sami walked out commenting on how Chelsea and Gabi did a good job with the food without Caroline. Chad turned the corner, but stopped when he saw Sami and Lucas alone. Rubbing his stomach, Lucas noted, "Sonny is a good guy. I sort of wish Will ended up with him instead of Chad."

Even though Sami understood Lucas's frustration with Chad, she wished he would let it go. "Yeah, Sonny's a good kid, but he cheated on his boyfriend recently, so maybe not so much of a better option," Sami shared. She was really angry with Chad even though she knew he was sorry for what happened. "It doesn't help that Chad is desperate at the moment to prove to us and Will that he's committed. We shouldn't push things because I have a feeling Chad will only make a mistake if we do."

Chad looked down after hearing the things Sami and Lucas had to say about him. Deciding he felt wrong for listening in on their conversation, he decided to walk away in a different direction to try to get some air. He hoped that he could change their minds.

"So all the gay guys cheat in Salem then?" Lucas asked not really wanting to know the answer. "Maybe Chad and Sonny should be together then." Moving on, Lucas wanted to know more, "So what exactly were Chad and Mia doing when Will supposedly caught them together?"

Sami wished she had a definite answer to Lucas's last question, too. "I just know they were together. I can't imagine it was something like sex in the bathroom since it was at Chez Rouge, but there's just too much history there to ignore. Remember how Chad and Will were competing for Mia, and she played them both?"

Lucas lifted his chin and crossed his arms as he commented under his breath, "Sounds like someone else I know."

"Really Lucas?" Sami called him out. "This isn't about me and Carrie," she added giving him an accusatory look. "The point is that Mia played our son and Chad, but I do think she has a real connection with Chad because they shared a child. Maybe it's still there."

"Maybe, and Will had to witness it," Lucas said feeling even more frustrated for Will. He wanted to start on Chad again, but a thought crossed his mind. He deliberated over the fact that Chad and Mia had a child together and still seemed to have a connection. "Is Chad even gay?"

Ezra approached Sami and Lucas to introduce himself to them. "Hi, I'm Ezra Blakelee. I go to school with your son at Salem U, and I just wanted to say that I am praying and hoping for the best outcome possible. Horton's a really good guy."

Sami gave Lucas a look wondering why she had never met Ezra before when he seemed to know Will so well. "Thanks, Ezra. Your concern and prayers are appreciated."

Chad had spotted Ezra in the hospital and followed him back to where Sami and Lucas were. Without acknowledging Sami and Lucas, he asked in a demanding manner, "Why are you still here, Ezra?"

Lucas and Sami stepped back questioning Chad's rudeness, but Ezra remained calm as he responded, "I wanted to see if I could visit with Horton. I hear that people in comas can still hear what's going on around them. I wanted to tell him that Kappa Sigma really wants him to be a part of it and that we all have his back no matter what." Noting the impressed look on Sami and the intrigued look on Lucas, he decided to throw a question Chad's way to see how he handled being put on the spot. "Why is Horton so important to you?"

Chad froze and choked under pressure.

Sami gave Chad a disappointed look and decided she had seen enough. "I'm going to check on the kids to see if they're still eating," she shared. Wondering if she should leave Lucas alone with Chad, she gave Lucas a knowing look. "Remember what we talked about."

With Sami gone, Lucas wanted to take the opportunity to talk to Chad, but he needed to get rid of Ezra even though he liked him. "It was really nice to meet you, Ezra," he stated genuinely.

Ezra took the hint but made sure to give Lucas a look of gratitude. "Thanks. The same to you, Mr. Horton." Ezra nodded his head to Chad and headed out once again.

Chad was really suspicious of Ezra and wondered if he had anything to do with Will's attack. He did come out of nowhere and seemed to never leave. Turning to Lucas, he warned him, "I don't trust that guy. He doesn't even know Will."

"I don't really want to talk about Ezra. I want to talk about you," Lucas cut in. Chad lowered his head knowing what was coming, but Lucas surprised him when he said, "I think you and me have a lot in common. I think the best way for us to understand each other is for me to tell you a little about my own experiences in life."

Perplexed, Chad looked up and asked, "What?"

Lucas uncrossed his arms around his chest to seem more inviting to Chad. "When I was younger, I was really curious about sex and how it all worked. I heard you went to boarding school for a while. I went to military school and experimented here and there with girls ... and guys."

Chad suddenly felt really uncomfortable and grabbed the back of his neck the same way Will always did. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I want to help you out here," Lucas said with a smile. Lucas put his arm around Chad making Chad feel more confused and uncomfortable. "Relax man. I'm not hitting on you. I am just trying to tell you my experience – man to man." Keeping his eyes on Chad, he knew he needed to sound sincere for Chad to buy what he was trying to sell him. He had tried to break up Will and Chad the wrong way, and now he had a better plan in doing so. "I experimented because I was curious about some stuff, but for me it was all just a phase. I wasn't really into guys. I was just curious. I think that maybe the same thing is happening to you."

Chad could hardly process everything that Lucas was telling him because it was still so weird that Lucas was being so nice to him. When his brain finally caught up, he shook his head. "No, I love Will."

"I don't doubt that you love my son," Lucas quickly claimed. "I just wonder if this is who you're really supposed to be. I mean, Ezra asked you why you were so worried about Will, and you couldn't even answer his question. That says a lot; don't you think?"

Chad thought about how EJ and Sami warned him against being completely open about his relationship with Will. "I'm kind of scared," Chad admitted, "but that's all."

Lucas let go of Chad and faced him to twist his words more. "There's a reason you're scared, Chad. Think about it. You wanted to try something different, and it overwhelmed you. You have no idea what you're doing. You are out of your comfort zone for a reason."

"Because this isn't the lifestyle for me," Chad said softly to himself finishing Lucas's thought, but Lucas still heard it. He didn't mean to make it sound like it was something he thought, but he questioned if Lucas was right. Chad began to shake his head because Lucas had completely mind-fucked him.

Seeing that he accomplished what he set out to do, Lucas patted Chad on the back. "It happens to the best of us. You're not gay, man. Take this opportunity to accept yourself and move forward. There's no reason you should have to look back. Sami and I can take care of Will."

Lucas walked off leaving Chad racking his brain as he tried to figure out what to do. He began to question the probability that Will would always get hurt in the end if he tried to stay with Will. Chad decided he needed to see Will because he knew by talking to him things would become clearer to him even if Will couldn't talk back. The guilt was eating at him once again.

When he was almost to Will's room, Mia jumped in front of him. "Chad, I wanted to talk to you..."

Chad quickly grabbed Mia and rushed her into a different hall. "Mia, what are you doing here?"

Mia straightened out her clothes after Chad let go of her. "I have tried to reach you all weekend. I came here to apologize for what happened, and there's something I need to tell you." Mia wanted to get to her apology first. "Even though I really do love you and want you back, I never expected this to happen to Will." Mia thought about how she and Ignazio planned for Will to catch her kissing Chad, and felt somewhat guilty for his attack later that evening. "If I knew Will would have run off the way he did, I never would have kissed you like that."

Even with all of his confusion, Chad caught on to the fact that Mia didn't say she was surprised that Will caught them. She was only surprised by his reaction to catching them. Brady's insight on Mia began to play in his mind as he questioned, "Did you kiss me knowing that Will was close and would see us together?"

Mia began to backpedal as she tried to explain, "I just meant that I didn't consider what this would do to Will."

"That didn't really answer my question, Mia," Chad exclaimed wanting a direct answer from her. "Did you kiss me knowing that Will was close and would see us together?"

Mia knew she needed to stop lying because she needed to just tell Chad the truth about Ignazio. "Chad, I was working with someone. I didn't plan this on my own."

"I can't believe this!" Chad exclaimed as his first thought was to think that Mia was conspiring with Kinsey. He was finally able to connect some dots as he remembered Mia telling him her involvement with Kinsey and then remembered Sonny telling him that Kinsey had come by looking for Will and Chad before he received the picture of Grace from Mia.

Thanks to Ric, Ignazio got word that Mia had arrived to the hospital. Leaving Dario's side for a moment, Ignazio walked up giving Mia a look to shut whatever she was about to share down. "Hey Chad, I was hoping to talk to you – alone."

Mia didn't want to back down. "Chad, don't let him distract you from what I am trying to tell you! We really need to talk about what I was just telling you."

Ignazio had it with Mia and decided to put her in her place. "Why are you giving this girl the time of day? She is the reason Will is in the hospital. She's been playing you, and I do not think talking to her or hanging out with her will help Will."

Chad turned to Ignazio and tried to get him to back off. "Yeah, I was just asking her if she set me and Will up. Either way, I messed up, too! What happened to Will is all my fault!"

Ignazio put his hand on Chad's arm to get him to listen closely while Mia tried to cut in again. "Don't be so sure of that. Before she came to you just now, I overheard her talking on the phone to someone. She said something about a staged attack. I did not quite follow it, but I think she is responsible for what happened to Will somehow."

Mia shut her mouth and stepped back once she realized Ignazio had just thrown her under the bus before she could do the same to him. "Don't listen to him. He's lying!"

Chad's heart began to ache as he turned to Mia. "Tell me the truth, Mia! You knew Will was going to find us together at Chez Rouge. Was the attack on Will staged by you, too?"

Mia knew she had to talk herself out of this one, but she was so astonished by her predicament, she couldn't think rationally. "I had nothing to do with Will's attack! It wasn't part of the plan, Chad. I promise you. The only attack that was staged was the one where I was mugged." Pointing her finger to Ignazio, she exclaimed, "This is all his fault!"

Ignazio let out a small laugh as he played innocent. "This is my fault? You know what? The first time I ever laid eyes on you was Friday night. If we were back in Italia, we would have broken your legs and cut out your tongue for lying against the family!"

Chad could see that Ignazio was offended by Mia's pointing the finger at him. He turned to his cousin to make him back down. "Ignazio, let me talk to Mia alone."

"Yeah! Chad and I need to talk alone," Mia echoed hoping that Chad was going to let her explain everything even though she began to fear Ignazio again.

Chad continued to speak to his second cousin. "I am sorry Mia is standing here and pulling you into her manipulations and tricks. It's not your fault you overheard her conversation on the phone."

Ignazio put his hands on Chad's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "You know I would die for you and how much Will means to me. After everything we've been through... Don't let her pull you in again. Your eyes are open; don't let her take that from you. If you need me to find someone to take care of her, I can do that." Ignazio made sure to look directly into Mia's eyes after he said that to let her know he would take care of her if it came to that.

Chad put his hands on Ignazio's shoulders to get him to back down again. "It's okay, Ignazio. I trust you. You would never want to hurt Will because I've seen the way you two interact with each other. Mia won't be a problem. I will talk to you later." Ignazio nodded his head and walked away.

Mia knew there was no way out now. Ignazio had managed to put the blame all on her, and she couldn't say anything because Ignazio threatened her life and had convinced Chad not to trust a word that came out of her mouth. Trying to soften the mood, she delicately said his name, "Chad?"

Chad slowly turned to look at Mia with rage. Thinking about how he had once told Celeste he believed he might have fallen in love with Mia again, he felt like such a fool and it drove him crazy to think Mia was able to pull this over him. "This ends here, Mia. This ends now. This ends tonight!" Chad forced a smile, gritted his teeth, and pointed to his mouth as he stated, "You see this smile? This is the last smile you're ever going to get from me because you mean nothing to me. I don't know how I ever felt anything for you. It probably has something to do with the fact that you're a devious bitch! You are dead to me Mia McCormick."

"What about Grace?" Mia yelled back! "We still have our daughter."

Chad stepped back to collect his thoughts. First, he felt frustration from his conversation with Lucas and his father earlier. He couldn't just take their negative attitudes toward Will anymore, and he couldn't allow Mia to continue her attempts to manipulate him away from Will and into her arms. Reflecting on a previous conversation with Mia about death and taking things for granted, he understood clearly how much he had taken Will for granted. Now Will was fighting for his life. It hurt him he would never get an opportunity to really know Grace, but he wasn't going to let anyone or anything stand in the way of experiencing life with Will. Shaking his head, Chad started talking to her in a calm voice. "Grace is dead, Mia. She's been for years. Yes, even though she is not with me physically, I still feel her with me. You, on the other hand, are still alive, and even though you're breathing here right in front of me, I feel nothing for you. Here and now, I sever all ties with you."

Mia gave Chad a look of shame. "How is this so easy for you?"

"Because it's you, Mia. I finally see you for what you are," Chad shared raising his voice somewhat. "Just like Kinsey came to destroy Sonny's life, you came here to destroy mine and Will's. You set this all up to take me away from the man I love. The man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I don't know how, but you found out I was in a relationship with Will, and you couldn't take it because your ego didn't want to accept the fact that two of your ex-boyfriends were now dating each other. You don't really love me. You took advantage of my vulnerability to be needed! You're just fucking insecure like the rest of us! Do me a favor and leave Salem and never come back! I never want to see you again!"

Mia was not pleased with Chad's disrespect and fought back a bit. "You can't stop me from returning to Salem in the future because I will be back to see my daughter!"

"Stop pretending like you care," Chad started in on her. "You gave her up to Nicole. Grace is nothing but a tool to you. You don't want to accept the fact that I'm gay and even used our daughter to make me think otherwise. I love Will, but I sure as hell don't love you!"

Done with the way Chad was talking to her, Mia shot back, "You are a fool, Chad Dimera. You call me insecure and pretend you're so sure about who you are. You may think you're gay, but we all know that's not the truth. I caught on that you didn't love me anymore. I've known for a while. Here's the truth, Chad. Remember when you told me you didn't want to marry Will because you weren't ready? News Flash, Chad! You liked spending time with me only because you don't want to be a full-blown homosexual. You had sex with me, and you miss it. You don't want to let that part of your life die. You're too damn scared to be labeled. There is a difference between our relationship and your supposed relationship with Will. We had people standing in our way of being together. We had obstacles and you couldn't even handle that. How do you expect things to go better with Will when you two just have problems with each other? You aren't compatible, and you two are not on the same page when it comes to how your relationship should work and look. You can't even have kids together! That's the reason I had such an easy time with manipulating you. You're the weakest and most pathetic guy I know because you go where you are needed and leave when you're not. Grace would be ashamed of you if she were still alive. I am done!" Mia pushed Chad out of the way and walked off leaving Chad frozen in place.

* * *

><p>Maddalena sat in her office talking on the phone with Tony discussing his progress. After hearing his report, she smiled and stated, "Very good work Antony. Continue your progress. You should be close to discovering those locations and newer connections." Hanging up the phone, she was intrigued by the possibilities from Tony's information. She hoped no one would spot him while he was in Salem.<p>

Azzura walked in after some time with a smile on her face. "Signora, I have good news. Construction is being completed as we speak. No one is at Stefano's mansion because everyone is at the hospital."

Maddalena leaned back in her chair pleased. "I believe that morality is on our side because our mission is righteous. What's the latest on my nipote? Ignazio still hasn't been able to get rid of Chad. Do you think I need to step in?"

Azzura wasn't sure what Maddalena should do, but she shared, "Although I believe Ignazio has the ability to get things done, he is too distracted to accomplish a mission currently. I believe it is his feelings that get in the way."

Maddalena leaned forward in her chair as she commented, "I have noticed how well you have learned to hide your emotions."

Azzura reflected on her life and admitted, "I think my mother's death at a young age possibly helped me with that. I can never thank you enough for taking me in as a daughter because I have learned so much from you."

With a smile upon her face, Maddalena claimed, "I have always wanted a daughter, so I am happy I had the opportunity to teach you." Moving on, she noted, "Lucas is back in town. Are you going to use him to create tension and distance between EJ and Sami?"

Azzura didn't want to stick to one plan because it didn't seem to work when she did so. "I may use Lucas since my plan to make Sami suspicious and jealous did not work. EJ and Sami are really in love. They are the hardest couple I have ever had to break."

"You are capable," Maddalena encouraged. "I know you will do what needs to be done because I cannot stand to look at the doppelgänger of the woman who destroyed my mother's life." Maddalena rolled her fingers into fists as she shared, "I truly hate blondes. They are all wicked. Chad's mother, Madeline, was a good example."

Azzura tried to inquire more on her signora's disdain towards Chad, but Maddalena sent Azzura out to find Ignazio because he was not answering his phone. Walking out of the office and down the hall, she found Ric entering the house. "Ric, where is your lover?" she asked him as she walked down the stairs.

Unamused, Ric tried to ignore her and walked past her on the stairs. "I have no idea who you are talking about."

"Ignazio. Where is Ignazio?"

Ric stopped at the top of the stairs and answered, "He is at the hospital talking to Chad."

Azzura rolled her eyes and began to laugh. "So Ignazio's master plan to get rid of Chad is to talk him into leaving Salem?" she joked clearly unsatisfied.

Ric had enough of Azzura's lack of respect for Ignazio. "You have no idea what Ignazio is capable of because he truly is the mastermind of everything that happened this weekend."

Azzura joined Ric at the top of the stairs giving him a curious look. "What do you mean?"

Ric became mum on the details and restated what he told her in a more ambiguous manner. "You need to realize that Ignazio is capable and should not be doubted."

Azzura pulled her hair back and gave Ric a disgusted look. "You used to be one of our best men, but look at you now. You are clearly infatuated with Ignazio. We are finished talking."

After being dismissed by Azzura, Ric headed for his bedroom. Once inside his room, he closed the door securely before pulling a bag from under his bed. Placing the bag on his bed, he looked through it and pulled out different bottles of spray paint. He smiled as he reflected on what happened on the night of the thirteenth – even if things didn't go completely as planned. He didn't expect Will to pull out the syringe when they tried to put the solution in him. They obviously got in enough for it to work, so no harm was done there. They also managed to get away before Dario walked over to find Will on the ground.

Ric put everything under his bed again and sat upon his bed to make a call. Dialing a number, he waited for the other person to answer. "Tesoro, I will be sending all that you need soon enough. I am working as fast and hard as I can, but I want to make sure everything is perfect before I leave Maddalena, Ignazio, and Azzura behind. They must not suspect a thing."

* * *

><p>Dario turned a corner in the hospital and found Ignazio pacing. "Ignazio, are you okay?"<p>

Ignazio stopped pacing and simply explained, "I am waiting for Chad. I thought he would have come found me by now." Turning their conversation on Dario, he asked, "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to talk with your mother when I left you before."

Dario let out a sigh before disclosing, "I stalled because I'm afraid to be alone with her. I didn't know what I was going to say. By the time I made it to her room, she had requested no visitors for the night, so I came to find you."

"Why are you afraid to talk to her? What exactly happened between you and your mother?" Ignazio asked wondering if it had anything to do with Sonny.

Dario didn't want to talk about that because he liked that Ignazio didn't know what he and Sonny did. He didn't think Ignazio would turn on him, but he believed he could deny he and Sonny happened if one less person knew of the incident on Sonny's birthday. "I want to do whatever it takes to save her life or give her a happy ending, but I am not sure I am strong enough," he acknowledged.

Ignazio thought about how Maddalena was interested in Isobel and wondered why. "So we're talking vaguely again," he observed when his phone suddenly made a sound. He had received a text from Azzura telling him that his grandmother was looking for him. He quickly returned her text typing he would be home soon enough. Looking back up to Dario, he shared, "We will hang out soon. If you see Chad, tell him I will be back here tomorrow." Ignazio pulled Dario into a hug and left.

Dario felt somewhat comforted by Ignazio's hug but wished he could have stayed with him. Taking a deep breath, he took off to see if he could find Nathan to talk about his mother. He stopped though when he spotted Sonny talking to Chad.

Sonny sat next to Chad on the floor across the hall outside Will's hospital room. Chad had just filled him in on his history with Mia, and Sonny couldn't believe what he now knew of Chad and Mia's past relationship. Sonny realized Kinsey and Mia must have come to Salem together and most likely shared a room at the Salem Inn. "Well, hopefully Mia won't mess with you anymore like Kinsey has with me."

Chad wasn't so sure because he felt the damage had already been done. "I've been such an idiot when it comes to Mia. I let my own insecurities get in the way of being completely happy with Will," he shared feeling frustrated about his poor decisions. He hated how much power Mia had on him as he reflected on everything she said to him after she stormed off. He still felt insecure in himself even though he knew he needed to be over all of that. "Not to bring in your pain, but I keep replaying what Kai said to you when you guys broke up. First loves don't usually last, and Mia was definitely my first love. I think that's why this has been so hard for me. Don't get me wrong. I don't love her anymore. She's not even the same person she was in high school."

Sonny thought about his first love outside of Salem but shook off his memories to remain focused on Chad's situation. Thinking about his run-ins with Mia, he shared, "Mia is shifty as hell. I didn't really know her, but I could tell she was shady because of how she seemed to try to hide."

Chad shook his head at himself. "I know now that Mia did have a point. I am afraid of being completely gay, and I didn't want to give up on that part of me. I feel like an idiot for not giving myself entirely to Will even though we can't have a normal relationship."

Sonny patted Chad's knee. "You can change that. When Will wakes up, you can prove to him that there's no turning back. Don't let Mia determine who you are. Only you do, and when you told her who you were today, I think you were finally coming to terms with it."

"I want to prove that to Will now because I believe it will wake him up," Chad asserted as flashes from his dancing nightmare came to mind. He remembered André's warning and wondered if this was what André tried to tell him would happen. Chad truly had no control over on keeping Will safe. He couldn't stop the inevitable. Pushing for confidence, he added, "I can't believe it's taken me this long to finally come to terms with who I am."

Sonny stood up and helped Chad to his feet. "Finding yourself is a lifelong journey. Coming to terms about being gay is a challenge for everyone, and everyone's experience is different. You're not the only one to try to avoid it."

Chad smiled and gave Sonny a hug. "Thanks for helping me through this, Sonny. I do have one more question before I go in to talk to Will."

"What is it?"

Chad looked down feeling somewhat idiotic for asking this question, but he was still curious. "Why didn't you tell Will about seeing Mia with me at Maggie's house?"

Sonny remembered the moment Chad was talking about. "I don't know. I guess I didn't think anything of it because I was so caught up in my own drama with Dario."

"I'm sure things will work out for you. You deserve to be happy and to be loved." Chad patted Sonny on the back before sharing, "I'm going to talk to Will now since he's alone."

After Chad walked into Will's room, Sonny inhaled deeply hoping that Chad and Will would work things out. Turning as he exhaled his deep breath, he spotted Dario spying on him from around the corner. Dario caught on that Sonny spotted him and ran off. Sonny followed him.

Inside Will's room, Chad sat next to Will and began to make promises to him even if doubts still plagued his mind. "Things are going to be different when you wake up. You'll see and feel how much I love you. There won't be a day or a second you won't know how much I love you. I know I don't deserve you, but my eyes are finally opened. I finally know who I am, and who I hope we are together."

"It's about time," EJ said with a smile as he walked in.

Standing up, Chad's defenses rose. "Are Sami and Lucas coming this way?"

EJ shook his head. "No, they are in a meeting with Daniel and Lexie to discuss Will's situation." Moving closer to his brother, EJ put his arm around Chad's shoulders. "How are you doing? I noticed you stayed to yourself in the waiting room."

"You know why, EJ," Chad commented not wanting to focus on Lucas and Sami. Chad thought about what he could do to prove to Will that he was committed and realized there was something he needed to talk to EJ about. "There's something we need to talk about."

"What's that?" EJ inquired.

Chad looked Will over wondering if he should have this conversation in front of him. Looking up to his brother, he declared, "We need to talk about Stefano."

EJ jumped to conclusions as he let out, "You still don't think that he's responsible for this, do you?"

Chad let out a sigh of frustration and quickly answered EJ's question. "Not exactly. I know he has done horrible and questionable things in the past, but what I need to know is how he really feels about my relationship with Will. I need to know what he thinks about my role in the family."

EJ placed his hands in his pant pockets. "I don't know what to say. We've already talked about all of this, Chad."

"I want the truth this time." Chad demanded. "I know you were only doing damage control when we talked about it before. I need to know if father is always going to be a problem when it comes to me being gay."

EJ could see that his brother was serious about this and even noted that Chad didn't refer to his homosexuality as just his relationship with Will. "You want to know if dad still wants you to be a part of the family even if you're gay. The answer is yes. He still wants you to be a part of this family."

Chad relaxed somewhat because EJ was participating. "So does he accept me being gay or is he just looking past it because he's afraid I will walk away?"

EJ felt really uncomfortable having to answer Chad's question. Scratching his temple with his finger he let out a sigh of reluctance. "Honestly, I think he's looking past it for now, but I think he is still trying to get used to your relationship with Will. He understands you two love each other, but he is afraid of the ridicule you two will receive if the world knew the truth. He only has your best interest at heart."

Chad looked down knowing Stefano hadn't fully accepted Will in his life. Even so, he questioned if EJ was covering for his father again. "Are you lying to me about his trying to accept it?"

"I promise you I'm not," EJ said as he dropped his hand to his side.

Chad turned and returned his gaze onto Will. He needed to decide what he was going to do to show Will he was fully committed. Turning to his brother, he stated, "One last question. Do you think he'll ever be ready for me to come out to the world completely?"

EJ gave Chad an unsure look. "I don't know, Chad. I know that he is behind you no matter what even if he is concerned what it will do to your life."

Chad took a deep breath and announced. "I've made my decision. I know what I need to do, and no one can get in my way now."

Nervous, EJ put his hand on Chad's shoulder. "What decision have you come to? I hope that you're still not thinking of doing anything drastic or dramatic like before."

Chad turned his back on his brother and kept his focus on Will. He knew he needed to use his love for Will as his armor to be able to pull this off. It was the only way. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry." Chad grabbed Will's hand knowing that there was no way he could convince his family to have the same goal as him. He continued to reflect on what EJ said in his chariot dream. If they tried to stand in his way, he would have to run them down.

* * *

><p>Sonny followed Dario all the way to the pier where Will was attacked. Sonny looked the pier over and noticed that all the homophobic graffiti was still intact. Getting emotional at the sight, Sonny commented, "I still can't believe Will is lying in the hospital because of such evil."<p>

Dario couldn't look away from the graffiti either. Clearly shaken, he divulged, "No matter how hard I try I can't erase the moment I found Will lying here lifeless. I wish I could unsee the bruises and the blood that covered Will's body. How is being gay a life worth living?"

Sonny put his attention on Dario. "It's scary. People don't want to accept us, and that's why some people go into hiding and deny who they are. Those monsters are winning by scaring us into a mold that we don't even fit."

Dario finally turned to Sonny, but he couldn't make eye contact with him. "You must believe I am a chump for trying to deny what we both know is true. I'm gay, but I can't be because who I am is destroying my family. It's killing my mother."

"You are not killing your mother, Dario. The cancer is," Sonny corrected him. "I don't think you're a chump. I think you're just honestly dealing with all of this the best way you can."

Dario looked down as he began to shuffle his feet due to nerves. "Sometimes I can feel so close to you when you're around. I feel safe enough to open up and tell you everything that I am going through, but then I remember how much we've hurt each other in the past." Looking up, he sustained, "Remember how adamant you were with helping me trade spots with T on the ride back to Salem from our trip to Colorado? You were so ready to get me out of your life. I think the only reason you're giving me time now is because my mother is dying. You need a distraction from your own problems with Kai or whatever."

Sonny's heart sank. "Dario, that's not true. I really do care about you and what happens to you. I always have." Sonny paused as he remembered something. "Something just came to mind. I didn't notice it before when it happened, but I can see it now. When Kai and T kissed outside of Java, you kept saying my name. You were upset for me. You still…" Sonny stopped again afraid he might say too much. "I think we still feel that... you know... between us."

"I can't kill my mom and my family," Dario declared as he looked at the graffiti again. "I can't feel that, and I can't be this way. It's disgusting and goes against nature. People who chose this life are heathens and don't care about what life is really about. There's a reason they are hated. It's evil."

Sonny rushed over to stand in front of Dario so he would not focus on the graffiti. His gaze softened catching Dario's eyes. "Don't regress. I know you better than this, and I know this isn't you talking." Moving closer to Dario, Sonny continued, "When we started hanging out, I remember when I started liking you. I kept telling myself not to get in over my head because of what happened when we fooled around at your old apartment. We were drunk and settled it as a onetime mistake. I couldn't help it though because even after that you still stayed close to me. You still looked at me the same."

Feeling a tad uneasy, Dario asked, "Where are you going with this?"

"Just let me finish," Sonny requested moving closer. "I was already falling in love with you, Dario, but I didn't believe in the possibility that you might feel the same way until a conversation we had at the Cheatin' Heart on July 11th of last year. Do you remember what you said to me?"

Dario tried his best not to, but he smiled at the fact that Sonny remembered the actual date of the conversation. Invested in Sonny's story, he let his guard down and moved closer to Sonny. "What did I say?"

Sonny smiled widely as he answered, "You asked me about my previous boyfriend first, but then you told me that I helped you see that gay people were not the heathens you were raised to believe. You told me I was a good guy, and that you were glad that you met me. I think in some way you were trying to tell me – even then – that you loved me."

Dario looked down so he could place his hands on Sonny's arms. Making eye contact with Sonny again, he admitted, "I did. I knew it, but at the same time I didn't. I knew I didn't want to ever lose what you gave me."

"I didn't want to lose that either, Dario," Sonny shared moving his body closer to Dario's. Once their chests touched each other, he and Dario pulled away from each other. Sonny sensed they both feared the draw between them, so he decided to share something he learned in Spanish to explain how he felt and believed Dario felt as well. "Un corazon enjaulado es mejor que un corazon roto."

Dario looked into Sonny's eyes as he repeated what Sonny said in English. "A caged heart is better than a broken heart." Looking down to keep his distance from Sonny, he shared, "I am afraid of us, Sonny. I'm very afraid of our relationship and what it will do to my life. I'm sick. I'm sick to my stomach about being gay, but I am also sick to my stomach because I'm denying it."

"Do you really think you're sick?" Sonny asked with concern. He moved closer to Dario and placed his hand on his shoulders.

Dario allowed Sonny to touch him. "I don't know, Sonny. This is tearing me apart, but I do know that my heart jumps when you touch me. I know my soul aches when you let go." Dario raised his hand for a moment as he debated touching Sonny. He finally decided on letting his hand fall on Sonny's chest, so he could feel Sonny's heart beating. "I wish I was better put together, but I am messed up. We are messed up."

Sonny dropped his hand from Dario's shoulder and placed it on Dario's hand to hold it closer to his heart. "We all have scars, Dario. No one is perfect. I just want to be there for you. No matter what you need."

Dario dropped his head forward onto Sonny's. He began to lick his lips as he took deep breaths. Both suddenly allowed the natural pull to bring their lips together. Sonny's hands reached around Dario's back to pull him in tighter, as Dario's hands moved around Sonny's neck. They both felt the moment, and it felt good.

Unfortunately, Dario stopped the kiss and pulled back. Keeping his distance from Sonny, he stated before running off, "I can't do this. Not yet..."

Sonny placed his hands on his lips from what just happened. He didn't mean to pull Dario into a kiss like that and was only trying to help him accept himself. He wondered if the kiss was a mistake, but smiled when he realized Dario had said, 'Not yet...'

* * *

><p>Lexie made her way to Will's hospital room and found Chad fervently sending a text on his phone. Feeling bad for her brother, she told him, "Chad, I'm sorry I haven't been around. I feel so guilty for keeping you away from Will. If you had been with him this whole time, maybe this wouldn't have happened." After Chad sent his text and put his phone in his pocket, she gave her brother a hug. "How are you feeling?"<p>

Chad held onto his sister as he remembered trying to comfort her. "I'm okay I guess. This isn't your fault. It's mine."

Lexie rubbed Chad's arm knowing that he was having a difficult time. She could understand his situation. "We all make mistakes, Chad. One thing I have learned from my mother is that sometimes taking the harder path will bear more fruit. It will all work out in the end."

Chad immediately thought about the Lovers dream he had. He remembered that Will was represented by the fruit tree. Wanting news on if Will would wake up, Chad mentioned, "EJ said you were looking into something at your place. Is that what you met with Sami and Lucas about?"

Lexie nodded her head. "Yeah, I needed to talk to them about what I think may be happening to Will. I need to run a few tests, and then I will be sure. I got the go ahead from Daniel and Will's parents, so I had to make sure everything was set up before I came this way. I am about to run some tests in there now."

Chad wanted to check in with his sister to make sure she was up to this. "Will is your first patient since everything happened with Abe. Are you going to be okay getting back to work?"

Lexie continued to rub Chad's arm. "I'm fine, Chad. Don't worry. We will get answers on Will's condition. It's odd that his wound has healed, and his bruises are now completely gone."

"Have you talked to Colin about the tests he ran yesterday?" Chad asked. "We never got an update from him."

Lexie was perplexed by Colin's involvement in Will's case and couldn't help feeling suspicious that something was up. "Colin came in yesterday to take tests?"

Chad sensed that his sister thought it was odd. "Yeah, he asked Sonny and me to leave the room. Was he not supposed to?"

"It's good to see my children gathered together to support each other," Stefano beamed as he walked over with Kate. "Where is Elvis?"

Chad looked his father over and thought about his conversation with EJ. Not wanting his father around, he hoped Stefano and Kate would decide to join EJ. "He's in Will's room with Sami. I'm guessing Lucas is with the kids."

Kate nodded her head and confirmed it. "Yeah, we saw them in the waiting room." She reached for the door knob to Will's room, but before entering she turned to Stefano. "I want to spend some time with Will. Are you going to come in with me?"

Stefano realized this would be the ideal time for him to go into Will's room since Lucas was preoccupied, but he didn't want to go in just yet. "I'll be in there in a moment. Go ahead." Kate knew Stefano wanted to talk to Lexie and Chad and walked in closing the door behind her. Turning to his son and daughter, he asked, "What's the latest on William?"

Lexie was still cold towards her father because she was even more suspicious of him than before. She hadn't told him she uncovered more possible connections to him being behind Abe's attack. She also had suspicions he was involved in Will's attack. "We will know when we get more tests done, but his condition seems really familiar. I'm sure you already knew that though."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Stefano questioned his daughter before assuming the worst. "Don't tell me you think this is my fault, too. Alexandra, what do I have to do to make you see that I am not the bad guy here? I know you told me before that you're scared to get too close to me because you're afraid I will influence you in some horrible way."

As Tony smirked and spied on them from a distance, Chad wondered if Lexie really did believe their father was responsible. Her fear of Stefano made sense because he didn't want to be influenced by his father anymore, but his conversation with EJ made him doubt Stefano could be responsible for what happened to Will. The look on his sister's face seemed convincing though. "I don't think father had anything to do with this directly. I really do think someone was out there preying on gays," he admitted to Lexie.

Lexie didn't want to say anything in case she was wrong for Chad's sake. "We'll see."

Moving on, Stefano turned to Chad. "Is Lucas still trying to keep you out of William's room?"

Chad felt like it was a long day as he reflected on his conversation with Lucas. "I think he'd rather I have nothing to do with Will again because he was trying to convince me that I wasn't really gay?"

"That's absurd," Lexie came back with.

Stefano was curious though. "Oh? What did he say?"

Chad's defenses rose because he couldn't take another conversation where someone told him he wasn't gay. "He just pointed out my insecurities with my relationship with Will and tried to make me believe that I had them because I was out of my element. Truth is, this is new to me, but I know I want to be with Will, and no one can stand in my way now. I'm making it official."

Lexie and Stefano both had concerned looks on their faces just as Sami, EJ, and Kate walked out so Lexie could run her tests. Lexie wasn't ready though because she wanted to check in with her brother. "What do you mean? How are you going to make things official?"

Feeling crowded because all eyes were on him now, Chad stepped backwards to give himself space from his family. "Will needs to know I am committed to him, and that I am not going to hide it anymore. I guess in the same way Tony made a stand and became his own man, I need to do the same."

Getting frustrated, Stefano demanded, "Stop being so damn mysterious. What are you going to do?"

Sami caught on to what was happening and gave Chad an angry look. "Chad, I thought we already discussed your desperate plan. What have you done?"

"I haven't done anything yet," he shot back. He truly felt the family going against him and he had to remind himself of his love for Will. Will was his family now and that was all that mattered. He boosted his confidence by remembering how Tony stood up to Stefano all those years ago. "Well, things are in place. All I have to do is go outside."

EJ tried to move closer to his brother, but Chad stepped back to keep his distance. "Outside? There's no one outside. I've asked the media to back off from the hospital."

Chad thought about the text he sent out. He was waiting for a response and finally got it. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he smiled nervously. "This is it."

"What is that?" Kate asked confused about what Chad was going to do.

Chad looked at them and declared, "It's my solution to getting Will to come back to me." Not wasting a second, Chad rushed out of the hospital through the emergency entrance with everyone else following him. Even Tony, who was impressed with Chad's standing up to Stefano, followed safely behind to make sure he was not spotted.

Chad was met outside by Jack and a camera man. Chad had kept Jack's business card and sent him a text message telling him he had an exclusive for him. After making sure the camera was rolling, Jack put his mic to Chad after he asked, "Chad Dimera, why did you ask me to come down here tonight?"

Chad moved his mouth to the mic, so he could answer. "My name is Chad Dimera, and I am offering a 10 million-dollar reward to anyone who can help us find those who attacked Will Horton."

Those who followed Chad out reacted to his announcement. Sami looked to EJ and commented, "I thought he was going to say something else. Maybe this will help us find out who did this." EJ nodded his head, but he wondered if this really was all Chad was planning on sharing.

Wanting to know more, Jack asked, "Why is this so important to you?"

Chad spotted Sonny walking towards them and gained another boost of confidence. He licked his lips as he declared, "I am Will's boyfriend. I love him, and I want justice. I'm gay."

Stefano, Lexie, Kate, EJ, Sami, and Sonny watched in shock and horror as Jack verified what Chad had just stated. When Chad repeated he was gay, Jack began to ask him questions on the attack and Chad's decision to come out now. Chad swallowed hard knowing he could not turn back now. He couldn't show weakness or regret to anyone around him.


	58. Chapter 58 Run

**Chapter 58: Run – Monday, January 16th, 2013**

The next day, Stefano put his phone on the desk after giving Marco new instructions on security for the family and was extra careful to give Marco specific and special instructions concerning Chad. He turned his attention to Kate, who was busy looking through her phone to clear and reschedule meetings for the day, and hoped he had done enough to keep things in line to protect the family. Making his way to her, he encouraged, "Katerina, my love, everything will be okay."

Kate looked up from her phone with doubt. "Will is not waking up. I had a lot of meetings for today, but I can't focus on that. I need to focus on Will today. I am going to do whatever it takes to get him to wake up. I plan on spending the day at the hospital – even if I am not allowed in his room the entire time."

Stefano took a seat next to Kate and grabbed her hand to kiss it. "I am not trying to stand in your way. I know now you will do whatever it is that you want. Even so, I think you spending time with William today is a good idea."

"I am almost done, and we can be on our way." Kate returned to her phone to type a text message to Chris to instruct him on his what he needed to do.

EJ walked into the room throwing the paper on the chair. "I noticed a van parked outside. My guess is the media is out there hoping to get more scoop on Chad's announcement last night. Pictures of Will and Chad have surfaced talking at the masquerade. There is a lot of speculation going around."

Stefano stood up from the couch as his blood pressure began to rise. "It's foolish that the media is making such a big deal about Chad's announcement."

Looking up from her phone, Kate commented, "Well, Chad pretty much confirmed Will's attack was due to gay bashing, and with EJ as the new mayor, they're going to want more personal details about our family."

Stefano leaned on his desk reflecting on Chad's offer and confession. "While I admire Chad's bravery, I wish he chose to do things differently."

EJ reflected on his conversation with Chad in Will's room before the big announcement. Even though he agreed somewhat with Stefano, he countered, "It was only a matter of time because Chad had started talking about coming out to the media since Will's attack. I think he only held off for so long because Sami and I tried to convince him not to do it."

Kate looked to EJ with concern. "Has Chad shown any signs of wanting to take back his confession?"

"No," EJ answered remembering how Chad told him this had to be done for the sake of his relationship with Will. "I think he's decided this was for the best and has no plans on turning his back on it."

Stefano headed for the mini bar and poured himself a glass of water. "There's something different about him now, and I am not sure if it's a good thing."

EJ didn't want to watch his father over analyze Chad's decision and decided to change the subject somewhat. "I was talking to Samantha this morning, and she told me Marlena and John are still having problems getting out of London. They're not allowed to travel anywhere. Do you know anything about that father?"

Stefano thought back to when Maddalena asked him about John and Marlena at the hospital the day before. He looked at his son and played dumb. "I have no idea. I don't have time to think about John and Marlena at a time like this." Stefano began to drink his water as he remembered setting it up to make sure John and Marlena could not come to Salem. He didn't want them to meet Maddalena in fear of what would come from such a meeting.

* * *

><p>Daniel handed Caroline forms to sign in her hospital room, so she could be released. "Everything has checked out, and you're good to go. I've rescheduled a follow-up two weeks from now to make sure everything is still good."<p>

Caroline signed the form and gave it back to Daniel. "Thank you, Dr. Jonas. I hope I don't have to come back here for an extended stay any time soon." Daniel nodded his head and left the room.

Sami walked into the room and looked her grandmother over. She wanted to forget about the idiotic decision Chad made the night before and wanted to do whatever she could to help her family now. Deciding now was not the right time for Caroline to find out about Chad's announcement, she avoided the topic with her. "Are you okay to walk? I can take you to go see Will now if you want."

Caroline stood from the bed as she nodded her head. "Yes, please take me to see my great-grandson."

Sami led Caroline to Will's room, which was close enough. "We have Will to ourselves for the time being. I figured now would be the best time for you to say what you want to say to him without any interruptions."

Caroline nodded her head as she made her way next to Will's bedside. She looked him over, and a chill came over her because he was so still. Caroline placed her hand on Will's forehead and began to caress it trying to keep her tears to a minimum. "I am so sorry Will for everything I did to you last summer. I was not supportive of your feelings or of your ability to be responsible. I want you to know that I love you, and that I support you now one hundred percent. You are my great-grandson, and I will never try to change you into anything different again. I love you, Will. Please come back to us, so you can live your life." Caroline continued to caress Will's forehead after taking a moment to catch her breath. "I remember when you were a baby, and I held you for the first time. You stole my heart, and I don't want to lose it forever. You have become such a wonderful young man, and I know there is greatness in your future. The world needs you, Will. We all need you."

Sami wiped a tear from her face hoping Will heard Caroline's message. She walked over and took Caroline's free hand and squeezed it. "Can you say one of your prayers? They've always brought me comfort during difficult times, and I think Will could really use one right now."

Caroline nodded her head, but they were interrupted when Sonny arrived with his parents. "I hope we're not intruding, but we wanted to come by and see Will early enough so we didn't get in the way," he shared.

Sami let go of Caroline's hand and shared, "We were about to say a prayer over Will."

Adrienne held onto Justin at the sight of Will. Keeping her distance, she suggested, "We could come back later."

"No, please don't go," Caroline requested.

Taking her grandmother's hand again, Sami added, "Will needs to be surrounded by his family and friends. You could pray with us."

"Of course," Justin replied for his family. Adrienne moved over to Sami and grabbed her hand tightly as she couldn't imagine what Sami must be going through. Justin took Adrienne's hand, while Sonny took his father's.

Sami turned to Caroline, so she could start.

After everyone bowed their heads, Caroline took Will's right hand and held it close to her lips. She knew which prayer to recite for Will's situation. "Dear Lord, when all is darkness, and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of your presence, your love, and your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us – for living closer to you, we shall see your hand, your purpose, your will through all things. Amen."

After everyone else said "amen" and let go of each other's hands, Adrienne gave Sami a side hug. "Will is strong and he will come back. He will let us know who did this to him, and those evil pricks will pay for what they've done. Hate should not be tolerated."

"No, it shouldn't," Caroline let out. Turning her attention to Justin, Adrienne, and Sonny, she decided to take this opportunity to apologize to them. "I remember now the things I said to all of you, and I am deeply sorry for showing hate towards you, Sonny. You are a good man, and I let hatred blind me of that. I hope you can forgive my ignorance. I have been enlightened now."

Justin remembered the conversations with Caroline over the summer and the difficulty that followed from them. He was glad Caroline had realized she had messed up, and respected her for owning up to her mistakes. "Thank you for saying that, Caroline. It really does mean a lot."

Adrienne let out a smile as she took her husband's hand again. "I am really glad we could all come together like this again. It's too bad that it's in this horrible situation."

Thinking about Will's friends, Sami walked over to Sonny. "Sonny, have you seen T? He's staying with you right? He hasn't been here to see Will once."

Sonny was surprised to hear that. "I assumed he had already come up to see Will. I don't know where T's been."

Kai walked in overhearing the conversation about T. "I think T is afraid to come see Will," he shared before adding, "I came to see Will, but I can see now is not a good time." Kai wasn't sure if he and Sonny could handle being in the same room together.

Sonny knew he needed to look past his own feelings about Kai being there. "You're Will's friend, and Will needs everyone."

Sami walked over to Kai and moved him closer to Will. She wondered why T would be afraid to visit Will and questioned if she should visit with him about it. "Thanks for coming to see Will. It means a lot. I know school starts again today."

Kai nodded his head as he looked Will over. "I figured I shouldn't stay away," he admitted unsure of what to say in a situation like this. Kai couldn't believe Will had been attacked for being gay. He began to doubt his own decision to be out in Salem. Things didn't seem so safe anymore. Placing his hand on Will's arm, Kai commented, "Will should be at school right now – not here."

Sami sighed deeply wishing everything was normal again. She wished this was only a nightmare. Noting the fear in Kai's eyes, she placed her hand on Kai's shoulder. "Everything will get better, Kai. It has to or this world is doomed. We will fight to make sure progress is made."

Sonny looked to his parents realizing how lost Kai must feel in this moment. Will's attack truly effected everyone.

In Isobel's hospital room, Arianna sat next to her mother as she tried to have a light conversation with her. She hoped to help her mother conserve her energy, but Isobel wasn't having it. She had one thing on her mind. "What is the latest on Manny?"

Arianna gave Isobel a skeptical look before answering, "According to EJ, he should be out this week." She continued to give her mother a suspicious look as she inquired, "You have been asking a lot for Manny like you need to see him. Is it because you know your time is near?"

Isobel could see the fear in Arianna's eyes and reflected on the real reason she needed to see Manny. She needed to protect her son from Maddalena, Andres' mom, but she didn't want Ari to know about that. Instead, she went with her daughter's excuse. "Yes. I don't think I have much time."

Arianna hated hearing her mother's confirmation even though she figured it was coming. "I still don't understand how you were doing well before, when now it appears you're giving up."

Isobel didn't want Ari to think about that. "Arianna, I am being released today to go back to the guesthouse. Let's not talk about this anymore until it is really time."

Arianna agreed but believed her mother was trying to keep something from her. As she wondered what it could be, she received a text from Roman concerning her undercover mission. She felt bad that she hadn't had the time to do anything and replied that she would get on it when her mother was released.

Isobel pulled herself up and asked, "Did you received a message from the secret man you may or may not be involved with?"

Arianna shook her head as she thought about Marco. "No, mama, but it is a secret I cannot tell you." Noting the curiosity on her mother's face, she quickly decided, "I will go see if your release is happening today or tomorrow. I will return shortly."

Isobel leaned back in her hospital bed after Arianna left. She took a few deep breaths feeling her body work against her. She wondered what secret Arianna was keeping from her.

* * *

><p>Chad decided to go to the Salem gym to let out some steam. He got the idea after talking to Abigail the day before about finding a place to clear his thoughts. It was somewhat difficult at first though because he thought about how Will would usually be with him at the gym. Fortunately for him, he brought his iPod to listen to music. The music helped him clear his thoughts of the negative and think about the times he watched Will sing or mouth the words to this specific playlist that Will created for him when they worked out. Chad even caught himself smiling at times because he could picture Will working out with him. After running on the treadmill to cool down, he got off and spotted Dario getting off an elliptical machine. Removing the ear buds from his ears, he called out to him, "Hey Dario."<p>

Dario was surprised to see Chad at the gym. "Hey Chad, what are you doing here?"

After putting his iPod and earphones in his pocket, Chad stretched his arms as he answered, "I needed to find a place to get away from my thoughts."

Dario began to stretch as well. "Yeah, I had to do the same thing. I'm done though, so I am headed to the locker room now."

"Me too."

Dario noted that Chad was getting a lot of stares on their way to and inside the locker room. He wondered if Chad had noted it, too. "Have you noticed how everyone keeps staring at you like you're some sort of celebrity? They're all whispering to each other."

Chad had learned to stop noticing since he arrived because he didn't want to feel paranoid. "It's probably because of the press conference last night," he faulted. Trying to downplay everything, he added, "It shouldn't be a big deal, but I guess it is."

Dario shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't believe you came out in that way. Do you have any regrets?"

Chad didn't give it much thought as he answered, "Nope. No regrets. I can handle it because Will is worth it. Like I said, it's nothing I can't handle."

Dario reflected on his kiss with Sonny the night before and wondered if he would ever have the courage to pull what Chad did. He was nowhere near that and didn't understand how Chad could downplay this like it wasn't a big deal. "I think you're crazy for coming out like that. Will is in the hospital. What were you thinking?"

Chad didn't want to entertain any negative thinking, so he grabbed a towel and shared, "I'm going to head for the showers, so I can just go straight to the hospital after. What are you doing?"

"I'm going to shower at home," Dario replied wondering if he pushed any uncomfortable buttons with Chad. "I guess I'll see you later. I really hope Will wakes up."

Chad lowered his head in a nodding manner. "Me, too."

After Dario walked off with his stuff, Chad removed his clothes, placed them in the locker before locking it, and wrapped the towel around his waist. Heading into the shower, he found Josh and T already showering discussing school. Chad couldn't help but look Josh over as he remembered the last time he had seen Josh almost naked at the Kiriakis cabin in Colorado. Oddly enough, he didn't feel the same attraction towards Josh as before. Chad wondered what that could mean, but when he looked over to T, he realized his uncomfortableness in seeing Josh in that way before had to do with Will. His insecurities of losing Will to someone else had heightened because of the jealousy he felt towards Will's closeness to T at the time.

Josh and T noticed Chad standing there and decided to say something. "Hey, what classes do you have today?"

Chad took off his towel and placed it on a hook before getting under a shower head. "I've been excused from classes because of what happened to Will. I'll probably have to do some independent study in some of my classes depending on how much I miss." Turning to T, Chad realized something else. "I haven't seen you around the hospital. Did I miss you up there or something?"

T thought about why he hadn't come up to the hospital. "Has there been any sign of Will waking up?" he asked to sidestep Chad's question.

Chad gave T a dissatisfied look as he answered, "No." He was going to say more, but a few guys walked into the shower. When they spotted Chad, they gave him a disgusted look and left. Realizing they left because he had come out and didn't feel comfortable showering with him, he tried his best to put up a front and pretend it didn't bother him, when deep down it really did.

Seeing the whole thing, Josh felt bad for Chad. Placing shampoo in his hands, he remembered how awkward he was when he first found out Sonny was gay on the Dimera yacht. "I'm sorry people look at you differently now that they know you're gay."

Chad forced a smile and tried to keep his concentration on what was most important. Lathering the soap in his hands, Chad offered, "It will all work out. Will's going to come back to me, and it will be worth it."

T rinsed off his body but turned his face towards Chad to give him a questioning look. "I hope Will wakes up, but do you really believe he will?"

"I'm going to make it happen," Chad replied firmly while soaping his body. "I plan on focusing on Will for the rest of the day to make sure of it."

After he was done rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, Josh blew the water out of his face. "Have you talked to Abigail at all?" he asked thinking about how she never contacted him when she claimed she would at the town square after JJ called her bitch.

"She has visited Will a couple times, but she has some family stuff she needs to deal with," Chad answered thinking about what he knew of Josh and Abigail's relationship. "I'm guessing you two haven't talked. Maybe you should find her and sit her down."

Josh rinsed his body one more time before turning off the showerhead. He noted how confident Chad seemed when he talked about Will and when he gave advice on relationships. "I have a few things I need to worry about and clear up before I can do that," he ominously replied.

As T questioned what Josh meant, Chad gave Josh a warning. "I wouldn't waste any time, Josh. I wasted too much time with Will and I finally did something right when I came out last night. One thing I've realized is life stops for no one."

* * *

><p>Ignazio, with Ric in tow, found his grandmother sitting by the fireplace with Azzura. She had called for him, and he wondered if she would finally give him the respect he deserved. "Nonna, you wanted to see me?"<p>

Maddalena stood up for her grandson deciding not to greet him with a kiss. "I want to talk to you about Chad. I want to know why he's still in Salem."

Ignazio sensed Maddalena's frustration. He wasn't happy that she seemed disappointed in him. "There have been some complications..." he started, but didn't get to finish because Maddalena had more to complain about.

"Nipote, I would say this is more than complications. I do not know what is in your head anymore!" Maddalena reeled in her frustration as she did not enjoy yelling at Ignazio. "You have told me time after time you wanted to surprise me with your plan on getting rid of Chad, but the joy I felt from receiving this surprise has died. Why is Chad not gone, and why are you proud at a moment like this?"

Ignazio quickly became frustrated because he thought things would have played out differently for him. Chad was supposed to leave town after Will's attack from the fear of it all. Mia was just a tool to help Chad break Will's heart, and at that point Will was the tool to get Chad out of Salem. Things didn't work out as planned though. Ignazio wished Dario never came onto Ric and the other men when he did. Ignazio really needed Will to disappear that night. "Things were meant to happen differently. There were some complications to my plan involving Will and Chad."

Azzura stepped in frustrated with Ignazio as well. She couldn't believe he was not taking the responsibility for his failure. "Do you need my help to simplify things for you?"

Ric decided to stand up for his friend. "Ignazio and I have it under control."

Unimpressed with Ric, Maddalena quickly shut him down. "That is enough Ricardo."

Ignazio gave Ric a look to make him back down, too. He appreciated Ric's zeal, but he didn't want to make Maddalena more upset. Turning back to his grandmother, he knew what he needed to do. "I promise I will take care of it and continue to prove to you that I am capable. Chad will be gone by the end of the month even if I have to get my hands dirtier."

Maddalena grew nervous and wondered what Ignazio meant by his claim. Giving him a look of concern, she cautioned, "Nipote, I want you to use your brain for this mission. I do not want you to do anything illegal. We need to keep your hands clean. Use the men or Ricardo if needed."

Ignazio held his tongue because the restraints bothered him. He forced a smile to Maddalena before maneuvering Ric to follow him out so they could find Chad. He needed to talk to him as soon as possible.

After Ric and Ignazio were gone, Azzura turned to Maddalena, who took her seat again. "Do you think he will be able to pull it off?"

"I am not certain," Maddalena said looking at the fire. Something Ignazio said earlier kept playing her head. "I believe Ricardo is a loose cannon. We need to keep our eye on him."

As Azzura nodded her head, Colin arrived with a file in his hand. "I have important information to discuss with you involving Abe Carver," he shared. "I also have news on Will's test results from the day before."

Maddalena took the file from Colin, so she could look it over. "What have you discovered?"

Colin cleared his throat first because he had bad news all around. "I don't think Abe will survive the outdated slower solution. I've begun to make the necessary changes to the slower solution, but I am afraid if we keep going, Abe will surely die. With the tests done on Will, I found small traces of the fast solution."

"What does that mean?" Maddalena asked nervously.

Colin knew Maddalena wouldn't like his answer. "It means that someone stole the fast solution and tried to use it on Will the night he was attacked."

An epiphany hit Azzura as she realized who could have stolen the solution. "It was Ignazio. He and Ric have been gloating about what happened this weekend. They got their hands dirty. They stole the solution. They set up the attack on Will and tried to use it on him, but something must have gone wrong."

Maddalena had a realization of her own as she remembered how chummy Ignazio was the day after Will's attack. "He must know of our plans. He knew we needed a subject to test the fast solution on. He knew you needed Lucas to come back to town. He knows everything." With fear in her eyes, she looked at Colin and Azzura. "I must fix this. I have to fix this before more damage is done."

"How are we going to fix this?" Azzura asked trying to figure out what must have gone wrong in Ignazio's plan.

Maddalena turned to Colin and asked, "Should we worry about what might happen when Will wakes up?"

Colin was glad he finally had something good to report to Maddalena. "We won't have to worry about that because the solution has an amnesiac effect to it, so Will should not remember anything if he was given the full dose."

Relieved, Maddalena turned to Azzura. "We will figure this out. We will make sure my reasons for coming to Salem are not revealed before I am ready for them to be revealed."

* * *

><p>Gabi and Abigail walked around campus discussing the new semester. Gabi welcomed the distraction of school and reflected on the many differences this semester would bring. "One good difference about this semester is that you'll actually be around. I spent most of last semester with T, and I didn't really hang out with anyone else."<p>

Abigail had noticed that Gabi seemed distant from the others since her return from New Zealand but never questioned her about it. "You didn't hang out with Will or Chad?"

Gabi thought about Will and how they weren't close like they used to be. "There's a lot I regret about last semester." She couldn't believe how out of the loop she was on things.

"Like what?"

Gabi realized she had returned to her negative thoughts. "I don't really want to talk about it because I want to focus on the positive things in my life – the little there is."

Ezra walked up to Gabi and Abigail after spotting them. "Hello ladies. What class are you two heading to?"

"I am headed to Senior Seminar with Dr. Muldoon," Abigail answered as she turned to Gabi. Realizing the fact Gabi had no idea who Ezra was, she quickly introduced them. "Ezra, this is my friend Gabi. Gabi this is Ezra."

Gabi shook Ezra's hand and forced a smile. She looked at the time and excused herself, "I actually need to go the opposite direction, so I will talk to you later Abigail." Waving, Gabi walked off.

Ezra held his books to his side as he shared, "I've got Senior Seminar as well with Muldoon. You want to walk together?"

Abigail didn't see any harm with walking with Ezra to class, so she agreed. "Sure."

Heading to their class, Abigail and Ezra remained silent for the most part. Ezra glanced at her a few times before finally saying something. "I am excited that you're back on campus. Classes weren't as fun without you."

"Oh really?" Abigail asked playfully. "Dr. Clark or Mr. Scott didn't make things exciting in Organizational Writing and Brit. Lit?"

Ezra smiled as he explained, "No, they were exciting. It just wasn't as fun with you gone."

Abigail quickly felt uncomfortable because she wondered if Ezra was flirting with her. She only met Ezra the year before when she moved back to Salem, so it was weird. A quiet "oh" was all she could let out.

Ezra felt the awkwardness and hoped he didn't overstep. "Are we going to have to start over again with this whole friendship?"

Noting Ezra choice of words, Abigail felt better about talking to Ezra. She swiftly recovered as she answered, "No, I don't think so. It will be nice to have a study partner again. You really helped me get comfortable here last spring semester."

Josh walked up and noticed the closeness between Ezra and Abigail. He wondered what the two were doing together while reflecting on what Chad encouraged him to do at the gym earlier. Not wanting to show his curiosity, he played it off by only saying, "Hi Abby."

Abigail was surprised to see Josh there even though she knew he still went there. "Hey Josh," she let out recognizing that she still needed to talk to him about their relationship. She felt bad for not doing it yet. "We're headed to class. What are you doing for lunch? Maybe we can grab a bite and talk."

Josh didn't know what to do about Abigail still even though she had seemed to give him some hope the last time they sat down and talked. "I actually can't do lunch today. I should get to class. I just wanted to say hi."

Abigail pretended to be unaffected by Josh's response by nodding her head. "Okay. Well, I will text you later."

"Sure," Josh said before walking away.

Ezra and Abigail continued to walk to class and finally made it to the English building. "Things seemed a bit tense between you and Josh. Is that the same Josh you joined on the study abroad program to New Zealand?"

"Yes," Abigail confirmed before explaining the tension between them. "Josh and I are just dealing with some change."

Ezra wondered what change Abigail was referring to. "Well, I am a good listener if you ever want to talk."

Arriving outside of their classroom, Abigail made sure to thank Ezra for the offer. Walking into the classroom to find a seat before class started, Abigail began to freak out when she saw that her dad was there unannounced. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

With a wide smile upon his face, Jack explained, "I wanted to surprise you on your first day back." Turning to Ezra, he looked him over. He believed Ezra was actually Josh and decided to joke with him. "Are you going to try to propose to my daughter again? Because if you are, you should ask for her father's approval first. I know I wasn't around before, but I am now."

Mortified, Abigail gave her father a stern look. "Dad, please go. I... I need to find a seat before class. I promise I will call you later if you just leave."

Jack continued to smile as he agreed to leave. "I look forward to it," he said. Walking past Ezra, he patted him on the back. "It's good to meet you, Josh."

After Jack was gone, Abigail quickly turned to Ezra and began to apologize profusely. "I am so sorry that just happened. I am extremely embarrassed that my dad said that to you."

Ezra gave Abigail a relaxed look noting how red her face had turned. "No worries, Deveraux," he said hoping to calm her. He decided not to ask about Josh's proposal because he knew it would only make her feel worse. "We should find a seat." Abigail nodded, and Ezra followed her to the front of the class. After sitting next to each other, he looked over and could see Abigail was still trying to get over Jack's surprise. Jack wasn't exactly what he expected. To help her, Ezra shared, "Your dad seemed like an interesting guy." Abigail gave Ezra a small smile.

Walking out of her classroom to get a drink from the vending machine before class started, Gabi ran into T in the hall. Both froze for a minute as they stared at each other. T tried to play it off by keeping his distance from her. "Looks like someone forgot that we picked the same first class every day together last semester when we were dating. I guess I'm the idiot who went for it. Just pretend like I'm not here."

Before Gabi could get in a word, T headed into the classroom. As she put money in and selected her drink in the vending machine, she thought about how she needed to push T away. She wasn't in a good place emotionally to commit herself to T and be what he needed. Grabbing her drink from the vending machine, she was filled with regret because in the end, it only hurt her.

Heading back into the classroom, Gabi noticed T talking with the professor. Their conversation didn't seem to be a good one because T had a sour look on his face. "Fuck this!" T finally let out before storming off. Gabi took her seat in class as she wondered what just happened. Why was T so upset?

* * *

><p>Chad got out of the elevator and headed for Will's hospital room. Sami and Lucas walked out of the room to grab a snack causing Chad to carefully walk up to them. "EJ is bringing the kids," Sami informed Lucas before they bumped into Chad. "You!" Sami let out clearly enraged.<p>

Lucas was not impressed either. Since he didn't get to chew Chad out the night before, he decided to unleash his disappointment now. "I cannot believe the stunt you pulled yesterday. If I had known what you had planned last night, I would have called security to escort you out when I first arrived."

Chad didn't expect a warm welcome from Lucas and Sami but didn't think they would be too upset with him because he was showing his commitment to Will. "Everyone needed to know the truth."

"The truth, Chad?" Sami let out rhetorically. "The funny thing about talking truth to the media is that they have a hard time sticking to what the truth actually is. The media has gone crazy with theories on why Will was out on the pier. I warned you not to do anything desperate, but no – once again you have proven to all of us that you only think about yourself."

Chad had managed to avoid the media thanks to Marco and a double who drove around town to keep the media away from him. He also avoided all radio and TV, so he wouldn't have to hear what people were saying about him. "I did this for Will. I haven't heard any theories or rumors. What are you talking about?" he asked with some concern.

Sami didn't give Lucas a chance to lay into Chad just yet because she was not finished with him. "You don't know? They are out there making guesses as to why Will was even on the pier that night. We know the truth, but of course they don't because you didn't even tell them everything that happened! You made a rash decision and didn't even have the nerve to confess what was most important: How this is all your fault! I cannot even restate what they were saying because it's just so awful!"

Chad had a panicked look on his face as he inquired, "What are they saying exactly?" His mind was starting to be overrun with doubt.

Lucas stepped in finally knowing that he and Sami didn't really want to give more voice to what the media had said about Will. "Turn on a damn TV and stop living in la-la land! I thought we had an understanding on you staying away from Will when we talked yesterday. Chad, you are not gay!"

Annoyed with what Lucas was trying to do, Chad shot back regaining his confidence, "Maybe you need to turn on the TV because I told everyone that I am gay! I didn't lie!"

Sami caught on that Lucas tried to convince Chad he wasn't gay. Turning her frustration towards him, she asked, "What did you do? I told you not to push Chad!" Having enough, Sami walked off to be alone and away from all the idiocy.

Lucas let out a sigh of frustration. Before heading out to follow Sami to explain himself, he informed Chad, "I fixed it so that you can't go in Will's room, so don't even try to go in there. Hospital security has been alerted!"

Chad quickly became aggravated as Lucas left. He knew he needed to do something, so he could see Will. He decided to head for his sister's office to see if Lexie could help him get in Will's room, but when he walked past the nurses' station, he was confronted by D.A. Woods.

D.A. Woods gave Chad a look of disapproval. "What the hell were you thinking last night?" he confronted his one-time son. "Your hijinks last night showed your inability to think rationally and clearly. You are a complete buffoon for coming out the way you did last night, and I am embarrassed to know I had any part in raising you."

Chad stepped back hurt that the guy who raised him was even more ashamed of him. "I... I did what I had to do," he let out clearly distraught. He had undoubtedly been thrown off by the D.A.

D.A. Woods continued to give Chad a hard time. "You want to know what your problem is, Chad? You never think. Even as a kid you always reacted to things based on your feelings. I told your mother if we didn't nip that in the bud, you would turn out to be a huge failure in life. She didn't listen and always gave in and now we're here."

Hearing Woods claim that he never thought things through caused Chad to recognize what's been missing in his decision process until his sacrificial exclusive with Jack the night before. He remembered his nightmare after Will's attack and the things that André was trying to tell him about his decision and reaction processes. He also remembered what EJ said to him when his brother woke him up from the dream. EJ claimed Chad had lost his confidence after getting comfortable as a Dimera. It was all starting to make sense.

Chad realized he began to do the opposite of what he did as a kid when he found out he was Dimera. Even though he always wanted a bigger family, he kept Stefano at a distance from any feelings at first because he wanted to prove he could be cautious and think things through. He had learned to do that from his adoptive father, and with his mother dead, he wanted to prove to Woods he was capable of not giving in irrationally.

Then Will happened. Chad's brain went into hyper drive when he started dating Will by thinking about everything around him and worrying what others would think about him dating another guy. That was his draw to Mia. Maybe he didn't ever have feelings for Mia. Maybe his mind didn't want to let Mia go because his mind could not handle the fear of being gay. His mind fed into the fear and kept his heart at bay leading him to make stupid decisions in how he approached his relationship to Will. Chad couldn't believe all the thoughts and feelings that were rushing in. It was happening so fast.

"Don't tell me you're going to start using that brain of yours," D.A. Woods commented rudely to him. "It's too late, Chad. The damage has been done, and you are now screwed for life."

With his realization, Chad no longer felt completely hurt from what Woods said to him. Standing up to one-time dad, he exclaimed, "I don't regret my decision because I'd rather think about other's feelings than be cold and calculated like you. You never really loved me, and I don't think you ever loved Mom. You are incapable of it!" Thinking about how Lucas and Sami accused him of not thinking about Will, he continued, "Don't tell me that I screwed my life or Will's life because I thought about what Will needed, and I know my sacrifice last night was what he needed."

The D.A. began to laugh at Chad and shook his head as he couldn't believe Chad saw his interview as a sacrifice. Unimpressed, Woods warned Chad, "Your feelings will get you into trouble like they always did in the past. I'm so glad you're not my biological son."

Lexie, who had witnessed the exchange, could not take it anymore. She could not believe the nerve the man had for putting Chad down like this. Rushing over, she stepped up to the D.A. and exclaimed, "That is enough. This is a place of healing and reconciliation. If you do not have either of those in mind, I suggest you walk away!" After D.A. Woods stormed off, Lexie rushed to her brother's side and pulled him close. "Chad," she let out in a loving manner. "Are you okay?"

Chad held onto his sister as he admitted, "I can't believe that just happened. I'm hurt," he started, but then he remembered the knowledge he gained. "…but I am understanding myself better. I haven't been myself in a long time, and I think and feel like that's all going to change. So much needs to change. I can't let the negative people influence me anymore."

Lexie separated herself somewhat from Chad, so she could make eye contact. "I want you to know that I am proud of you and the changes you've made in your life so far. I know things will only get better for you when you have everything figured out."

Chad tried to give his sister a complete smile as he shared, "For the first time, I feel like things are clearer. Even so, it's hard and scary because the idea of not over thinking things will be a struggle. I've trained my brain to be that way ever since…" Chad looked down in shame.

Trying to encourage her brother, Lexie placed her hands on Chad's cheeks to raise his head and said, "I know you can handle it."

Finally separating from his sister completely, he informed her, "I was on my way to your office before I was cut off by the jerk. Lucas fixed it so that I can't go into Will's room."

Lexie was not happy to hear that because she knew Chad loved Will very much. "I can't promise you anything, but I may be able to sneak you in after visiting hours. I do have other good news though."

"What's that?"

"Will is fully healed and his heartbeat has begun to start reading normally," she answered. "He is in a deep sleep, but I believe he needs some kind of trigger to wake him up."

Chad quickly got an idea on what that trigger could be and showed excitement on his face. Giving his sister a kiss on the cheek, he exclaimed to Lexie, "I think I know exactly what Will needs. I'll be back later tonight. I'll meet you in your office." Chad turned around and headed for the elevator to hurry home. Lexie smiled warmly for her brother, but deep down her heart was still broken. She wished she was lucky enough to have Abe in the hospital.

* * *

><p>Jennifer sat down with Maggie at her house to have some tea and girl talk. "Thanks for letting me come over, Aunt Maggie. I just needed a break from everything because there's so much going on at the hospital."<p>

"Oh?"

Jennifer nodded her head as she explained further, "Lexie has returned in a smaller capacity, which is great, but all the media surrounding Abe's and now Will's attack has made things difficult."

Hearing the word 'media' caused Maggie to give Jennifer a look as she thought aloud, "Jennifer Rose, are there other things you need to get away from besides the hospital?"

Jennifer took a sip of her tea as she responded, "I don't know what you are referring to."

"Let me spell it out for you, Jennifer," Maggie offered. She couldn't help thinking about the Jack situation, and she wanted to give Jennifer the chance to realize it with a little help. "I think you are overwhelmed by life in general. How are things going with Daniel?"

Jennifer looked down as she thought about Daniel. "Things are good, but we have been busy, and it cuts into our availability to spend time together."

Maggie nodded her head to let Jennifer know she understood her situation. "What about the kids? How are they?"

"Well, today is the first day of school. JJ seems to be settling in fine, and this is Abigail's last semester of undergrad. She's ready to be done with that I think." Jennifer thought about Abigail and Jack's relationship knowing that could be a whole lot better. "When it comes to Jack, JJ is ecstatic that his dad is back, but Abigail is having a hard time. I am having a difficult time with how to deal with the two, but I do have some hope that they will come around with time. Abigail actually said she was ready to work things out. I just need her to see that Jack is here to stay."

Maggie was glad they had finally arrived to talking about Jack. She didn't want to admit it or even show it to Jen, but she was skeptical that Jack would stick around this time. Instead, she put the question on Jennifer's lap. "Do you believe Jack will stay?"

Continuing to look down, Jennifer thought about her conversation with Jack and Abigail in her office. "Abigail told me that Jack said something to her about being held captive. She doesn't know what to believe is the truth anymore."

"Jennifer..." Maggie interrupted Jen from saying anything else. "You're directing the conversation back to Abigail and avoiding my question. What is going on?"

Jen looked up for the first time as she inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "I'm afraid, Aunt Maggie. I'm afraid to get too close to Jack because I'm afraid we will get too close again. I am starting to feel really guilty with how things went down with Jack and me. I got the divorce to go through without his presence. I am now engaged to Daniel – and I love Daniel – don't get me wrong. It's just that I feel like I gave up on Jack too easily."

Maggie grew concerned for her niece. "Jennifer, whatever happened to Jack is not your fault. You tried to reach him, and he was gone. Don't feel guilty for something that was out of your hands."

"That's the problem, Aunt Maggie. I don't know if it was out of my hands. I am not even sure if it was in Jack's hands that he was gone," Jennifer shared looking down from the guilt that surrounded her inner being. "I don't know what to believe."

Maggie sensed Jennifer's feeling stuck in this situation. "Jennifer, I do have a question for you. You said you are feeling guilty, but you also stated you're afraid of getting too close to Jack. Are your fears driven by guilt or love?"

Jennifer turned away from Maggie as she thought for a moment. Wringing her hands, she finally responded, "I'm not sure, Maggie. I don't know because Jack and I have always had this special connection. I've tried to do everything to break this cycle. I'm doing my part, but at the same time I think my connection with Jack is something that can't be easily erased. Jack and I have been through so much." Jennifer began to shake her head at herself in disappointment. "Then there are times I question my part in this. When I didn't hear back from Jack, I believed that was his way of telling me I should just move on. What if I just told myself that to make my life easier? What if I am lying to myself?"

Maggie placed her hand on Jen's hand to get her attention. "You should find out the truth and figure out whether you are feeling love or guilt towards Jack. Answers can't come from avoiding the situation or Jack."

Jennifer removed her hand from Maggie's and placed both of her hands on her face. Clearly overcome, she confessed, "I'm not even sure if I have time to deal with this."

Maggie shook her head and could tell Jen was still overwhelmed by all of this. She argued, "Jen, you're going to have to make time. If you don't, this will get in the way of you living your life until you do." Placing her hand on Jennifer's back she encouraged, "Make sure you also take time to breathe. Everything will work out how it's supposed to in the end."

Jennifer pulled Maggie into a hug and thanked her. Maggie continued to hold Jen and comfort her until her phone started ringing. Maggie didn't want to let go of her niece, but Jen pulled away. "I am going to be okay, Maggie – thanks to your help. Go ahead and answer the phone. It could be about Will."

Maggie gave Jen a warm smile before pulling herself off to grab her phone. "Hello?"

"It's Hope, Aunt Maggie," Hope said on the other side.

Maggie pulled the phone closer to her mouth and said, "Hope, what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if I could talk to Mia McCormick," Hope started. "I heard she is staying with you."

Maggie remembered seeing Mia off at the airport. "I'm sorry, Hope, but Mia is gone. She flew back to New York earlier this morning."

As Maggie and Hope continued to talk over the phone, Jennifer looked over to a picture of Maggie and Mickey. She questioned if she would ever find true happiness. She knew she needed to talk to Jack about everything, but she feared she was not ready to do that without being pulled back in completely. She needed to be cautious.

* * *

><p>Chad ran into his apartment surprising Sonny, who sat on the couch reading a book. "Sonny. Do you have a sec?"<p>

Sonny put his book down and stood up. He still couldn't believe how Chad told the world he was gay so publicly. "Chad, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be at the hospital."

Chad placed his keys in his pocket. "I have an idea on how to get Will to wake up, but I need to make sure I find the right song."

"The right song?" Sonny asked confused.

Chad thought of the importance music played in Will's life as he hurriedly explained to Sonny what he meant and needed, "There's this song that Will plays a lot, but I am not sure about the song title or who sings it. The song really reflects everything I want to say to Will, and I just have to play it for him. I'm pretty sure it's on Will's laptop, but the problem is I don't know his password. I should know it, but I could really use your help. Do you think you could hack into his laptop? It would be the faster option."

"Yeah," Sonny said wondering if Chad's plan would work. He was willing to do whatever to help Will wake up.

Chad rushed into his bedroom and grabbed Will's laptop. Bringing it out to Sonny, he handed it over to Sonny after opening it. Placing his hands in his pockets, he shared, "I hope you can hack it. We have until tonight to have everything ready."

Sonny turned on Will's laptop and began to push buttons when the lock screen appeared. "I'm sure everything will work out. I think your idea could really work. It's good you know Will so well."

Chad smiled appreciatively for saying that to him. He took a seat and watched as Sonny tried to hack into Will's laptop. "Is there anything I can do to help? I don't like just sitting here and doing nothing." Sonny simply patted Chad on the leg to help him take it easy. Chad was about to say something else, but there was a sudden knock on the door. Chad stood up and opened the door to see Ignazio standing there. In an exasperated tone, he said, "Ignazio, come in. I'm sorry I haven't been around much."

Ignazio walked in and claimed, "I am the one who is sorry for not coming to see you sooner. I thought I would see you after your conversation with that bad girl, but we missed each other I guess." Noting Sonny's presence, he continued, "I was hoping I could have a moment with you alone, Chad."

"Go ahead, Chad. I've got things covered here, and I'll let you know when I've hacked in," Sonny offered.

Chad thanked Sonny and led Ignazio to his bedroom. After closing the door, he turned around to face his second-cousin. "I hope you're not beating yourself up for not being around. I know you wanted to talk to me yesterday, but I had to deal with Mia. That's all over now – trust me."

Ignazio gave Chad a quick hug sharing, "I am here because I have concern for you. I want to protect and help you, Chad. You should do whatever it takes to protect Will."

"I am trying to do that," Chad informed Ignazio appreciating his want to help. "There's this song I want to play for Will, and I hope it will help him see we need to leave Salem. We need to run and get away from here."

Ignazio pretended to think about it by remaining silent for a moment. "Well, maybe you could leave town immediately after Will wakes up. As you mentioned, the danger seems to be here in Salem."

Chad smiled at Ignazio as he pointed out, "You sure are optimistic that Will is going to wake up."

"We must all have faith," Ignazio claimed.

Chad thought about Ignazio's idea to get Will out-of-town as soon as he woke up. "It might be a good idea to get away from all the drama and danger here. It seems like there is a lot standing in the way of Will and me. Not only is there danger, but Will's parents want me out of his life. I don't think they're going to let up if we remain in Salem."

Ignazio couldn't have Lucas and Sami stand in the way of what he needed to accomplish. He knew now that Chad would not leave Salem without Will. "You cannot let Samantha or Lucas get in the way of your love for Will. You need to do whatever it takes to show Will he is important to you. You can't give up, and you must convince Will this is the best idea for the both of you."

Chad quickly denied any idea of surrender, "There's no way I am going to give up. I'm the one who can keep Will safe. I can prove that to Will and everyone else. I want to protect Will, and if we got away from Salem, we could focus on us again. That is all that matters." Chad tried to be optimistic about that plan, but remembered something that needed to happen first. "Of course that all depends on if Will forgives me or not."

Ignazio put his hand on Chad's shoulder. "Of course he will. Will loves you, Chad," he encouraged. "That is something Will's family can never take from you two. He will follow you wherever you take him because he loves you so much."

Chad pulled Ignazio into a grateful hug. "I don't know what I would do without you, Ignazio. You have really been great through all of this. I know Will would agree with me on this: I am glad we are family."

Ignazio held onto Chad as guilt began to seep in. The trust from Chad and Will was starting to overwhelm him.

In the living room, Sonny continued to work on Will's laptop when there was another knock on the door. Figuring Chad was busy with Ignazio, Sonny stood up and answered it. He stepped back surprised when he saw Dario on the other side.

"Sonny, I need to talk to you," Dario said before Sonny could greet him.

Sonny looked back at Will's laptop. "I am helping Chad with something, but we have plenty of time. Come in."

Dario walked in and wanted to get to the point. "We need to talk about what happened last night."

Sonny grew nervous because he wondered if Dario was upset about their kiss. "Dario, I'm sorry..."

"No," Dario stopped Sonny from apologizing. "I didn't come here to say it was a mistake. I just want you to know that I have some thinking to do before I can really decide on what we are. I need time and space, and I want you to know so you don't think I'm ignoring you."

Sonny nodded his head a little surprised by what Dario had to say. "Thanks for letting me know. I'm still sorry for the kiss yesterday."

Dario chose not to say anything in response to the kiss because he really wanted to think things through. "I will go now. Please be careful out there, Sonny." Dario slightly bowed his head and left.

As Sonny took a moment before getting back to hacking Will's laptop, Ignazio stood in the kitchen surprised to what he had just overheard. He thought back and remembered when Dario told him outside of the pub he was someone who he wasn't brought up to be. He couldn't believe that Dario's deep dark secret was that he may be in love with another man.

Hearing a sound from the kitchen, Sonny turned his head. "Chad? Ignazio? Are you there?"

Ignazio stepped from the kitchen as if he had just come from Chad's bedroom. "Chad needed to make a quick call, but I am on my way out."

Before Sonny could respond, T bolted through the front door. "I am done!" he exclaimed in infuriation. He stopped in place when he saw Ignazio and Sonny staring at him. "Sorry, I am just excited to be done with the first day back," he covered.

Sonny and Ignazio looked him over because they knew he was lying, but neither said anything because they had other things to do. Ignazio walked out, while Sonny returned to hacking Will's laptop. T took the opportunity to grab a few of this things and leave again.

* * *

><p>At the police station, Bo and Roman sat at Bo's desk as they discussed their mother's condition. "Ma is at the pub with Chelsea now. She's doing fine and is relaxing after visiting Will."<p>

Roman nodded his head. "I talked to Sami for a bit on the phone about it. It seems Ma apologized to everyone about what happened over the summer. I had no idea what she did affected so many people."

Bo thought about the tension prior to Caroline getting her memory back. "Have you talked to Marlena or John?"

"I have," Roman began. "They still aren't allowed to travel now due to a doctor's note that claims they have some sort of virus."

Bo shook his head pointing out, "First it was passport problems, and now it's a doctor claiming they're too sick to travel. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Roman nodded his head. "Definitely. Someone is purposely keeping John and Marlena away from Salem and Will."

Bo pondered John and Marlena's situation more and questioned, "What if there are other reasons for keeping John and Marlena away?"

Hope walked over with a report in her hand ending all discussion about John and Marlena. "Logistics came in on the weapon that may have been used on Will. It took longer to run tests because of how quickly Will's wound healed."

"What did the lab find?" Bo asked his wife hoping it would be something they could use to solve the case.

Handing the report to Roman, so he and Bo could look it over, she summarized their findings. "It looks like Will was stabbed by the 13" Stiletto Knife."

Roman looked the report over hurriedly and looked up to Hope. "That's the same type used to slash Abe's tires."

Bo tried to read the report as thoroughly as possible while stating, "We have a connection to Abe's attack. Maybe the homophobic graffiti was just a front to make it seem like it wasn't connected."

Roman took the report and led Bo and Hope to his office, so they could continue their conversation behind closed doors. "We now have a new lead. We have to make sure this doesn't get out to the media. We also need to make sure we keep who knows about this report limited. Someone on the force is leaking this information."

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Daniel caught up with Lexie outside of her office. She was headed in to meet with Chad, but Daniel wanted to check in with her. "So do you think you're ready to come back for good?"<p>

Lexie knew she wasn't prepared or available to take her post back from Daniel. "Truthfully, I am not ready to return full-time, so you can continue as chief of staff for now. I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear."

Daniel did not want Lexie to feel bad for not feeling ready. "Everything is fine. I want you to know though you can take it back anytime you want. It's yours."

Trying to cut their conversation short, Lexie thanked Daniel. "Have a good night."

"Good night," Daniel walked off and headed for his office.

Lexie walked into her office and found Chad sitting there waiting for her. She saw that he had a laptop in his hands. "What do you have planned for Will?"

Chad stood up and placed the laptop to his side. "Will is really into music and is actually going to school for it. Last summer when he reached out to me, he used music to get through to me. I think with the right song, I could get through to Will. Will could wake up."

Lexie wasn't sure if Chad's plan would work, but she figured nothing else she tried worked. "Okay. I just came from Will's room, and it's now empty. Sami, Lucas, Kate, and EJ took the kids home to put them to bed."

"Thanks for helping me, Lexie," Chad said with a warm and appreciative smile.

"It's no problem baby brother," Lexie returned leading him to Will's hospital room. On the way, Lexie asked, "Is it the same song Will played for you over the summer – the one Will used to get through to you?"

Chad shook his head. "I thought about it, but I decided to go with a different song. I chose a song that Will likes, but it also has the message I want to share with Will. I want him to know I am his and he can have me – all of me – now."

Finally arriving in the room, Chad plugged in the laptop and got it ready. Lexie stayed out of his way by the door, so he could have this moment with Will without any interruptions. After giving Will a kiss on the forehead, he pushed play on the laptop. Run performed by Leona Lewis began to play.

_I'll sing it one last time for you_  
><em>Then we really have to go<em>  
><em>You've been the only thing that's right<em>  
><em>In all I've done<em>

_And I can barely look at you_  
><em>But every single time I do<em>  
><em>I know we'll make it anywhere<em>  
><em>Away from here<em>

_Light up, light up_  
><em>As if you have a choice<em>  
><em>Even if you cannot hear my voice<em>  
><em>I'll be right beside you, dear<em>

_Louder, louder_  
><em>And we'll run for our lives<em>  
><em>I can hardly speak, I understand<em>  
><em>Why you can't raise your voice to say<em>

_To think I might not see those eyes_  
><em>Makes it so hard not to cry<em>  
><em>And as we say our long goodbyes<em>  
><em>I nearly do<em>

_Light up, light up_  
><em>As if you have a choice<em>  
><em>Even if you cannot hear my voice<em>  
><em>I'll be right beside you, dear<em>

_Louder, louder_  
><em>And we'll run for our lives<em>  
><em>I can hardly speak, I understand<em>  
><em>Why you can't raise your voice to say<em>

_Light up, light up_  
><em>As if you have a choice<em>  
><em>Even if you cannot hear my voice<em>  
><em>I'll be right beside you, dear<em>

_Louder, louder_  
><em>And we'll run for our lives<em>  
><em>I can hardly speak, I understand<em>  
><em>Why you can't raise your voice to say<em>

Chad bowed his head feeling defeated because he did not notice Will respond in anyway. He wondered if Will would never wake up and he would lose any chance of asking Will for forgiveness. His eyes watered believing he had lost the one thing that mattered to him most.

Lexie, on the other hand, became excited. "I saw Will's hand move, and the monitors showed there was some brain activity!"

Chad suddenly felt hopeful as he took Will's hand in his and began to talk to Will. "Will, I need you to come back to me. I told the world. I want to be with you, and no one can stop us from being together. When you wake up, we are getting out of here and going somewhere safe. I am never going to hurt you again, and I am not going to allow anyone or anything else to hurt you again. I love you, Will. I am yours."

Will took hold of Chad's hand and squeezed it tight causing Chad to look at their hands. Lexie could see the monitors were showing even more brain activity. Chad looked Will over and noticed that Will's eyes began to flutter. "Come on Will, show me your blue eyes. Wake up!"

Will finally opened his eyes and held them open. Looking to his side, he spotted Chad and tried to speak. Clearly confused and disoriented, he finally spoke. "Chad?"

While Lexie called for help, Chad continued to hold Will's hand as he exclaimed with a smile, "Everything is going to be okay." Chad's smile grew wider as he focused on keeping Will awake. The sight of Will's bright blue eyes caused Chad to shed a few happy tears. He did it. He got Will to come back.


	59. Chapter 59 Strength

**Chapter 59: Strength – Wednesday, January 18th, 2012**

Chad smiled as the cool breeze maneuvered around his body as he walked on the beach. His heart felt at ease because he truly believed nothing could stand in his way any longer. He had made it through battle and succeeded in obtaining his goal. Looking down to his feet, he noticed the footprints he left in the sand with pride. They were the footprints of a champion and leader.

Chad continued to look down at his feet until he stepped on a patch of grass. The grass was vibrantly green and each step on it brought more comfort than the step before. Turning his head to look back, he realized he was no longer on the beach. Turning forward again, Chad decided to find a place to rest, and when he saw a hill up ahead, he smiled with self-satisfaction believing his destination was the top of the hill because of all of his recent successes. The wind continued to blow around him and had evidently lost its ability to sway him in any direction. Will was awake, and Chad believed his life was finally going to come together. "I just need to keep my eyes open to make sure no one tries to get in my way," he whispered to himself, but then added with a secure laugh, "…like anyone could…"

Even with the precaution he told himself, Chad was clearly arrogant in that he believed his eyes were fully aware of everything around him. He believed nothing could slip by him, and he assumed he knew who to associate with and who to stay away from. "If anyone tries to step in my way, I will run over them and make them sorry they ever tried to get in my way," he vengefully told himself as he began to climb the hill.

Arriving at the top of the hill, Chad's thoughts of victory were interrupted when he surprisingly spotted a woman in white wrestling with a ferocious beast. The beast appeared to be a hybrid grey panther with a black lion's mane. The panther's teeth were horrendously jagged, and Chad's heart jumped at the site of the woman having to deal with such a beast. Running over to help her, Chad arrived in time to see the woman look deeply into the creature's eyes and shut its mouth. "What the…" he let out as she sat next to the beast and began to pet it. She appeared to be some kind of nun once her white clothes settled into place.

The woman moved her habit so it no longer covered her face to look up to Chad. Chad stepped back when his eyes met hers because the woman looked like Sami. Her eyes were mesmerizing. "Sami, what do you think you're doing with that beast? Are you crazy?"

"My name is not Sami," the woman said in an Irish accent. "My name is Colleen Brady, and this lion right here is not just some beast. His name is Santo." Colleen continued to pet the shadowy animal as he laid next to her peacefully.

Chad looked the beast over. He remembered his father mentioning Colleen Brady to him before and recognized the panther's name as his paternal grandfather's name. He studied the beast's grey fur, its black mane, and finally stopped at its keen white eyes. The beast growled at Chad causing Chad to jump. Colleen quickly caught the beasts gaze and calmed it again.

Noting the respect the panther had for Colleen, he asked, "How are you doing that? How are you keeping it calm?"

Colleen kept her hand on the creature's mane while keeping eye contact with it. "I asked Santo to do it, and he did it."

Chad became flustered with Colleen's answer. "But… but… why would it even listen to you. It was trying to bite you before."

Colleen finally stole her eyes away from the beast and turned them to Chad. Chad sensed gentleness and warmth in them. Looking deeper, he could see her heart, and it reminded him of Will's heart. It was so great and filled with infinite love and charity. It pushed him to an understanding because of how accepting and understanding it was.

Chad looked away as he answered his own question, "The beast wants to connect to your higher energy. It finds peace in you. It finds something that is missing in itself." Thinking about this, he was brought to another question. "But wait. Why do you want to keep company with a beast?"

Colleen smiled as she looked at the beast with reverence. "Chad, the feeling between Santo and I is mutual. He, too, is filled with a wonderful vigor. Yes, he is fiercely undisciplined, but his passion can be banked, like a flame in a fireplace. I knew if he would take direction from me, we could both be warmed."

Chad was amazed by what she had to say about the beast. He could see that they gained strength from each other as he finished her thought. "You are weak in one area when he has strength in it. Where his weakness lies, your strength stands."

Colleen turned her gaze to Chad again and gave him an impressed look. "You understand what I am saying to you. Let me add onto that. If we let our passions run wild they will do damage. If we check and direct those same passions, we can get so much more out of them, and yet, still satisfy them."

Chad felt a shift in his heart as he questioned what this meant for his passions and the passions of those around him. He was distracted when Colleen opened the beast's mouth and pulled out a tarot card. "This is for you, Chad," Colleen claimed.

Chad reached out to grab it from her, but he began to lose his footing. The hill began to shake, and he could barely keep his balance. "Whoa!" Chad let out as Colleen disappeared leaving him alone with the hybrid panther. The beast quickly rose and jumped on Chad causing him to fall to the ground. The beast stared deeply into Chad's eyes as the ground under them continued to shake. Chad never felt such fear in his life!

_Chad_ woke up to someone shaking his body. He leaned back in the pew and remembered he had come into the chapel to wait on news about Will. He didn't want to wait in the waiting room with Sami and Lucas, who were still upset with him.

Kate placed her hand on Chad's back once again. "Have you been praying?"

Completely forgetting about his dream, Chad looked over to Kate wondering why he would need a reason to pray when Will had been awake for almost two days now. Defensive, he answered, "No, I just came in here to think alone."

Kate sensed Chad's wariness of her presence. Removing her hand from Chad's back and placing her hand in her lap, she looked straight ahead as she commented, "Will is still being observed and not allowed any visitors. Sami wants him to move into the mansion."

Chad wanted to remain silent, but he wanted to know where Kate stood. "Where do you think Will should be?"

"I agree with Sami," she started feeling uneasy with saying those four words. "He needs to recover where he'll have more help." Things quickly became quiet again because Chad had nothing to say at this point. Kate continued, "Lucas wants Will to be released to the Horton house. He doesn't want Will anywhere near anything Dimera."

Chad couldn't keep quiet anymore about where Will should go once he was released. "I want Will to come home with me. I don't care if Lucas wants him in Hong Kong, or if you and Sami want him in that mansion. His best option is to be with me."

Kate shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to calm Chad. "I think we know each other well enough to know how each of us feel about my grandson. Will is very important to me, and even though I am upset with what happened over the weekend, I know you love Will. I know you didn't mean to hurt him, but I want to make sure I cover all bases before I give you my full support."

"What do you want to know?" Chad asked not wanting to back down from Kate's challenge.

Kate moved her hair out of her face before questioning, "What is your sexual orientation?"

Chad cringed at Kate's question because it seemed no one believed him. "I am completely... I am one hundred percent gay."

Kate still had her reservations on whether she believed Chad was completely gay and chose to caution him on it. "Chad, I believe you are interested in my grandson romantically, but I hope you know there is no need to overcompensate for what went wrong. If you want things to work out with Will, you have to be honest with him. You have to nurture your relationship because it is in a fragile state at the moment."

Chad gave Kate an odd look as a feeling of déjà vu come over him. He wasn't sure why though. "Don't worry. As soon as I get to see Will, I am going to be completely honest with him. He deserves that."

Kate patted Chad on the leg. "Will deserves the best of everything and everyone."

* * *

><p>Outside of the Brady Pub, Dario walked up and looked through the window spotting Chelsea working behind the bar with her dad. After a full day of thinking, he knew he needed to talk to her about his situation. He felt guilty for the way he used Chelsea to avoid the truth and Sonny.<p>

Before Dario could go in, Ignazio caught up with him and stopped him from going in. Ignazio remembered what he overheard between Sonny and Dario on Monday and feared that Dario had somehow been hoodwinked by Sonny. "I saw you come out of your car and wanted to say hi. We have not seen each other for some time. Are you here to pick up Chelsea to take her on a date?"

Dario noticed there was a sense of hastiness in Ignazio's voice. He had never heard it before. "No, Chelsea's working. I just need to talk to her while my mother is going through some last tests to be released. Chelsea and I cannot be in a relationship. It was a mistake"

Ignazio managed to keep his suspicions in check even though he questioned what Dario wanted to talk to Chelsea about. "I am glad your madre is getting out of the hospital. That place can be depressing. I cannot believe the hell Will has been through because he's gay. It really brings fear, does it not?"

Dario gave Ignazio a weird look. "Why are you bringing up Will? Is something wrong?"

Ignazio realized he overstepped and didn't want Dario to know he knew his secret. Scratching the back of his head, he said, "We should get inside, so you can talk to Chelsea." He wanted to go in so he could possibly guide Dario and Chelsea's conversation so they didn't break up.

Dario nodded his head and walked into the pub with Ignazio. Chelsea looked up from the bar and smiled when she saw the two. Turning to her dad, she asked, "Can you watch the bar for a moment? I want to take a quick break."

After Bo agreed without hesitation, Chelsea made her way over to Dario and Ignazio. "Hey boys. Did you guys come for a drink or a snack?"

Ignazio stepped in and answered, "No; we wanted to come see you."

Dario didn't know what to think of Ignazio's weirdness today. "Actually, Chelsea, I'm hoping we can talk in private."

Chelsea could tell this was serious by the tone in his voice. Looking over she spotted an empty booth that didn't have customers around it. "We could go over there and talk."

Dario looked the booth over. "Yeah, that works for me." Before Ignazio could follow them, Dario made sure to turn to him. "If you want to wait at the bar, I'll let you know when I am done. I don't think this will take too long. If you have to go, I understand."

Ignazio stepped back and sensed fear in Dario's voice. "I can wait. Do what you need to do." Dario thanked Ignazio and headed to the empty booth with Chelsea. Ignazio turned around and took a seat at the bar to watch Chelsea and Dario from a distance.

Bo, too, wondered what Dario and Chelsea were talking about considering they had spent quite a bit of time together since they returned from Colorado. He then looked Ignazio over recognizing him as the newest Dimera male to move to Salem. He questioned how he had missed the fact that Ignazio knew his daughter and wondered if he should be concerned. "You're Ignazio Dimera, right?"

Ignazio turned around to face Bo. "Yes, you are?"

"Detective Bo Brady – Chelsea's dad."

At the booth, Chelsea looked down at her wrist as she played with her bracelet. "Is everything okay with your mom? Is that what you want to talk about?"

Dario looked down at his hand as he answered, "No. I wanted to talk about us. You... I..." Dario stopped and tried to organize his thoughts again because his nerves of having this conversation with Chelsea were getting to him.

Chelsea finally looked up and grabbed Dario's hand causing him to look up. "Dario, just tell me what it is. Everything will be fine. I promise you."

Dario wasn't so sure that everything was okay because the guilt still ate at him. "Chelsea, I really like you. You're smart, beautiful, funny, and someone I can trust. But... But you deserve someone better than me because I am in love with someone else." Dario wanted to look away from Chelsea because he feared how Chelsea would respond, but he knew he needed to face this head on.

Chelsea smiled surprising Dario. "I know, Dario. I've known for a while," she admitted.

Confused, Dario wanted to make sure he heard correctly. "You did?"

Chelsea held onto Dario's hand and continued to beam at him because she was so excited for him. "Yes, I hoped I could help you realize that you belong with Sonny."

Dario looked down again and removed his hand from the table so Chelsea couldn't hold it anymore. He didn't know what to think about Chelsea going out with him to help him realize he loved Sonny, but he knew he felt somewhat betrayed and psychoanalyzed. "So was I some kind of experiment? Someone to get your therapist rocks off?" he asked with honest curiosity. Before Chelsea could respond, the feeling of betrayal only became worse as he didn't want to hear Chelsea's answers. Standing up from the booth, Dario continued to share his frustration in a sorrowful tone, "Is this what you do on your free time? Is this what you do to my sister? I actually wanted to pursue a relationship with you, but... Stay away from my family. We don't like to get mind fucked." Clearly hurt, Dario shook his head before walking out of the pub. He felt like an idiot.

From the bar, Ignazio and Bo saw Dario exit the pub. Ignazio decided to follow Dario out, while Bo made his way to his daughter to find out what just happened. "I'm guessing with the way Dario walked off things didn't end too well. I can see it in your face that you feel bad about something."

Chelsea stood up and crossed her arms across her chest and placed her right hand on her chin. "I made a mistake, and I think I did it because I miss work. I miss being a therapist."

Bo pulled Chelsea into a hug because he knew his daughter was now focused on making herself feel bad. "Don't beat yourself up. I'm sure whatever happened will resolve itself."

After Bo released her, Chelsea gave her father a questioning look because he was holding her like she was a little girl. "Dad, you've been acting weird all day. What's going on? You're keeping something from me."

Bo gave Chelsea an uneasy look as he made a sound with his teeth debating if he should tell her why he was easier on her than usual. "It's about your mom, but I know I shouldn't say anything because one of the important rules about co-parenting is to not talk bad about the other parent."

Chelsea nodded her head in agreement, but argued, "Yes, but I am not a kid. Tell me what's going on."

Bo sighed and scratched the back of his neck while giving Chelsea an uncomfortable look. "I've heard a rumor in the last day or so, and it worries me."

Chelsea wondered if Bo found out about Max and Billie, but didn't get that vibe from him. "What rumor did you hear?"

Bo gave his daughter a conflicted look as he placed his hands in his jean pockets. Raising his shoulders somewhat, he said, "I'd rather not tell you in case it's not true. Let's just get back to work. If I get word that confirms it, I will tell you."

Chelsea nodded her head afraid to hear what happened with her mother when she hadn't talked to her in months. She knew her dad would tell her if he needed, so she decided to let it go. "Okay. I don't want to talk about mom anyway. I need to focus on other things." As soon as Bo walked off, Chelsea pulled out her phone and debated whether she should text Kate about Billie. Placing her phone back in her pocket, she decided to wait for now.

* * *

><p>Sonny arrived at his apartment and threw his backpack on the couch. He was done for the day with school and was ready to relax before his parents arrived. Justin and Adrienne wanted to talk to him, so he agreed to meet them at his place after his last class. Taking a seat on the couch, he rested his head as he thought about how the semester was already kicking his butt so much that he didn't have time to think about the awkwardness of having the same classes with Kai. He knew other students were gossiping about their break up, but he really didn't care because he had more important things to focus on.<p>

Once there was a knock at the door, Sonny was too lazy to answer and just yelled, "Come in! Door's unlocked!"

Adrienne and Justin entered the apartment without a problem. As Justin closed the front door, Adrienne gave her youngest a worried look. "Sonny, what are you thinking? It could have been anyone on the other side of the door."

Sonny knew his mother had a point, but he didn't want to dwell on that. "Yeah, but I knew you two were coming, so..." Adrienne gave him a look to make him stop arguing about it. "Okay. So what did you two want to talk to me about?"

Justin walked over and moved Sonny's backpack, so he could take a seat next to him. "We just wanted to check in on you and see how life is going since the new semester started."

Sonny appreciated his parents checking in on him, but he questioned if there was more to their agenda. "School is hectic but good. Nothing I can't handle."

Adrienne joined Justin and Sonny on the couch as she attempted to slyly ask about Kai. "I know that when we ran into Kai at the hospital over the weekend, you two seemed civil. How is that going?"

"Right on cue," Sonny said under his breath. Not wanting to make a big deal out of Kai, he shared, "I guess things are still civil. We're just staying out of each other's way. We hurt each other, so there's no point in trying to be anything but classmates who don't talk to each other."

Adrienne gave Justin a look, so he would ask the next question. Justin cleared his throat and leaned forward on the couch. "What about Dario?"

"So you guys want to know about my love life," Sonny stated with a bit annoyance. He didn't want to tell them about the possible romance with Dario, so he just dismissed the idea. "I haven't seen Dario in a couple of days. I'm sure he's focusing on his mother, so no; I am not dating anyone."

Adrienne didn't want to let it go because she remembered what Sonny said about Dario in her office when they discussed his cheating on Kai. "But you still love Dario, right?"

Before Sonny could answer, Justin decided to step in for Sonny's sake. Looking to his wife, he stated, "He doesn't want to talk about it." Turning back to his son, he tried to change gears, "Your love life isn't exactly what we wanted to talk to you about."

"What else is there?"

Even though she really wanted to know more about Dario, Adrienne digressed and moved on. "We want to make sure you are being safe. It's great that Will is awake, but what happened to him makes us wonder if it could happen to you."

"Dad... Mom... I'm being safe. I've always been careful when it comes to that, but I am not going to hide who I am because of what happened to Will." Sonny hated what happened to Will, but he wanted to make sure he didn't lose himself because of what happened.

Justin stepped in to clarify their worry. "We don't want you to go back into the closet or hide who you are. We just want you to not be alone on the pier late at night. I'm surprised that place is free ground at night."

Before Sonny could respond, T burst through the front door yelling out obscenities. Once he realized that Sonny was there with his parents he quickly stopped yelling due to the embarrassment of losing his cool at the apartment twice now. "I didn't know anyone else would be here."

Sonny stood up from the couch and started to walk towards T. Remembering how T burst through the front door on Monday, he asked "T, what's going on?"

T stepped away from Sonny and back to the door. "I can't talk. I've got to go," he claimed before leaving. Sonny looked at his parents as they wondered what that was about.

* * *

><p>Marco arrived to talk to EJ, but when he saw Arianna, who was filling out paperwork to take her mother home, he decided to approach her. They hadn't seen each other since Friday night at the masquerade party. "Arianna, what's the latest news?"<p>

Arianna decided not to look up from the paperwork because she remembered seeing Marco with Azzura. "My mom is getting out of here. She is tired of staying in the hospital even though the doctors want her to stay here. That's why I'm filling out all of this paperwork."

"So things aren't looking good..."

"I am a bit busy at the moment – sorry," Arianna interrupted Marco hoping he would leave her alone.

Marco noted that Arianna was different around him, but he didn't have time to ask why. "I need to find EJ, so it's okay that you are busy. We can talk later." Marco was about to walk off, but remembered what he came to report to EJ. "Manny is being released as we speak. I thought you would like to know." Marco backed off and went in search of EJ.

Arianna sighed feeling frustrated by the situation with Marco. She could still picture how Azzura in her skimpy masquerade costume touching Marco in a sensual manner. Shaking it off, she finished the paperwork and managed to catch Daniel before she handed it in. "Daniel. Do you have a moment?"

Daniel nodded his head. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

Arianna shared, "It's about my mom. I am taking her home today, and..."

"That's good."

"Yeah, she wants to get out of here, but things aren't looking so well for her," Arianna continued. "Nathan is doing a good job, but I wanted to talk to you about when she was your patient for that one appointment. Things have gotten worse, but it seemed she was improving when you saw her?"

Daniel gave Arianna a confused look. "I thought your mom told you about what happened in her appointment with me. That's why I came and got you guys after the test results came in. She wanted to tell you personally."

Arianna remembered Isobel telling them the test results came back positive. "She did. She told us everything."

Daniel scratched the top of his head still confused. "So why did you say something about her improving when I saw her? The test results revealed that she was actually getting worse."

"Oh," Arianna let out realizing that Isobel lied to them about the test results. Not wanting Daniel to know that Isobel had lied to them, she knew she had to cover. "I knew that – it was just that she's been hiding it well I guess."

Daniel wasn't sure what just happened with Arianna, but he decided not to question her. "She might just want to try to live her last days to the highest capacity as possible. Did you have any more questions?"

Arianna shook her head. "No, Dr. Jonas. Thanks for your time. I need to get my mom anyway to take her back to the Dimera guesthouse. You take care."

"You, too."

Arianna forced a smile and headed for her mother's hospital room to turn in the paperwork and take her home. After Isobel was cleared to go home, Arianna informed her mother. "Dario is on his way with the car. How are you feeling?"

Isobel looked at Arianna, but then looked away. "I am okay."

Arianna looked her mother over. "Define what 'okay' means."

"I am okay. I feel good," Isobel lied. She didn't want Arianna to change her mind and not allow her to leave the hospital.

Dario arrived outside near the emergency entrance and pulled out his phone. He tried to forget what happened with Chelsea at the pub, but he did feel bad for telling Ignazio to leave him alone outside of the pub. He was too embarrassed to talk to Ignazio about what happened. After sending a text to Arianna that he was waiting outside for them, he looked out of the car window when he heard his name.

Kate stood outside of the car. She had spotted Dario while she was taking a business call outside and wanted to talk to him about Chelsea. "I thought that was you. I'm glad we get to talk because I never got the chance to ask you about your date with my granddaughter, Chelsea. What exactly is your relationship with her?"

Dario did not like that he was forced to think about what just happened to Chelsea. Trying to dismiss Kate, he shared, "Chelsea and I aren't talking anymore, so I guess we're nothing."

Kate leaned on the car wondering about the sudden change in Dario concerning Chelsea. "What happened?" she asked with concern. "You look upset."

Dario threw his head back on the driver's seat of the car. "Well, I am upset. Chelsea betrayed my trust and let me know today that the only reason she showed any interest in me was due to her trying to convince me that I'm gay. She did this all behind my back and couldn't just have a conversation with me. She toyed with my heart!"

Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing and wanted to know more, but Arianna and Isobel walked out of the hospital. "Oh good. Let's leave this place quickly," Isobel said to Dario.

Kate stepped back as Arianna helped Isobel into the car. After Arianna and Isobel were in the car, Dario turned to Kate and said, "Maybe you should talk to your granddaughter about this and not me. I shouldn't have said anything."

Isobel noted something was off about her son and was about to get onto him about Chelsea, but she decided to conserve her energy for when they got to the guesthouse. Kate watched as Dario drove off and questioned if she should talk to Chelsea to get all the details of what Dario claimed happened. She hoped Dario had lied to her.

Marco found EJ in a waiting room with Sami, Lucas, Jennifer, Lexie, and Chad. Moving next to EJ, he whispered, "Mr. Dimera. I received word that Manuel Hernandez has been picked up and is now on his way to the guesthouse."

EJ nodded his head to thank Marco, and returned his focus to Lexie, who was giving everyone an update on Will. Lexie gave everyone a smile as she informed them, "Everything has checked out with Will, so that's the good news."

"You're making it sound like there is bad news," Sami commented with worry.

Lexie slightly shrugged her shoulders as she replied, "It's not technically bad news, but it is something you may see as inconvenient. The hospital wants to keep Will for observation."

Lucas immediately reacted with apprehension asking, "Does this mean they are going to do experiments on him because of how he healed?"

Before Lexie could answer, Sami cut in, "I am not signing off on this. He is not some guinea pig and needs to come home."

Lexie tried her best to calm them as EJ went over to Sami and grabbed her hand. "We are interested in his healing process because it is out of the ordinary. That being said, it is ultimately Will's decision. He does not have to stay at this point. I'll go talk to him now and see what he decides." Lexie turned around and left the room with Marco.

EJ pulled Sami close to help her continue to calm down. "Samantha, why don't you sit?" he suggested. Sami agreed and sat down with EJ.

Lucas looked to Jennifer wondering if there was any way he could step in. He joined her and asked her, "Did you know anything about this?"

Jennifer knew she had to be honest with her brother. "I did to an extent. I knew they were curious about Will's situation and that there were tests done, but I didn't know they wanted to keep him."

Sami leaned into EJ as she chimed in on Lucas and Jennifer's conversation. "There is no way Will is going to stay here any longer. He needs to come home."

Chad had enough of staying quiet and to himself. With courage and confidence, he announced, "I want Will to come home with me."

"Over my dead body," Lucas exclaimed to Chad.

Sami agreed with Lucas. "Will is not moving back to that apartment. He needs to be somewhere he can be safe and protected."

Lucas looked to Jennifer and asked, "I want Will to move to Hong Kong with me, but I think he should be in Salem while he orientates himself again. Is there any way he can stay at Gram's house with you?"

Jennifer felt uncomfortable with answering because she didn't want to get in the way of what Will wanted. "We can talk about it."

Sami didn't like Lucas trying to take Will away from her and the rest of Will's family. "Will can stay in Salem. He can move into the mansion with us. We have security around the place."

Lucas began to argue with Sami, but Chad didn't like being ignored by Will's parents. Stepping up to them, he adamantly stated, "Will is coming home with me since I'm the one who got him to wake up in the first place. I got him to open his eyes. He said my name when he woke up."

Sami stood up after separating herself from EJ. She remembered wanting to keep some peace with Chad because she wanted to use any tool necessary to get Will to come back. Now that Will was awake, she didn't have to hold back anymore. Getting in Chad's face, she laid into him, "You sure have been arrogant and over-confident on knowing what's best for my son. While I appreciate that Will is now awake, what you did in there doesn't make up for what you did in the first place! You cheated on my son with your ex-girlfriend, and don't even get me started on that desperate sham of an announcement on Sunday! You don't have Will's best interest at heart because now Will is going to have to face the world outside of these hospital walls once he is released!"

Noting the smug look on Chad, Lucas tried to join in on bashing Chad and stated, "You think you made this big sacrifice for Will when you did that, but you only made things worse. If you really think you are the reason Will woke up, you truly are a Dimera. You all think you're God, but let me tell you a thing or two..."

Jennifer quickly grabbed Lucas's arm before things escalated even more. "Lucas, this is not the time or place to do this. We don't want to add to the chaos in the hospital."

Lucas turned to his sister wishing she was wrong, so he could continue ranting at Chad. "If I had my way, Chad would be banned from the hospital."

Sami took Lucas's lead as she poked Chad in the chest to push him back. "Maybe a restraining order to keep you away from Will could do the trick."

Chad's eyes widened with rage as he yelled back, "You are not keeping me away from Will. No one is!"

EJ gave Jennifer a look and swiftly stood up to step in between his wife and brother. "Maybe we shouldn't assume anything here. We don't even know what William will decide. He should have a say in what he wants."

Lucas sighed and took a seat with Jennifer. "That's fair. There's no way Will is going to choose Chad after what Chad did to him Friday night. That's unforgivable."

Chad stepped back and left the room to get some air. He feared what would happen if Will couldn't forgive him for what he did. He wondered if the Dimera curse would come back to bite him in the ass and ruin everything.

Lexie took a seat next to Will after checking a few of his vitals to make sure everything continued to run smoothly for him. "I know that you are itching to get out of here – especially now that you're cleared – but I want to talk to you about what happened. The cops will want to talk to you about this as well."

Will held his head as if thinking about that night made his head hurt. "I don't really remember anything about that night. Where's Chad?"

Lexie questioned if Will didn't really remember anything. "It will be a while before you can have visitors. I'm sorry Will."

Will became frustrated. "It's been more than a day since I woke up!" he complained.

Lexie took Will's hand to help keep him calm. "I promise you will get some visitors soon after more test results come through. We want to do more and maybe observe your vitals further after those results come in though."

Will removed his hand, so he could cross his arms across his chest. "I am done with tests and observations. I want to be released."

Lexie remained calm to counter Will's irritability. "You will be released, but I really do think you should stay at least another day. We are really worried about you Will, and we want to make sure everything checks out. We don't want to have you come back as soon as you're released because something could go wrong." Watching Will ponder over whether he would remain in the hospital another day, Lexie hoped he would agree because she wanted to obtain more data so she could bring her father down.

Will finally looked up deciding he'd rather be safe. "I'll stay, but I don't want to be here forever."

Lexie gave Will an assuring smile. "I promise you'll get out of there, Will."

* * *

><p>It was lunch time at Salem U. Abigail and Gabi met up after class to head for the cafeteria. Even though they were heading together, Abigail had separate plans from Gabi. "Are you going to be okay with eating with someone else since I am meeting my dad in the caf?"<p>

Gabi forgot that Abigail had texted her to let her know she was meeting Jack. "I decided just to walk with you. I have to head back to the Dimera guesthouse anyway. My mom has been released, and I might just eat there."

Abigail gave Gabi a concerned look. "Gabi, if you need to head out, I can walk myself to the caf. Be with your family."

Gabi knew she needed to be with her mother even if a part of her wanted to avoid the depression. Not wanting to make a big deal about it, she said, "Okay. I'll see you later I guess."

Abigail gave Gabi a hug. "Yeah."

Abigail continued to head towards the cafeteria while Gabi walked the opposite direction for the parking lot. Unfortunately for her, she walked by Brett and Kai. She tried to avoid them, but they spotted her.

"Isn't that the homophobic bitch you were talking about?" Brett asked Kai.

Kai nodded his head. "Yeah, she is. She's Dario's sister." Kai moved in front of Gabi so she couldn't leave. "Have you seen T around? Don't tell me you made him go into hiding again to keep him away from us contagious gays."

Gabi remembered the last time she saw T was on Monday when he cussed at their professor. She realized she hadn't seen T in class since then. Looking at Kai, she decided she didn't want to even answer his question. "Screw off, Kai."

"Wait, you want Kai to screw? You do know he likes guys, right?" Brett jested with her crudely.

Kai continued to stand in her way. "Oh, she knows alright. She knows all about that because her brother is gay, and Will used to be her ex-boyfriend. We know how that turned out. I wouldn't put it past Gabi if she is actually the one who set up Will's attack on Friday to somehow knock the gay out of him."

Gabi couldn't believe Kai would accuse her of Will's attack. "Shut up, Kai. You don't know what you're talking about."

Brett looked over to Kai and sarcastically commented, "Maybe you should back off. She might target you next."

"I'm thinking her next target will be her brother," Kai shot back making sure to keep eye contact with Gabi. "You are so full of hate that I bet you would even stab your own brother in the back. Even though I don't really like Dario because of his home wrecker ways, I do feel sorry for him because he has a punk bitch sister like you."

Gabi couldn't take it anymore and pushed through Kai. "Leave me the hell alone." As water formed in her eyes from everything that was said to her, she rushed off wondering if they were right. Did she really have so much hate in her heart?

Abigail sat with Jack at a table in the cafeteria. She remembered how her dad had embarrassed her on Monday in front of Ezra. "Just so you know, this might be the only place that you're allowed to be if we're going to meet on campus. Please don't come to anymore of my classes."

Jack tried his best to be as accommodating as possible. "Don't worry, Abby. It won't happen again."

"Abigail, dad. It's Abigail now," Abigail corrected him.

Jack slightly nodded his head not wanting to argue with her. "Sorry, Abigail. I'm happy you're here, Abigail. I am glad to spend time with my daughter, Abigail."

Abigail shot her dad a dirty look. "You're overcompensating now and wasting time."

Jack put his hands up and decided to avoid saying her name altogether. "Right. So I was thinking about our relationship and how you claimed you could be ready to mend things."

Abigail remembered the conversation and decided to just be honest and open with Jack. "Yeah, I do think I am ready. I know you don't like to discuss your past, but there are some things I would really like to know."

"What do you want to know?" Jack asked nervously.

Abigail interlocked her hands and placed them on the table. "What was your life like as a kid? What did you like to do?"

Jack thought about his rough past and tried his best to not show any nerves as he talked about it with Abigail. Deciding to be not so brutally honest, he answered, "Well, I had your normal upbringing – away from my biological very broken and dysfunctional family and raised by a psycho-Senator who liked to knife prostitutes."

Abigail could only look at her father because he was trying to be light about this even though he was sharing some pretty dark things with her. "Is that really true?"

Jack looked down as he remembered his history and simply nodded his head. "I told myself I would never tell you about my dark past, but I figure I owe it to you now. I already know you have this tarnished view of me, so maybe telling you these things won't make it any worse."

Abigail could hear the sorrow in Jack's tone and wondered if she should let him have a pass on telling her more about his past for now. She wanted to ask him about his fear of love, but refrained because she wasn't even sure if she was ready to hear it all in the school cafeteria. "Dad, we don't have to go down that road if you're not ready just yet. If you're really going to stay here and not leave us again, then we have plenty of time I guess."

Jack smiled with appreciation and surprise. "You truly have managed to grow up beautifully without my help – and no, I am staying here. I'm not leaving."

Abigail figured it was time she shared what she had learned about herself since she now knew some things about his past to make sense of his struggles with love. Trying to get over her fears of being completely open with her father again, she shared, "I have this hole in my heart that you used to fill. When you left, I tried to fill it with others, and it didn't work."

Jack felt bad for how he hurt his daughter. "I'm here now, so I can fill that again."

"You can't," Abigail enlightened Jack. "I have to fill it myself. The only way I can do that is by making peace with you."

Jack became cautiously excited again. Wanting confirmation, he started, "So you're saying..."

"I'm saying that I will give you another chance," she finished Jack's thoughts before adding, "but I am going to remain alert. I can't just dive in blindly. I can't take that chance anymore."

Jack nodded his head deciding to accept what Abigail said. "It's okay Abby – I mean – Abigail. I'm just happy to get what I can. Whatever you want to make this more comfortable for you – I am fine with it."

Abigail eyed her father as she claimed, "I do have one condition if this is going to work out between us."

"What is it?" Jack asked blindly.

"Stay away from mom," Abigail answered.

Jack let out a nervous facial expression as he looked down. "You want me to stay away from your mom... okay." He felt he really had no choice since Jen seemed committed to Daniel and wanted to do whatever he could do to appease his daughter. "I will stay away from your mom – romantically that is."

Abigail felt relieved she got that out of the way. "Thanks, dad."

* * *

><p>In the room with the fireplace at Maddalena's mansion, she and Azzura sat together as they discussed Ignazio. "Signora, what should we do? Chad is still in Salem because he's focused on Will Horton."<p>

Maddalena thought for a moment before deciding, "We will give Ignazio until the end of the month to be rid of Chad as he stated he would. If he has not been able to do so by then, we will have to take care of Chad ourselves."

Ric overheard Maddalena and Azzura as he walked by. Even though Ignazio had betrayed him, he did not like how Maddalena and Azzura were disrespecting him. Ignazio had a lot to overcome, and he wanted to make sure he could help his friend before he turned his back on everyone. Looking one last time into the room unnoticed, Ric decided to look for Ignazio to warn him.

Even though Azzura wanted to step in now, she knew she had to respect Maddalena's decision. "Of course, signora."

"Let us discuss something else," Maddalena proclaimed. "We need to know what is going on around us before we make our next course of action concrete."

Azzura had just the thing that Maddalena wanted to know. "The police are looking for a knife that is connected to Abe and Will's attacks. A 13" Italian Stiletto Knife was apparently used on Abe's tires the night he was attacked and then was used to stab Will."

Maddalena became somewhat concerned. "We must find the knife before it can be tied to us and our operation downstairs. Do a sweep of the house and check all the bedrooms."

As Azzura nodded her head, Colin walked in with a new report on Will and the quick solution. "I was able to sneak in more tests thanks to Lexie's recommendation to keep Will in observation yesterday. The quick solution worked – albeit slower than it should have – but it worked and there seems to be no complications or side effects from the dosage given to Will."

"That is good news," Maddalena smiled. Becoming cautious again, she asked Colin, "Are you careful of who may be watching you?"

"Yes, madre," Colin answered. "I will head down to the lab and start preparing your first dosage if you are ready for that."

Maddalena thought about her illness and wondered if she should cheat death as her brother and son did many times over the years. She still struggled with the morality of it and decided, "Make your preparations, and once I have made my decision I will do what must be done. Grazie molte, mio figlio." Colin bowed his head and walked out.

* * *

><p>Arianna headed into the kitchen to make her mother some tea to help her remain calm. She thought about her mission to look for evidence at the Dimera Mansion that could connect Stefano to Abe's – and now Will's – attack. She looked over to her mother as she wondered if she could afford to step away to do what Roman wanted her to do.<p>

Isobel pulled Dario on the couch as she continued to give him a hard time. "Look mijo, if you want to live a successful life, you need to forget about Sonny and do what you did in life before you met him. I have asked Father Matt to come by later. Maybe you can talk to him about how you can move forward in your life so you don't keep going backwards with the confusion that Kiriakis boy has caused." Grabbing her rosary beads from the coffee table, she handed them to Dario. "Take these. I have another in my bedroom, so you can have them. Pray mijo. Pray hard that the evilness can be taken from you."

Dario thought over his situation with Sonny and hated how his mother made him feel guilty about it. "We are not going to focus on me, Mama."

"Yes, we are," Isobel demanded. "You aren't living your life to the fullest at the moment because this 'gay thing' is holding you back. I've mentioned to you before that you stopped playing your guitar. I think you should reflect on why you are so miserable because I already know, Dario. Why don't you play your guitar anymore?"

Dario thought about how the last time he played the guitar was to Sonny. Things were somewhat better for him and Sonny now, so he had no reason to stay away from his guitar anymore. Hoping to appease his mother, he asked, "Do you want me to play it now?"

Before Isobel could say anything else, Manny arrived with his arm around his youngest sister. Gabi caught up with him outside, and she felt a bit better knowing Manny was out for good. Isobel took delight in seeing Manny with Gabi and made sure to give Manny a big hug to welcome him home. "It is good that you are now a free man. I hope you do not let this opportunity go to waste, Manuel."

Manny held onto his mother and could feel how much weaker she was. "Mama, don't worry. I will not waste it. I will live a better life than I have in the past." After letting go of Isobel, Manny gave Arianna and Dario hugs. "I am done with Brooktree in the impatient setting, but they have set me up with a therapist for at least another six months to continue helping me."

Arianna smiled at her brother hoping he would be able to help her deal with the family issues revolving around their mother. "It's so good EJ could get you out of there and here where you belong."

Manny hung around Dario and asked, "I thought you were going to visit. You haven't even called?"

Dario remembered his promise to his brother, but he had avoided his brother for a reason. He wanted to find a way to fix himself to not be gay and knew his brother would try to stop him. Deciding he didn't want to talk with his brother about all of that, he answered vaguely, "Well, a lot of things were happening, and I wanted to be here for Mama."

Isobel gave Dario a disappointed look as she thought on the things that were happening in Dario's life. She wondered if Manny had any clue about who Dario had been involved with. She glanced at all her children and decided to make one last plea to them about each finding someone to settle down with. "I have something I want to share with you – mis hijos."

Arianna made her mother sit down at the table, so she could conserve her energy. "What is it, Mama? What do you have to share with us?"

Isobel motioned at everyone to sit with her at the table before simply stating, "Amor." After everyone settled into a chair near the table, she went on, "Love is an amazing thing that one can experience during a lifetime. I love each of you, but I am not talking about that now. I am talking of the love that comes from the opposite gender – amor romántico. I was blessed to experience that in my lifetime."

Arianna gave her mother a weird look as she questioned, "Did you really feel that with our father?"

Without thinking, Isobel answered, "Not your father."

Gabi noted the way Isobel put emphasis on 'your' and called her out on it. "What does that mean?"

Isobel realized her slip and began to panic that her secret would come out. Looking to Manny and Dario, she tried to cover, "I... I..." She couldn't come up with anything and began to finger the emergency device around her neck.

Dario stood up concerned. "Mama, are you okay?"

Isobel looked up to Dario feeling overwhelmed and fell off the chair as she began to have a seizure. Everyone else rushed to her side as Arianna pushed her emergency button. Dario positioned his mother on her side, while Manny and Gabi traded glances wondering what just happened.

* * *

><p>Azzura arrived at the hospital and found Lucas, Sami, and EJ standing near the nurse's station hoping they would be able to visit Will soon. Walking over, she gave them a warm smile. "I am pleased for all of you because Will has been able to wake up." Looking at Lucas and Sami, she added, "I am sure the two of you are even more pleased with this outcome."<p>

Sami didn't have time to ponder Azzura's friendship because Will was her main focus. "We are. Our job now is to keep him safe."

Azzura made eye contact with EJ as she stated, "That's what EJ is here for. He is a Dimera."

Lucas quickly became annoyed. "I am more than capable of taking care of my own son. We don't need the Dimeras."

EJ quickly looked at Lucas and Sami fearing that another argument would ensue. He decided to step in before Sami said anything. "Yes, Lucas – we know you're capable. We're in this together."

Lucas gave EJ a frustrated look because he knew what EJ was trying to do. Azzura moved closer to the three as she apologized to Lucas. "I am sorry if I offended you, Lucas. I am sure Will needs both of his parents during this time. I hope you and Sami are able to come together at a time like this."

Sami looked Azzura over as her senses heightened. She wondered what she was trying to pull here. Biting her tongue, she decided not to question her on it because she did not want to take away from what was more important. "I just wish we could see Will."

Stefano and Kate walked over to Lucas to see if there were any updates before Kate had to leave. After Stefano gave her a kiss on the cheek goodbye, Kate informed Lucas. "Chelsea just sent me a text and wants to meet in the town square, but before I go, I wanted to see if Lexie or anyone else has come to say anything about Will."

Lucas shook his head. "We're still waiting."

"Where's Chad?" Stefano inquired figuring his son should be around.

Sami crossed her arms giving Stefano an unimpressed look. "I'm sure he's somewhere with Mia or another girl he can cheat on my son with."

Kate noted the tension and decided not to get involved so she could meet with her granddaughter. Keeping her attention on Lucas, she requested, "Please keep me updated."

After Kate walked off, Stefano wanted to ask Sami why she thought that about his son, but when he saw Azzura standing next to her, he quickly became annoyed. "Azzura, what are you doing here alone? Where is my dear sister?"

Azzura convincingly faked a smile. "She is at home resting. She has not been feeling well," she shared.

Chad walked up after a small break from Lucas and Sami. "Am I allowed to see Will yet?"

Roman walked up behind Chad and announced himself. "I'm sorry Chad, but I am here to talk to Will first. We need to find out information about what exactly happened on the night of the 13th." Motioning to his daughter and Lucas, he said, "You two can come in with me. I'm sure Will would want to see you two first anyway."

As Sami and Lucas followed Roman to Will's room, Chad stepped back feeling jaded and dismissed. He wasn't sure if he could take the heat from Will's parents anymore and wished they stayed away from him and Will. Chad headed to the chapel to get away from everyone after telling EJ where he would be.

Stefano decided to follow Chad hoping to talk to him alone. After he was gone, Azzura saw the opportunity to have a moment alone with EJ. "EJ, how are things for you in this dark situation?"

EJ eyed Azzura wondering what she meant by her question. "This situation? You mean as mayor?"

"Sure," Azzura said to go with the direction EJ wanted.

EJ looked away from Azzura trying not to pay her too much attention. "Well, we are working diligently on solutions to make sure this doesn't happen again. The office has set up a meeting with the police station to make sure we take the proper precautions to keep Salem safe."

Azzura nodded her head to let EJ know she heard him. "What about personally? I mean, Will is not your son, but he is Sami's son with Lucas."

"I care about William very much," EJ enlightened her. "Yes, Lucas is William's father and Samantha used to be married to him, but that is all in the past. None of that gets in the way of anything."

Azzura scratched her head. "I noticed the tension between Lucas and Sami when I arrived. It seems like you have to step in a lot when they are around each other."

EJ was aware that Azzura had intentions with this conversation, but he was not sure what those intentions were just yet. "As I mentioned, there is a lot of history there. They don't always get along due to said history."

"Does Lucas hate you and Sami because he resents your relationship?" Azzura asked straightforwardly. "I understand their past somewhat because Sami has told me about some of it. She also told me about your relationship with Nicole."

For the first time, Azzura managed to get an emotional response from EJ. He was surprised to hear Azzura mention Nicole and wondered what Sami told Azzura exactly. Trying to not say much on the subject of Nicole, he summarized his relationship with her, "Nicole was only a tool to help me get over Samantha when things seemed bleak. I never loved Nicole."

Azzura gave EJ a curious look as she put him on blast in a more pleasant way, "Did you not almost have a child with Nicole?"

EJ questioned if Sami really told Azzura all of these details of their past but went along with it. "Well, Samantha was pushing me away and I had the bright idea to use another woman to pull Samantha back into my orbit," he explained.

Noting EJ's sarcasm, Azzura pointed out, "So you hoped to make Sami jealous to bring her back to you. I guess your plan only made things worse." EJ didn't respond, so Azzura continued with her questions. "Were you miserable with Nicole?"

EJ wasn't quick to answer this question because he felt it could be a trick question. After a short pause, he replied, "I was content with Nicole, but I was not fulfilled. With Samantha it is completely different. She takes me to a place I never thought existed. My cup is always overflowing when I'm with her." EJ gave Azzura a smile deciding he should turn the conversation onto her. "What about the men in Italy? Have you experienced any love like that there?"

Azzura didn't know what to think of EJ and Sami's love as she thought that type of love only existed in the fairytales her mother told her before she died. "I have no experience with love honestly. I think about your relationship with Sami, Alexandra's relationship with Abe, and Chad's with Will, and I wonder what that is like. I know a few things about lust, but I hope to one day experience true love if the right man comes along to teach me."

EJ decided to call Azzura out. "Are you asking me all of these questions about love because you believe I am the right man?"

Azzura could not believe EJ put her on the spot like that. Luckily, she was able to recover and amped up her naïveté. "You are certainly sure of yourself, EJ. You are a married man. Sami is my friend, and I would never allow a thought like that enter my mind."

"Of course," EJ said to ease Azzura's mind even though he questioned if she was lying to him.

Chad made his way to the chapel, and thoughts of his dream about Colleen and Santo flashed in his mind. His head began to hurt because things were so unclear and his brain wanted to think things through. Taking a seat, he tried to clear his mind so he could break his habit of overthinking.

Unfortunately for Chad, Stefano decided to join him by taking a seat next to him. "Son, I would like to talk to you."

"Let me guess. You want to tell me how disappointed you are at me for my decisions. Sami, Lucas, and the D.A. already have that covered." Chad rolled his eyes as he had his fill on fathers trying to tell him what he needed to do. Before Stefano could say anything, Chad remained defensive as he informed Stefano, "I am my own man. I run my own life, and no one is going to stand in my way from what I want."

Stefano gave Chad an impressed look throwing Chad off. "Look son. I am not here to control your life. You and your sister have this idea in your head about how I want you two to live a life of evil and misfortune."

Chad turned his body towards his father. "Isn't that what you want?" he asked honestly. "You want us to be Dimeras, and I am not just talking about our last name. The name Dimera comes with a lot of baggage and guidelines for all who are born under the name to carry and follow. We have to be these perfect soldiers who will do what you want when you want."

Stefano sighed and shook his head. "Oh son. I don't know what to tell you or your sister. I accept you for who you are. Is it wrong of me to want what's best for you though? I don't want to see harm come to you, Elvis, or Alexandra. I want you to succeed without anyone standing in your way as you stated. I am not the monster people paint me out to be."

"You are standing in my way though," Chad countered with frustration. Reflecting on his father's use of the word "monster" Chad thought about his dream and what Colleen said about the beast taking her to a higher place. He glanced over to his father and believed his father was the beast in his life. He remembered the pull and excitement he felt when his father initiated him into the family last summer. He believed he was finally a part of something bigger than him, and he wanted to continue that path. He respected and loved Stefano, but now things were different. He needed to think about Will, and he feared any involvement with his father even if he believed Stefano wanted what was best. His priority was to keep Will safe and away from danger at all costs. In a calmer tone, he shared, "I know you mean it when you say you want the best for me, but it may not actually be what's best for me. I know now that I've been so lost because of you father."

Stefano shook his head at Chad once again. "That is preposterous. How could I cause you to feel lost? I have given you lots of direction in life in the short amount of time I have known you are my son. I have tried to make up for lost time to give you the best that you deserve as a Dimera."

It took a lot of strength for Chad not to raise his voice at Stefano. He wanted to show his father that he was a stronger man but still respected him in a different way. "I admit I didn't recognize this until recently, but ever since I gave in to being a part of this family – a part of you – I have been losing my identity to prove to you – and I guess the world – that I am the same guy even if I am in a gay relationship. Just because I am gay doesn't mean I am less of a man. I haven't been the best boyfriend to Will because I put your acceptance above him. You have this influence..."

"Influence..." Stefano interrupted Chad. "Yes, I know all about my influence. I had to learn the power of influence from my father, and it seems you are now learning it from me. I know I have made things difficult for you and William, but you must know by now I am on your side. I love you and William very much."

Chad turned from Stefano unsure of what to say next. "You love 'William'?"

Stefano thought about his complicated relationship with Will. "Yes, I do. Before I knew you were my son, I took him under my wing to help him. After I found out you were my son, I focused more on you, but I did ask him to work for me again last summer, didn't I?"

"You did," Chad started, but then added, "but then you fired him when you found out he and I were involved. You wanted him out of my life."

Stefano took Chad's hand to make him pay attention to his words. "Yes, that was the past, and I told you after the incident on Melaswen I was on your side. I know I might have confused you by telling you that you may not fit within the business world because of your sexual orientation, but I told you that to prepare you." Stefano eyed his son as Chad remained in his thoughts. "You don't know this, but I already knew my sister was aware of your relationship with William because he is the one who told me. He and I talked about you."

Chad began to feel uneasy and on edge. "You talked to Will about me?"

"Yes," Stefano confirmed. "I talked to Will and we agreed to put our differences behind us to get through to you. I am on your side, Chad. My sister, Maddalena on the other hand is not."

Chad grew frustrated. "Are you going to point the finger to someone else again? I know you are trying to look past Will and me, but I know our relationship still bothers you. Maddalena has been supportive of me and Will from day one."

Stefano grew in frustration as well. "So you remember my faults, but you cannot remember your aunt's faults? Do you not remember what I told you after she came to Salem – what she did to André and his lover?"

Chad remembered the conversation and shared, "I thought you made that up to scare me from coming out. If you expect me to believe that is true, then why is she being so nice to me now? Why is she working so hard to bring the family together?"

Stefano sighed feeling somewhat defeated. He still didn't understand how Maddalena had such a strong hold on Chad and Lexie. "It is possible she is trying to make up for her mistake," he said hoping if he stopped talking bad about his sister it would help Chad not feel so alienated.

Chad took a deep breath because he could feel his father pulling him back into the Dimera fold. Thinking of his plans to take Will away from Salem and everything else, he announced, "I can't do this, father. I am done trying to prove anything to you. We are done here. We've had our time to bond, but Will is my only family now. I don't want to have anything to do with the Dimera name. I need to stay away from you and all of that. I'm sorry."

Stefano watched as Chad got up and walked out. He snarled his lips in frustration because he no longer saw any possibility that he could bring Chad back to them. He was just as passionately stubborn as him.

Roman, Sami, and Lucas walked into Will's hospital room. When Will saw them, he let out a smile because he thought he would never get visitors. Sami's eyes began to tear up as she rushed over to her son and gave him a hug. "It's so good to see you awake, Will. I am so glad that you're going to be okay."

Lucas hugged Will next and smiled widely because Will didn't expect to see him. "Of course I came to Salem. I had to make sure you were okay."

Finally, Roman walked over to Will and shook his hand. "It's good to see you conscious, Will. I know that you're ready to get out of here, but I do have a few questions for you about Friday night. Can you tell me what you remember?"

Even though he was happy to have visitors, Will felt this anxiety come over him. "Where's Chad?" he asked hoping to change the subject.

Lucas gave Will a concerned look. "Chad doesn't matter right now. You should talk about what happened that night because we need to find out who did this to you."

Will looked away from his parents and grandpa. "I can't tell you what happened that night."

Sami moved closer to Will. With worry in her tone, she asked, "Why not, Will? Is it too much for you to handle?"

Will closed his eyes to control his emotions. Turning his head back he shared, "I don't remember anything from that night. It's all a blur."

"What's the last thing you remember from that day?" Roman asked.

Will looked down thinking about Friday night. "I remember arriving at the masquerade – that's about it."

Roman tried his best not to get frustrated because he was really counting on Will to give him details about that night. He thought his grandson could be the lead they needed to find Abe. "I really need you to man up here, Will. Can you tell me exactly what you remember?"

Will tensed up because he was tired of the questions and didn't know what to think about his grandpa's "man up" comment. Wanting to put an end to the conversation, he shared, "I remember walking in with Chad and telling him how good he looked. That's all I can remember. Can I see Chad now?"

Sami could see that Will was getting annoyed and didn't appreciate her father's "man up" comment either. Placing her hand on Roman's shoulder, she strongly suggested, "Maybe we could give him some time."

Roman nodded his head even though he was frustrated that the lead seemed to be gone. Lucas was dissatisfied with Will not being able to remember anything that Chad did to him. He had hoped that Will would want nothing to do with Chad. Moving forward, he spoke, "Will, there's something you need to know about your loving boyfriend..."

Sami quickly grabbed Lucas's arm. "Lucas, don't do it." Sami gave Lucas a look, and he realized he couldn't tell Will just yet because he didn't want to traumatize his son. Will bit his lip and looked away from his family because he didn't have anything else to say to them.

Out by the nurse's station, EJ and Azzura continued to talk when Isobel was suddenly wheeled in with Arianna, Manny, Dario, and Gabi in tow. EJ looked over and questioned, "What is going on?"

Arianna was about to tell EJ what happened, but when she saw Azzura with him, she decided to ignore EJ's question to continue following the EMTs and nurses to one of the emergency rooms. Manny held his brother back to allow their mother some privacy. "Everything will be okay, Dario. She will be fine," he said hoping to calm his tearful brother.

* * *

><p>Ignazio stood under the walk-through at the Horton Town Square looking at the text message he received from Ric earlier. He told Ric he wanted to meet up with him to discuss what Ric overheard Azzura and his grandmother saying. He was obviously concerned that Maddalena didn't seem pleased with his lack of progress concerning Chad even after he tried to assure her two days back he had everything covered. When Ric arrived, Ignazio made sure no one was around before he requested, "Tell me everything you overheard exactly."<p>

Ric flashed back to what he overheard Maddalena and Azzura say. "They are concerned because Chad is focused on Will. They see that as a reason for him to stay in Salem."

Ignazio was peeved because his plan was taking longer than he expected. "Of course he is focused on Will because Will was found on the pier and not brought back to the lab as originally planned!" Calming himself down, he shared, "Chad will leave with Will soon. I promise you it will happen."

"They claim they will step in if Chad is not gone by the end of the month," Ric asserted.

Ignazio shook his head. "At least Maddalena is respecting my timeline, but it honestly should not take that long." Looking across the square, he spotted Chelsea sitting alone at a table. His thoughts turned to Dario and how he ran out of the pub on Chelsea. Returning to Ric, he instructed, "Continue to listen in on my grandmother's conversations and see if you can find out anything on Will's condition. He is awake now and should be released soon."

After Ric nodded his head and left, Ignazio made his way over to Chelsea thinking of the pain on Dario's face when he ran out. "I am very fond of Dario, but I have to say he is a fool for letting you go. You should not be alone like this."

Chelsea looked up and almost blushed when she heard Ignazio's words. Her guilt allowed her to keep herself from really enjoying the moment though. "Well, Dario had his reasons for walking away."

Ignazio cautiously took a seat across from Chelsea as he admitted, "I cannot believe he chose another man over you. You are a beautiful woman, and homosexuality should not exist solely on that fact..."

Chelsea wasn't sure what to say to Ignazio's peculiar compliment. "Dario's gay, and I knew that from the beginning. I knew he loved Sonny, and as horrible as this sounds, I only went out with him to help him realize it. I'm not so beautiful – trust me. Trust any guy that I've ever gone out with."

Ignazio did not enjoy seeing Chelsea so down on herself. "Anyone who has been with you and now believes you are not beautiful is no real man. Dario is not a real man because he wants to be with another boy. It is perverse."

"What did you just say?" Chelsea asked wondering if Ignazio was some kind of homophobe.

Ignazio realized he slipped with admitting his true feelings about homosexuality. He questioned his comfortableness with Chelsea and then realized how his hand seemed to move closer to hers on the table. He felt really drawn to her, for some reason, and he found it very dangerous. "I apologize. I only said those things to make you feel better. As I told you, I am very fond of Dario." Ignazio wanted to admit his fondness for Chelsea but refrained because this was new territory for him.

Chelsea decided to give Ignazio the benefit of the doubt. She felt special and noticed around him and that scared her. "You're really sweet in your own way, Ignazio. I sincerely appreciate you trying to cheer me up."

"What on earth would he need to cheer you up about?" Kate asked as she walked up to the table. She wasn't thrilled or impressed to see André's son spending time with Chelsea.

Ignazio traded a glance with Chelsea and stood up. "I should go now. I hope things get better for everyone involved, Chelsea." After Chelsea thanked him, Ignazio walked off but remained close enough so he could overhear their conversation.

Kate took a seat next to Chelsea and gave her a look of concern. "What were you and Ignazio talking about?"

"Dario," Chelsea admitted.

Kate reflected on her conversation with Dario outside of the hospital before getting onto her granddaughter. "I ran into Dario at the hospital, and he told me what you did. What on earth made you think that was a good idea? I thought you were done with the games when you moved out of Salem to help your mom after her accident."

Chelsea let out a sigh. "You don't think I realize now how stupid I was for playing Dario like that? Even if it seems he and Sonny might get back together, I still feel awful for leading Dario on. I realized today after he exploded on me at the pub how much I miss being a therapist and helping kids out. In some sick twisted way, I think I saw Dario as a client."

Kate could see that Chelsea was beating herself up enough. She changed her tune. "Look, Dario played you, too. He was only using you to get over Sonny, so don't feel so bad."

Chelsea eyed Kate because of her swift turnaround. "That was quick."

"Well, I shouldn't push you too hard with everything that is happening," Kate explained herself before adding, "I know you haven't had the best luck with relationships, so maybe you wanted to help Dario and Sonny find each other again."

Chelsea thought about Kate's insight into the situation. "I think you're right," she started, but then returned to beating herself up again, "Well, if we forget about the fact that I treated Dario as if he were my client, I still think my motives in this were selfish."

Confused, Kate asked for clarification. "What do you mean? You said it yourself, Dario and Sonny are most likely going to work out now."

Chelsea gave her grandmother a look to let Kate know she was disappointed in herself. "Upon further reflection, I realize I got closer to Dario to make sense of Billie and Max's affair. I caught on quick that Sonny had cheated on Kai with Dario, and I wanted to understand why because maybe I could make sense of why mom and Max betrayed me in the same way. Maybe Max and mom love each other, and I was just someone standing in the way – an inconvenience."

Kate shifted in her seat suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. She tried to play it off though and asked, "Why do Billie and Max have to be in love to make sense of the affair?

Chelsea continued to process through her experience as she admitted, "I guess I want to understand love. I want to understand how it works because I get it wrong every single time. I used Sonny and Dario, so I could see love succeed somewhere. Love is confusing and seems so much bigger than what people claim it to be. I don't see it always winning through around me."

Kate thought for a moment before arguing, "What about your dad and Hope? They've made it through."

Chelsea thought about the history between Bo and Hope. She shook her head as she shared, "I know I'm probably naïve for wanting this, but I want to get married once and never get divorced. I want to be an exception in my generation."

Kate pulled out her phone unsure of what to say to Chelsea in this situation. She didn't feel qualified to talk about successful healthy relationships. "Is this what you wanted to talk to me about when you sent me that text?"

Chelsea shook her head as she pondered what Bo told her at the pub. "I wanted to talk to you about mom. Dad told me he heard a rumor about her, but he won't tell me anything. Have you heard anything about mom?"

Kate became uncomfortable as she shifted in her chair again and pulled her hair back. "I haven't heard much of anything," she said first. "Your mom has tried to talk to me about something, but I have been focused on Will."

Chelsea noted how uncomfortable Kate became when she mentioned her mother. "So what has she been trying to tell you? I know you know something."

Understanding that Chelsea would continue to push, Kate shared, "Well, I have heard that your mom and Max may be visiting Salem soon." She hoped Chelsea wouldn't ask about what Billie tried to tell her over the phone.

Surprised to hear Max's name, Chelsea looked down feeling uncertain about Max and Billie coming to Salem. Looking up, she questioned, "Mom told you that on the phone?"

Kate remembered overhearing Caroline talking about Max coming to visit her and then Billie saying she was going to visit for a special occasion. The timing fit, but she didn't want to tell Chelsea about the special occasion. "Well..."

"What aren't you telling me," Chelsea quickly interrupted Kate. "Stop hiding behind half-truths. Tell me everything you know."

Kate sighed because she didn't want Chelsea to experience learning the truth a different way. "Look. What I'm about to tell you may not be completely accurate, but Billie and Max's visit is not just a regular visit. Billie told me she's engaged and wants to come to Salem to do some wedding shopping."

Disgust filled Chelsea's body as she looked away. She realized her hypothesis was right about Max and Billie loving each other. "I can't believe this. They do love each other. Max actually proposed to my mom! Mom actually agreed to marry my ex!" Chelsea shook her head because this was more than she could handle. "I think it's time for a change again. I definitely don't have the strength to handle this."

Kate took Chelsea's hand trying to comfort her while Ignazio looked on wondering the type of change Chelsea was referring to. "Chelsea, I can tell her not to come here. She can do her shopping in Paris or somewhere else." Chelsea simply shook her head. She was done with the conversation.

* * *

><p>Back at the hospital, Chad finally walked into Will's room after being told that Will remembered nothing. Looking into Will's eyes was bittersweet for him because he felt guilty about what happened with Mia. "Will, you must have a lot of questions about that night. I'm so sorry."<p>

"Chad, just come here," Will said as he stretched his right hand to him. "I've been dying to see you since they forced you out of the room after I woke up."

Chad moved closer and took Will's hand. He knew he had to tell Will the truth about that night because he deserved to know. "Will, I messed up that night. I'm the reason you were on the pier alone that night."

"I know," Will claimed as he looked down.

Chad gave Will a confused look mentioning, "I was told the last thing you remembered from that night was when we first arrived to Chez Rouge."

Will looked into Chad's eyes as he admitted, "I lied. I don't remember the attack itself, but I do remember what happened to Mia and rushing off to the pier. I decided to leave that out because I didn't want to talk with my parents about it."

"I am so sorry, Will," Chad said defeated. The confident strength he had earlier was clearly gone.

"I forgive you, Chad," Will shared surprising Chad. "I remember how you wanted to tell me before. Mia was the secret you wanted to tell me, but couldn't." Will recalled how hurt he felt on the pier after seeing Mia and Chad's kiss. It hurt so much because Will thought things were better – perfect.

Chad remembered how he told Will he needed to get some things in order before he could tell Will the truth about Mia and everything else. He was still surprised by Will's ability to forgive him so easily though. "I want to explain everything to you. I used Abigail to make you think that..."

"Chad, don't," Will requested softly. "You don't have to explain this to me. I just want to move on and focus on our relationship. Chad, I want to be with you no matter what happened in the past. Just forget it all."

Chad stood there dumbfounded as he continued to hold Will's hand. After a moment to let Will's undramatic forgiveness sink in, he asked, "Are you sure? Is this really what you want?" He couldn't believe how calm Will was about all of this.

Will squeezed Chad's hand and smiled. "Of course. Is it what you want?"

Chad smiled back and kissed Will after saying, "Yeah. That's all I want." After their kiss, Chad pulled a chair behind him, so he could sit next to Will. He decided to propose what he thought would be best for them. "Will, I think we should run away together."

"You do?"

Chad nodded his head as he confirmed, "Yeah. We need to get out of this place. Away from everything. There's so much trying to stand in our way here."

Will let out a small smile at Chad while he tried to keep his insecurities in check. He wanted to escape all the painful memories as well but was not ready to just run away. "Do you remember our conversation on your family yacht in the summer?" he asked somewhat rhetorically because he continued without a pause. "You reflected on the song I dedicated to you and said we could try running away, but that we could never fully escape our problems."

Chad knew Will was right and wished he wasn't. Holding onto his necklace from the island of Maddalena, he still maintained, "I still think we would be better off away from Salem – somewhere we can be together without the memories of our past and actually have a real relationship."

Will grabbed his neck with his left hand realizing he didn't have his necklace on. Lowering his left hand, he admitted, "I'm not ready to do anything like that at the moment. I do want to be with you, but I also want to be with my family. I wouldn't feel right if I just left them behind."

Even though Will's family didn't care for him, Chad decided to let it go. "We don't have to leave, but I do want to talk to you more about what happened that night."

Will tensed up a bit but managed to keep his insecurities in check. "We don't have to talk anymore. I just want to hold your hand, Chad. That's all I want right now."

Chad gave Will an uneasy smile. "Whatever you want, Will. I'm here for you," he shared before bringing Will's hand up to his lips.


	60. Chapter 60 Failed Plans

**Chapter 60: Failed Plans – Thursday, January 19th, 2012**

The next day, Roman arrived to the hospital and found Arianna in one of the private waiting rooms. "Thanks for meeting me. Does anyone know you're in here?"

Arianna shook her head as she replied, "No. I made sure no one followed me. I told my siblings I needed to get some air. I'm guessing this has to do with... you know."

Roman nodded his head. "Yes, we need to check in on a few things. I was hoping Will would have answers for us, but now it's imperative we get you into the mansion to see if you can find any clues or connections to my grandson's attack as well as Abe's."

Arianna wasn't sure if she would have the time to just look around the Dimera mansion. "Is there anything specific you need me to look for?"

"Actually, there is," Roman answered. "If you come across a knife, you should let us know. It's a thirteen inch Italian Stiletto knife. We believe it was used to slash Abe's tires and then used to stab Will."

Arianna could see that Roman had a lot riding on this. "I'll see what I can do. How is Will doing?"

"It's looking like Will is going to be released today," Roman shared. "He's having some problems with his memory though unfortunately."

Arianna pondered if Stefano could really be responsible for Abe and Will's attacks. She knew she needed to help out even if her mother was sick. "Maybe I can take a break from my mother. Manny and Gabi are up here and could spend more time with her while I go see if I can find out what's going on in the mansion. I'll go tell them now."

Roman slightly bowed his head to thank Arianna. "Keep your eyes and ears open for anything. Call me if you're able to do anything. Please be careful."

Arianna agreed and left first. After a minute, Roman headed out of the room and found Sami, Lucas, and Chad in Will's hospital room. "So what's the news?"

Sami watched as Will buttoned his shirt. She noted he had some difficulty doing so because his body was adjusting to moving again. "Will is being released. We're waiting to get final word from Lexie, and then we can take him home."

Will finished buttoning his shirt and quickly looked to everyone in the room. "I want to go home with Chad," he announced.

Lucas moved to respond to Will, but Sami stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Wherever you go, we will be here to help."

Sami nodded her head while attempting to keep her frustration with Chad in check. "Before you go back to your apartment, we are stopping somewhere for a surprise."

Chad had no idea what surprise Sami was referring to, but when he saw the smile on Will's face, he decided to go with it. "Hopefully, my sister will get here so we can get out of this place."

Right on cue, Lexie walked into the room with a file in her hands. "We're almost done here. I want to run one more blood test before we officially release you."

Will sighed. He was ready to get out of there and felt this anxiety come over him. "You promise this is the last one?"

Lexie nodded her head and promised. Lucas patted Will on the back as he said, "We'll be here when you're done."

After Lexie and Will walked away, Chad crossed his arms and turned his back to Lucas and Sami because he didn't want to be alone with them in the room. Roman noted the animosity between his daughter and Chad and decided to make conversation. "Has Lexie said anything about Will possibly getting his memory back?"

Sami eyed Chad for a moment before turning to her father. "Not really. She thinks it could be related to something that may have been put in Will's system, or Will could be repressing almost everything from that night because of how traumatic it was for him."

Lucas watched Chad in disappointment. He couldn't believe his son chose to go home with him. "It's very convenient for Chad that Will doesn't remember what happened with Mia. I guess that was really traumatic for him, too. He has no idea that his boyfriend traumatized him so much."

Chad bit his lip and scratched the back of his head because he did not want to engage Lucas and Sami into another argument. After taking a deep breath, he turned around and calmly asked, "What's the surprise you guys have in store for Will?"

Lucas smirked at Chad as he answered, "We planned a party at the pub, so Will can be surrounded by the ones who truly love him. That's why Sami and I didn't tell you about it."

Sami stood in between Lucas and Chad to make sure nothing else escalated for Will's sake. That did not stop her though from giving Chad her own two cents on him. "You're on borrowed time, Chad. You're going to screw up again, or Will is going to remember exactly what you did."

Chad really tried to fight the urge, but it was too strong. "Will wants to be with me, and you two need to accept it. The two of you are hypocrites." Chad walked away and decided to wait for Will outside.

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Chelsea helped her grandma Caroline decorate the place since they were throwing a party for Will's release. After finishing the entrance, Caroline glanced out the window and groaned as she walked over to start on a table. "It looks like some of the media got wind of Will coming here after his release. I wish they would just leave us alone."<p>

Chelsea, who was working on a different table, agreed. "They think they're helping society by providing all this meticulous information, but all they are now are intrusive bullies."

Celeste walked in holding Theo's hand. Caroline stopped what she was doing and greeted them, "Hello, Celeste. Hello, Theo. How are you two doing?"

Celeste noted the decorations. "Is the pub open for business? I promised Theodore a hot chocolate after his therapy session, but if we need to, we can get it from Java."

Caroline gave Theo a smile as she answered, "Of course! Theo needs his hot cocoa."

Chelsea finished decorating a table and volunteered, "I'll go make one with extra whipped cream just how you like it."

Theo smiled at Chelsea and asked, "Can I go with you?"

Chelsea nodded and took Theo's hand. "Sure. Come on."

After Chelsea led Theo away to the back, Caroline turned to Celeste. "How is Lexie doing? I can't believe she went back to work to help with Will's recovery."

Even though she didn't think her daughter was ready to return to work, Celeste knew Lexie needed to do so. "She is focused. I think she needs work right now for some normalcy. I think she is so willing to go back because of how close and similar Abe and Will's attacks were."

Caroline grimaced as she thought about the attacks. "I am still praying that Abe is found safe and sound. His presence is sorely missed."

As Celeste agreed, Stefano walked into the pub. Ignoring Celeste, he clutched his hands as he said, "Oh good. Caroline I'm hoping we can discuss security at the pub."

Caroline was not pleased to see Stefano. "Security? Why is that any of your concern?"

Stefano remained calm as he responded, "I only wish to make sure that there are no problems for William's party."

Caroline placed her hands on her hips and with attitude shared, "Well, I wish you weren't part of the deal of Will and Chad's relationship."

"Caroline. Caroline. Caroline. You need to stop looking at me as an enemy," Stefano suggested before countering, "I can keep everyone safe under my protection."

Caroline raised her eyebrows to Stefano. "I'm not so sure about that. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to return to decorating."

Caroline returned to the table she was decorating while Celeste sashayed over to stand in front of Stefano. "Are you checking on security to keep the media out or to keep any extra danger from joining the party?"

Stefano was not in the mood to talk to Celeste. "You tell me. You're the psychic."

Celeste gave Stefano a fake look of concern. "Not in the mood? I thought you would like to talk about Alexandra at the very least."

"There's nothing to say," Stefano stated. "She is not fond of me at the moment, and I highly doubt you'll want to step in to help."

Celeste clasped her hands against her chest. "Stefano, you only have yourself to blame for how our daughter views you. You have done many evil things and destroyed many lives."

Stefano showed his frustration with the growl in his voice. "Don't be a hypocrite! Things would be different if you hadn't kept me away from her for so long."

Maddalena arrived to the pub with Ignazio, who had bags in his hands. Noting the tension between Stefano and Celeste as she walked up, she commented, "This reminds me of old times. What has my brother done to you this time, Frankie?"

Celeste did not appreciate Maddalena calling her by her other name. Caroline walked over and greeted Maddalena. "Can I help you?"

Maddalena gave Caroline a convincing smile. "Yes, we brought some desserts for William's party. They are homemade."

Caroline gave Maddalena an appreciative smile. "They can go to the bar." After Maddalena motioned to Ignazio, he followed Caroline to the bar and began to set the desserts out.

Stefano took the opportunity to call out his sister, "Cara sorella, you are overzealous in your mission here. You are coming off as a fake."

Maddalena threw her hands at Stefano. "Oh Stefano, Celeste and I know very well you are the emperor of lies. Don't feel threatened by me – your dear sister – because I have a good heart, and I use it."

Stefano cringed because his sister was more confident in her goodness than before. He did not understand how she managed to get under his skin easier now and did not like it. "I am finished with my reasons for being here. Tell Caroline I will make sure my men continue to keep unwanted guest from coming in." Stefano walked out leaving Celeste with Maddalena. Neither had anything to say to the other – nor did they want to do so.

Chelsea walked out from the back with Theo, who was sipping on his hot chocolate with whipped cream. Theo rushed over to Celeste, but Chelsea stopped by the bar when she saw Ignazio helping Caroline. "Ignazio, this is a surprise."

Caroline walked off to tell Celeste the hot chocolate was on the house to give her granddaughter some privacy with her friend. Ignazio turned to Chelsea after laying out the last dessert. "I accompanied my nonna here to drop off these pies and cookies for Will's party."

"Nonna? I'm guessing that means grandmother," Chelsea commented. "I've heard Johnny refer to Stefano as his nonno, so I am assuming here."

Ignazio smiled and lightly tipped his head to Chelsea. "You are a very quick learner of the Italian language. You assumed correctly."

"Well maybe you could teach me more," Chelsea said with a smile.

Maddalena looked over and noticed how close Chelsea and Ignazio were. She questioned if it was finally time for her to be replaced. The look in Ignazio's eyes seemed to say it was possible.

* * *

><p>At the mayor's office, EJ sat behind his desk as Mr. Olsen sat across from him. It had been almost a week since he accepted the post of mayor, but sitting in Abe's office still felt uncomfortable for EJ. Every time he arrived to the office, he remembered finding his distraught sister outside and trying to comfort her. He knew he had a job to do, but the job conflicted with how he usually lived his life. He was on the other side of things now.<p>

Mr. Olsen looked up after reading aloud EJ's statement to the press concerning Will's release which put emphasis on giving the family privacy during this time. "Mayor Dimera, should we say anything about the rumors about why Will was out on the pier?"

EJ didn't even have to think as he answered immediately, "No, I'd rather not feed into the rumors. I think the statement we have is good enough, but I don't want to release it until later today in case something else comes up." After Mr. Olsen nodded his head, EJ asked, "What else is on the schedule for the rest of the day? Samantha really wants me to be at William's party at the pub."

Mr. Olsen, who was also in charge of helping EJ settle in as mayor, pulled out his iPad to look at the schedule they had for today. "We have a few meetings today, but we are still waiting for representatives of the Police Department to show up. When they arrive for our meeting, we can try to hurry things up, so you can make an appearance at Will's party."

Bo and Hope arrived to talk to EJ. After knocking on the door and entering, Bo cringed inside because of how comfortable EJ seemed to be behind Abe's desk. "It looks like you're settling in, Junior."

EJ looked to his door and stood up. Adjusting the collars of his sleeve, he said, "Detectives. I was afraid you weren't showing up today. It seems you've avoided any real solutions on how to keep Salem safe until now."

"I'll leave you three to talk," Mr. Olsen said before exiting the room.

Hope decided to get more comfortable and took a seat across from EJ's desk. "We want to talk to you about Stefano and his relationship with Abe and Will."

EJ was not pleased to hear that they wanted to talk about his father. Taking a seat again, he shared, "Well, I guess I was wrong on thinking you wanted to discuss real solutions."

Bo didn't bother taking a seat, but leaned on the other open chair next to Hope. "Look, the police force wants to work together with this office to find out who did this."

EJ leaned forward on his chair as he clarified his problem with them. "I want us to work together as well, but the police have wasted enough time looking at my father as a suspect. You've got the wrong person."

Hope figured they weren't going to be able to discuss Stefano with EJ outright. "I hope you're right for your sake," she said deciding on another route to discuss the current situation. "Can you think of any connection between Abe and Will?"

EJ looked Bo and Hope over. "Why don't you just tell me what you have?"

Bo traded a glance with Hope as he shared their speculation. "We think Sami could be in danger."

Seeing that EJ's interest had peaked, Hope finished their rationale. "Abe is Lexie's husband. Will is Chad's significant other. Sami is your wife. We think it's possible that someone is targeting your family specifically and that Sami is next."

EJ managed to lose his composure somewhat in front of Bo and Hope. "I don't know why they would be targets if your theory is correct," he admitted clearly trying to think of all the possibilities. "You think my father is responsible? That's why you asked about his relationships with Abe and Will – Stefano is your connection."

"If it's not Stefano, then it is a strong possibility that Kate could be in danger, too," Hope offered to show they had thought outside of their usual "blame the Dimeras" box.

EJ shook his head in disbelief. Even though he could see how Bo and Hope would suspect Sami possibly being in danger, he did not believe his father would do something like this. "I do not want to cause this conversation to go in circles, but my father is not guilty of these crimes," he stated adamantly.

Going off of what Hope offered, Bo decided to give Stefano the benefit of the doubt. "Kate found that body in the park over the summer. We tied that murder to Rafe, but Rafe is dead now. He couldn't be behind these attacks. What about his brother, Manuel?"

EJ rapidly dismissed the thought. "Manny has been under tight supervision at Brooktree. He's been too closed off to be responsible for the attacks." Pausing for a moment, he remembered how Brooktree was giving him a difficult time with releasing Manny for good until the last minute. They did a 180 and decided to go ahead with a complete release. "It has to be someone else."

Thinking aloud, Hope shared, "Mia was attacked the day before Will was attacked. It is possible that whoever attacked her, thought she was Chad's girlfriend, but then realized their mistake."

EJ grew frustrated because he believed they weren't getting anywhere. "I don't know anything about Mia's attack, and I believe she has returned to New York. Have you tried to question her?"

Hope remembered how Mia believed Victor was responsible. Deciding not to share that with EJ, she said, "I tried to talk to her, but she didn't have anything to share."

"We keep running into dead ends," Bo grumbled.

EJ continued to feel unproductive. "It seems the Police Department has nothing and lacks direction on what needs to be done to solve who is responsible for these attacks. It is essential we stop running around aimlessly like chickens without their heads. Has Will come up with any information for you at all?"

"Will has shut down on us," Bo claimed before getting defensive, "and we are not doing anything aimlessly. Our best bet at this point is to follow our top lead. Even if you don't like it, Stefano is our best direction in finding out who did this to Abe and Will. You know your father has done a lot of evil things to people over the years – your family included."

Hope raised her eyebrow to EJ as she reminded him, "There's Tony. Stefano dismissed him to an island for twenty years."

EJ knew his father's wrath all too well, but also knew his father had mellowed with age and became more familial. "I will do my part to keep the people safe, but I am not keen on listening to this anymore. If you think my father is your best bet in finding answers, do what you must do. I do hope you will do your part and keep your eyes and ears aware of things outside of the Dimera name."

"I hope you open your mind to all possibilities as well, Junior," Bo said as Hope stood up. Both walked out leaving EJ alone to ponder if he made the right choice in allowing them to look into his father further.

* * *

><p>At the Cheatin' Heart, Adrienne stood behind the bar while her brother sat on a stool across from her. "So tell me bro, what are you trying to avoid now?"<p>

Jack took a sip from his drink before answering, "I guess it's always the same. I'm in a tough situation with Jen and Abigail. Jen has been great with trying to help me with the kids, but she is still with Daniel and avoids that conversation altogether. It's probably better that way though." Jack took another sip as he thought about his promise to Abigail to stay away from Jen. He wondered if it was a promise he could keep.

Adrienne walked off to help a customer, but when she returned she questioned her brother's resolve to win Jennifer over. "Jen seems really happy with Daniel and seems set on marrying him now that they are engaged. How do you handle that and how do you figure when you've gone too far with this?"

Jack didn't want to think about all of that because those two questions were quite difficult. Even though he promised Abigail he would stay away from her mother, he knew one truth he could share with his sister, "I know I messed up, but I can't imagine my life without Jen."

"Then why did you walk away from her?" Adrienne called him out clearly unaware of the promise her brother made.

Jack looked down and began to finger his glass. "Things were complicated. I told you about all of that," he replied trying to remember what exactly he told his sister about his situation overseas.

"You mean the fact that you were held captive?" Adrienne wondered what the real story was behind all of that. "So things were out of your control, and you couldn't get back to Jen. Does that mean you never really left her?"

Jack took a big gulp to buy himself some time before he answered. Thankfully for him, Dario arrived to talk to Adrienne. "Boss, I thought it would be best if I came to talk to you in person."

Adrienne turned to Dario with concern. "Is everything okay?"

Dario shook his head as he explained, "My mother is not getting better, so..." Dario stopped so he could just get to his point. "I'm going to need some time off."

"Of course, Dario. Take all the time you need," she replied with a warm tone.

Dario lowered his head. "Thanks. I appreciate it. I should return to the hospital." Even though he knew he needed to return to his mother's side, he decided he should take a break at the park first for more alone time.

Adrienne wanted to give Dario a hug before he left, but he didn't waste any time in leaving. She gave Jack a saddened look wishing there was something she could do to help Dario through this. There was so much she still didn't understand. "Jack, are you going to hurt Jen and the kids again?"

Jack tilted his head questioning his sister's random question. "What kind of question is that? I have never wanted to hurt Jen or the kids."

Adrienne took Jack's hand in hers. "I believe that, Jack, but you have done this over and over. I understand why though I guess. It's because you feel hurt, and it can be too much for you to handle, right? We didn't have it easy growing up."

Jack took his hand away from his sister. "It's always been about them – not me."

"Nevertheless, you're hurting now," Adrienne pointed out. "I can see it, and I would be lying to you if I didn't say it worried me. Abigail is pushing you, and Jen is keeping you at bay. Is any part of you wondering if it would be better to just leave again?" By no means did Adrienne want her brother to leave Salem, but she figured asking him might help him break his cycle.

Jack stood up from the bar wondering if his sister was suggesting he leave Salem again. "No," he finally answered. "I don't want to even think about that. I should go. I'll catch you later." Jack rushed off leaving Adrienne to wonder if her brother was ready to deal with the past yet.

Josh and T arrived to grab a snack from the Cheatin' Heart. "Thanks for meeting me here. I've been busy making some calls, and couldn't meet with you on campus. How are classes going?"

T thought about how he hadn't gone to class at all, but he didn't want anyone to know why. "Things are going okay. I think this semester will be easier."

"That's good. I remember my freshman year. First semester was the hardest because it was a transition, but I got the swing of things," Josh remarked. "I got a text from Sonny today. He said they are having a party for Will since he's getting out of the hospital."

T found a table and led Josh to it, so they could sit. "Yeah, I got the same text," he said.

Josh looked at his phone knowing there was a lot he still needed to do. "I don't know if I will make it, but I am going to try. Are you going?"

T didn't even question what Josh needed to do because he was so focused on himself. "I should go, but I feel bad for staying away from Will this whole time."

Josh forgot about his problems for a moment to ask T, "Why? Why didn't you ever visit Will at the hospital?"

"I guess I could have gone to see him when he woke up, but I already felt bad," T admitted. "I guess I couldn't handle seeing Will like that."

Josh nodded his head. "You should go. You and Will have been friends for a long time. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. Don't let the guilt or awkwardness get the best of you."

T nodded his head knowing he would have to talk to Will eventually. Adrienne walked over to take their order putting the conversation about Will to an end. T remained in his thoughts feeling defeated in every area of his life.

* * *

><p>Back at the hospital, Jennifer and Daniel sat in her office having a mini-date. Jennifer continued to smile at Daniel as she shared in one breath, "This is just so great. I am glad we could make this time to be together today. We should try to do this more often. What do you think?"<p>

Daniel could tell something was off. It was like Jennifer was trying too hard with this impromptu date. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," Jen quickly answered. "I just know we've both been busy with things at the hospital. We haven't really discussed the wedding much, so maybe we can do that now. We should definitely talk about the wedding – if you want."

Daniel gave Jennifer a worried look. "Are you thinking I don't want to marry you anymore?"

Jen shook her head. "No? I mean, no. I just think we should set a date at least so we can give ourselves time to plan everything – together."

Daniel felt really uneasy about having this conversation with Jennifer. There seemed to be another for Jennifer to rush the planning of their wedding. "Don't get me wrong, Jen. We are engaged – I wouldn't have it any other way – but I feel like there's something you're avoiding by focusing on us. What's going on with Jack?"

Jennifer gave Daniel a nervous look. "He and Abigail are still having their issues, but I am cautiously optimistic they will be able to work things out."

Daniel thought about the moments he had witnessed between Jack and Jen knowing there was something there. "What's going on between you and Jack though? He hasn't really made it a secret that he wants you back."

Jennifer remembered her conversation with Maggie about her draw to Jack. She feared being honest with Daniel, but she didn't want to lie to him either. "Daniel, he does want me back and has told me so, but I have fought with him about it. He's told me more about why he was gone for so long, and..."

Daniel could see she was having difficulty talking to him about this. "It is okay, Jen. It's okay if you're questioning your feelings for Jack. It's perfectly normal because he has been a big part of your life," he encouraged to help her continue being honest with him even though, deep down, he was afraid of it.

Jen took Daniel's hand and pulled him close. "I am feeling a lot of things right now," she confessed. "I am confused by it all, but I hope you know I still love you."

"I love you, too," Daniel affirmed. Tightly holding her hand, he wondered, "The question is what we do now?"

Jennifer looked down unsure of what to do. "Well we both love each other, but I guess you mean about the wedding."

Daniel nodded his head before submitting, "Maybe we should put planning on hold. We can try to sort things out when things are less hectic."

Jennifer hated the idea, but she knew it was the right thing to do. "I'm so sorry, Daniel."

Daniel softly kissed Jennifer's hand. "You don't have to be sorry. We will work through this."

Melanie walked in interrupting Daniel and Jen's conversation. "Dad, you're needed in Isobel Hernandez's room. Nathan is having some issues."

Even though Daniel got some satisfaction in Nathan sending his daughter for his help, he also hated that it cut his and Jennifer's conversation short. "Jen, we can talk later," he said casually hoping that his daughter didn't pick up on what he and Jen were going through. After Jen nodded, Daniel left.

Melanie took the opportunity to check in with Jen as Jen returned to her chair behind her desk. "How are things going with you and my dad?"

Jen began to move things around her desk due to feeling uncomfortable talking to Melanie about this. "Things are good. Just hectic I guess."

Melanie gave Jen an excited smile as she exclaimed, "Nathan and I finally decided to meet with the wedding party on Sunday to talk about tuxes and dresses! We're meeting at your house – I hope Nathan talked to you about it." Jennifer nodded her head to confirm Nathan had talked to her already. Melanie continued, "Maggie is going to help me do some shopping starting tomorrow, I think. How are wedding plans going on your end?"

Jen finally stopped messing with the items on her desk to give Melanie an easy smile. "Your dad and I have decided to put planning on hold while we try to run the hospital. Hopefully, when Lexie gets back we can start planning again."

Melanie became concerned. "Is everything okay?"

Jennifer looked down as she nodded her head. "Yeah, things are fine. It's probably best this way so Daniel and I can help you and Nathan with your wedding."

Melanie smiled with excitement as she exclaimed, "And then I can help you and my dad with yours." Jennifer forced a smile and simply nodded her head.

In Isobel's room, Gabi and Manny sat with their mother talking about positive things to lift her spirits, but it seemed difficult because Isobel had other things on her mind. She needed her daughter to leave so she could talk to Manny about Maddalena. "Gabi, do you have homework? You can go if you need."

Gabi got up and grabbed her book bag but took a seat. "I can do homework here, but my main priority is to make sure you feel good again."

Isobel became frustrated. "I don't want that," she claimed pushing Gabi away emotionally.

Nathan walked in with Daniel after telling him that Isobel was refusing any more tests. "Isobel, have you changed your mind?"

Isobel was not pleased with Nathan's bringing in Dr. Jonas. "I know it's my time, so there is no need to run more tests."

Daniel moved over on the other side of Isobel. "We need to run tests to see where you are – health wise, so we can treat you appropriately."

"I don't want to know, and I don't want to be treated," Isobel countered.

Daniel knew he needed to put his foot down. "It's our job to treat you, Isobel."

Isobel still fought back and finally requested, "Just let me die."

Upset by her mother's attitude, Gabi pulled her book bag over her shoulder, and waved her hands in front of her. "I can't take this anymore," she cried before rushing out.

Manny looked to Daniel and Nathan. Daniel tried his best to keep his frustration in check as he informed Isobel. "We are not going to let you just die here."

Isobel saw that her attitude wasn't helping her children and finally caved. "Okay. Run your tests, but I want to know my options."

Relieved, Manny kissed his mother on the cheek. "I'll leave so they can run tests. Hopefully I can stop Gabi from leaving."

Isobel watched as Manny rushed out of the room. Turning to Daniel and Nathan she wondered if her mind was slipping. She couldn't give up just yet. There was still so much she needed to do before she passed on.

* * *

><p>Stefano stood with Marco in the Dimera Mansion. "How are things going with security?"<p>

"Things are going well, but I must inform you security hasn't been tight around your sister and her home because we've had to cover the events and the family," Marco answered.

Stefano shook his head. "That's no good. I need to know what my sister and those in her household are doing. Please do what you need to do to rectify that. I know things have been impractical the last month or so, but I promise you will get vacation time when this whole fiasco is cleared up."

The doorbell rang. "I'll get that Mr. Dimera," Marco said as he made his way to the door. The thought of a vacation sounded great to Marco.

When Marco opened the door, Lexie rushed past Marco to talk to Stefano. "Father, I thought I would let you know that your evil deeds are finally catching up to you."

Stefano had to take a moment because of how quick Lexie made her way to him. Noting that Marco was making a call in the foyer, he asked his daughter, "What are you talking about now, Alexandra?"

Lexie thought about how Chad had told her Colin ran tests on Will a few days ago. Her thoughts had been spinning ever since then, and she was even more convinced her father was somehow responsible for Abe and Will's attacks because of the results from some of Will's tests. "Everything will come out in the open even if you try to deny it."

Stefano was not in the mood for Lexie's attacks and turned his back on her. "It hurts that you think so ill of me, but I know now there's nothing I can do. I'm not worried because I have done nothing wrong."

"Don't turn your back on me and just come clean," Lexie demanded. She hated coming to her father like this just as much as Stefano hated it.

Kate walked in hearing the commotion. "What on earth is going on down here?"

Lexie turned to Kate realizing her emotions had gotten control of her once again. "Your husband is a liar," she shared in a calmer tone.

Kate decided not to keep the conversation going and turned to Stefano. "Stefano, I am headed for the pub soon for Will's welcome party. You should come. I know it would mean a lot to Chad to see you supporting him and Will."

Lexie did not appreciate being ignored, so she shared her two cents on Kate's idea. "I'm not sure it would be honest support."

Stefano continued to look away from Kate and Lexie. He rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated gasp. "I wish I could get any kind of support from you, daughter – even false support. If all you came here to do was warn me and falsely accuse me of things I had nothing to do with, then you can leave."

"Fine," Lexie started. "You have heard my warning. All I wanted was the truth from you." Lexie rushed out as Marco rejoined them in the room.

Kate placed her hand on Stefano's shoulder. "I'll make sure the kids are ready to go, and I'll meet you down here so we can go to the pub." Stefano nodded his head, and Kate left the room.

"Mr. Dimera, I just got off the phone with the men we put on Lexie. It seems she has found new ways to lose them. Do you want me back on Lexie?" Marco asked.

Stefano shook his head. "No, I want you to remain on Chad, and the decoy if he is still necessary."

"I believe the decoy is still needed, but the media has caught on," Marco shared before affirming, "Either way, the family will all be safe."

Arianna let herself into the mansion after walking past Lexie, who was getting into her car. She wondered if she missed a showdown between Stefano and Lexie but needed to focus on the task at hand. Walking in, she greeted Stefano while ignoring Marco. "Stefano, I'm hoping I can have a moment with you."

Stefano wondered what Arianna would want to talk to him about. He hoped she and her family would move out soon. "What do you want?" he asked clearly agitated.

Arianna avoided looking at Marco as she shared, "I want to thank you again for what you have done for my family. I know EJ had to convince you to let me and my family stay in the guesthouse, but it is still a nice gesture." After a short pause, she continued, "I also thought you should know my mother does not have much longer."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Stefano said with less agitation as Marco tried to make eye contact with Arianna to show he felt remorseful for her.

Arianna was surprised she got a condolence from Stefano at all, but she needed to push forward. "I am curious what you want us to do about the guesthouse once my mother has passed."

Not wanting to deal with it, Stefano instructed, "Talk to Elvis about it. He can handle all of that."

"I will," Arianna answered. "I'll leave you alone now." Walking out the foyer, she stopped and hid behind the corner, so she could eavesdrop on Stefano's conversation with Marco. She hoped she could find out what they were planning for the day, so she could sneak back into the mansion later.

After a moment, Stefano turned to Marco and questioned, "Do you think I should trust the Hernandez family in the guesthouse?"

Marco gave Stefano a confused look. "What would they need to hide?" he asked.

Stefano placed his hand over his chin as he pondered Marco's question for a moment. "Maybe you should check it out after Kate and I leave with the kids." Marco nodded his head.

Back in the foyer, Arianna wondered why Stefano was so paranoid he felt the need to worry about them. She knew she might have a way into the mansion since Stefano was heading out with Kate, but she wasn't sure what to do about Marco. Deciding to sneak out, she wondered if he would really search through the guesthouse.

As she headed out, Kate walked down the stairs spotting her. "What are you doing?"

Arianna froze in place for a second before turning to Kate. Fortunately, she was able to come up with a good lie. "I was hoping to find EJ."

Kate didn't think anything of Ari's answer. "He should be at the pub later. Maybe you can talk to him then."

"Well, I will catch him there then. Thanks," Arianna replied relieved that Kate didn't want to question her even more. "Take care."

Kate watched as Arianna walked out, and then headed into the living room. "Mary is bringing the kids down after she helps them get dressed."

Stefano nodded his head and turned to Marco. "You know what need to be done."

"Yes, Mr. Dimera."

* * *

><p>Will arrived with his mother, father, and Chad to the Brady Pub. When they walked in, he could not believe how many people showed up to support him and was also surprised by all the decorations set up to welcome him back. Will was immediately crowded by mostly everyone in the room, so he went in for hugs of gratitude. "Thanks for doing this for me," he quickly stated to show his appreciation.<p>

Caroline made sure to give her great-grandson a tight hug. "Your grandma Marlena and John wanted to be here, but they are stuck in Europe. Your Uncle Eric and Aunt Carrie are trying to help them sort things out."

"I'm sure they will be here as soon as they can," Sami told Will to ease his mind. It felt good to see Will smile so widely from being out of the hospital and surrounded by friends and family. She wanted to keep things that way.

Will continued to look at Caroline realizing she must have been really worried and stressed with what happened to him. "I hope my stay at the hospital didn't worry you too much."

Caroline held onto Will's hands as she remembered how she fainted in his hospital room when she found out he was in a relationship with Chad. She wondered how much he knew about his own attack since Roman had told her earlier Will didn't remember anything. "I was concerned, but I knew you would open those eyes again."

Chad watched as Will continued to greet and hug those around him. He thought about how he asked Will to leave town with him, but he knew Will needed to be in Salem for a while longer because of all the support he was receiving. Wanting to make his own gesture of support to his boyfriend, he headed to the front of the bar and got everyone's attention, so he could make a speech. "Hey everyone! I know we're all happy to see Will, but..."

Sami and Lucas quickly cut in on Chad's speech and took over. "Thanks for getting everyone quiet for us Chad. Lucas and I wanted to say a few words about our son and how ecstatic we are to have him home and healthy."

Chad stepped to the rear because he didn't want to make a scene even though he was annoyed by what Sami and Lucas had just done.

Lucas continued, "It really means a lot you all could make it out to the pub. Will, we are all so glad you fought through your injuries to come back to us, and we just want you to know we support you no matter what. Here's to Will!" Everyone raised a glass or clapped their hands as they turned to face Will.

Will yelled out so everyone could hear him. "Everyone, I want to say thank you for your support and the visits. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't come to hold my hand or just spend time with me throughout the day. It feels great to be out of the hospital, and it is my hope to return to my normal routine and go to school tomorrow. I don't know how long I will stay because I want to make sure I conserve my energy, but I hope to talk to each and every one of you. Please enjoy the food. I love all of you."

As Lucas and Sami walked over to talk to him about his want to return to school, Chad was approached by his father and Kate. "William is looking good, son."

Chad turned to his father and nodded his head. "Sometimes I don't know how he does it. He's the strongest guy I know."

Kate agreed and smiled. "I think you help him with that," she shared. "Lucas told me he's set on going home with you."

"That's the plan," Chad said casually keeping his eyes on Will. He wished he could have said something to everyone about Will, but he felt like an outcast. He was so focused on himself that he didn't even realize his father was there to support his relationship with Will.

Stefano, on the other hand, believed Chad wanted to remain distant from him because of his stance that Will was his only family now. He really wished Chad could see the good things about being a Dimera and wondered if he did a poor job in showing Chad what family truly meant. Noting the attention Chad was giving Will, Sami, and Lucas, Stefano asked, "How are you handling Will's side of the family?"

Chad finally turned to his father and shook his head. "They're just as stubborn as our family," he slipped. Realizing what he said, he added, "That's why Will and I need to get away from it all."

Kate gave Chad a concerned look. "What do you mean by that?"

Chad knew he couldn't say anything to Kate about what he wanted to do. "I just want some alone time with Will without distractions. I guess I will get that tonight when we go home." Chad watched as Nathan grabbed a drink and waved at him before turning back to Stefano and Kate. "I'm going to find a seat somewhere."

As Chad walked away, Kate turned to Stefano and suggested, "Maybe we should do the same."

After Nathan grabbed a drink, he made his way over to Sonny. "Hey, Sonny. I haven't seen you around much. How are you?"

"Things are going," he answered. "School started this week."

Nathan took a sip of his drink. "Are you going to intern at the hospital again this summer?"

Sonny nodded his head. "Yeah if the hospital will have me again. I think Kai will be there, too. Victor set up a new internship for him to learn with the best surgeons."

Nathan remembered Kai telling everyone about his internship when they were in Colorado. "Is that going to be weird for you?"

Sonny shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it could be, but I can't let what happened in the past get in the way of what I want for my future. I know I still want to be a doctor, and I want to stay in Salem."

Nathan patted Sonny on the back. "It's good to settle down – especially close to family."

Sonny looked over to Nathan and smiled. "Yeah, and others."

"I'm going to assume you're not talking about me," Nathan joked. "How are things with Dario? I know he isn't doing well since it looks like his mother doesn't have much longer."

Sonny felt bad because he hadn't talked to Dario but knew he needed space to figure things out. "I don't know. You might know more than I do about Dario. Do you know how much longer his mom has?"

Nathan put his hands on his hips. "I guess we will find that out soon enough. We finally got Ms. Hernandez to take some tests before I headed this way. I can't stay long unfortunately, but I wanted to give Will my support."

Sonny became anxious for Dario and attempted to get past them by tapping his hands on legs. "If you see Dario at the hospital, please give him my best."

Nathan lightly slapped Sonny's shoulder. "Sure thing."

T walked into the pub with Josh. He looked around for Will trying his best to overcome his nerves at seeing Will for the first time in almost a week. Once he spotted Will talking to his parents, he froze. "Maybe I should just talk to him after the party."

Josh gave T a look to suggest that wasn't an option. "Dude, just go say hi. You're making this more awkward than it needs to be."

After taking a breath, T walked over to Will, Sami, and Lucas. "Hey Will. Can we talk?"

Will turned around and immediately pulled T into a hug. "Of course. I'm glad you came."

Sami and Lucas walked off and joined Jennifer and Daniel at the bar after Will gave them a look. T lowered his head in shame and began to apologize. "I know I should have come to see you, but I guess I was afraid," he admitted.

Will pulled T to sit with him at a booth. "Afraid? What were you afraid of?"

T kept his distance from Will because there was so much he was keeping inside. "I didn't know if I could handle seeing you in a coma honestly. I mean you look good now, but the things I heard on the news made me worry that you weren't going to come through. The last time we talked, you told me I still have a life to live, and I was afraid that you no longer did. If anyone deserves a good life, it's you. I don't know what I would do without… you know… never mind."

Will sensed T's distance even though T was opening up to him. "Tad, I'm okay now," he said trying to encourage him. He didn't want to think or talk about his attack. "Everything can get back to normal. Why don't you tell me what's going on with you? How's school?"

T looked down for a moment thinking about how his life only seemed to get worse. Raising his head, he lied, "School is okay. It's definitely different this semester."

Will thought about how he wanted to return to school even if his parents advised against it. "I guess it should be. Are you sure everything is okay?"

T nodded his head. "Yeah. I'm glad you're awake and alive, Will," he shared hoping to return the focus back on his friend.

Will nodded his head and agreed. He could tell T was keeping something from him, but he could tell this wasn't the place or time to ask him about it. "I'm glad you told me the truth."

Abigail stood next to the dartboard with Chelsea and Ignazio. She noticed that they seemed rather close and wondered when they became so friendly with each other. Weighing in on their conversation, she shared, "I say if you want to learn a different language completely, the best way to do so would be to just go to a country that speaks that language and live there for half a year or so."

Ignazio smiled and agreed with Abigail. "This is what I have been trying to say. You should go to Italy some time, Chelsea," he suggested.

Chelsea thought about how she needed a change in her life, but the thought of moving to Italy seemed a bit much. "I've visited in the past, but I don't know about living there for that long."

Ignazio had another proposition. "You only need to visit there often. I strongly crave the culture of my birthplace and hope to return. You can accompany me when I go there. We can return here when we need to come home."

Abigail continued to eye Ignazio and Chelsea and couldn't take it anymore. "Chelsea, what happened with Dario? Did you two finally break up?"

A feeling of guilt came over Chelsea and Ignazio. Even though Abigail was her best friend, Chelsea didn't want to talk about that anymore. She also didn't like how Abigail brought Dario up randomly when she was enjoying her time with Ignazio. "I don't really want to discuss Dario. He's focused on his mother as he should be. Let's just talk about Italy."

Abigail knew Chelsea was avoiding something and wanted to know what it was. "Just tell me what happened? Did you finally see the light and realize he's gay for Sonny? Trust me – I've experienced this first hand – you can't compete with the gays," she joked trying to lighten the conversation.

Chelsea was not amused and gave her friend a look of disapproval. "Drop it, Abigail or go find someone else to piss off."

Abigail stepped back realizing something must have happened to affect Chelsea in this way. She knew at times like this she needed to back off and give her some space. Spotting Josh standing alone, she excused herself and walked over near the entrance to greet him. "Josh, you've kind of gone MIA since school started. Where have you been?"

Josh didn't really want to talk to Abigail at the moment because he didn't want to push her into anything. "I have changed a lot of my classes to online. I only have a few that are still on campus," he shared.

Abigail was surprised to hear that. "Why are you taking so many online classes? This is our last semester – our last time to have classes with our peers if you don't count grad school."

Before Josh could answer, Melanie walked in and interrupted their conversation. "Hey Josh. Hey future step-sister! How's the party going?"

Abigail smiled somewhat annoyed with Melanie for interrupting her conversation with Josh. "Things are good. Will is over there talking to T, Nathan, and Sonny. You should go say hi."

Melanie got the hint that she interrupted something. "Yeah, we can talk wedding details later."

After Melanie walked off, Josh made sure to speak first before Abigail could ask him any more questions. "Look, I just came to give T the push he needed to talk to Will. I really should be going. I have a lot to do."

"Oh," Abigail began feeling defeated. "We should talk soon. You're a good friend."

Josh forced a smile questioning if he had just received Abigail's decision. "Yeah. We'll talk soon, Abby."

Abigail crossed her arms across her chest after Josh walked off. Jennifer, who had seen the exchange from the bar, came up from behind her and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Feeling a bit hopeless, Abigail turned and replied, "I'm not sure."

Jennifer pulled Abigail into a hug and turned her attention back to the bar where Sami and Lucas were talking to Daniel. Johnny and his sisters rushed up to Sami and pulled her away to show her something. After telling Lucas and Daniel she would be back, Sami walked away with Johnny, Allie, and Sydney.

Daniel stood next to Lucas awkwardly hoping Jennifer would return soon. "So how much longer do you think you're going to be in Salem?" he asked trying to make things less uncomfortable.

Lucas didn't really care to have small talk with Daniel. Giving him a mischievous look, he said, "So I hear that Jack is back in town. Good luck with my sister because you're going to need it." Lucas's mischievous look turned to a satisfied one before he walked away to talk to his mother and Stefano.

Daniel looked over to Jen and wondered if he would lose Jen in the end. Spotting his daughter talking to Sonny and Nathan, he decided to head over to distract himself from the negative thoughts. He walked past Brady, who had just given Will a hug, and put his arm around his daughter's shoulder. "Shouldn't you two be at work?" he teased Melanie and Nathan.

After leaving Sydney with Roman, Sami helped Johnny and Allie by serving them a piece of pie and sitting them at a table. "Don't make a mess and eat over your plate."

Brady approached Sami to talk to her about Will. "I just got off the phone with dad and Marlena. They aren't having any luck."

Sami turned around and spied Kate and Stefano sitting at a table with Lucas. "I wonder why," she said tilting her head in their direction.

Brady looked over and wondered if Stefano would really fix it so John and Marlena couldn't come to Salem. "It is very suspicious that all these reasons are randomly coming up to keep them in London."

Sami agreed. "I just wonder what his reasons are."

"Yeah," Brady let out before suggesting, "Maybe you should talk to him. Didn't you tell Marlena you made a deal with Stefano that you would be the one to handle your family?"

Sami laughed at the thought. "He would never admit to being responsible for me to pull that card on him, but I don't think this really has to do with keeping them from Will. I think there's something else going on there. I'll see what I can do though." Changing the subject, Sami asked, "Have you talked to Will yet?"

Brady nodded his head and remembered why he approached Sami in the first place. "I talked to Will for a bit, but I wanted to come talk to you because I feel I owe you and Will an apology."

Sami gave her step-brother a curious look. "Apology? What on earth would you need to apologize for?"

"About Mia," Brady began to explain. "I haven't said anything about this to Will because Roman told me Will doesn't remember anything about what happened with Mia, but I knew she was in town and didn't think anything of it when I saw her with Chad."

Wanting to know more, Sami questioned, "You saw Mia with Chad?"

Brady nodded his head. "Yeah, she was staying at Maggie's house I guess, and Chad was there. I thought it was suspicious that she was back and even confronted her about it, but she swore to me she was only here for the holidays and Grace."

"Of course she would lie," Sami said under her breath. "Do you know how long she was in town?"

Brady thought back to the first time he spotted Mia. Scratching the top of his head, he shared, "I'm not sure, but maybe EJ knows. The first time I saw Mia, she was outside of Maggie's house talking to EJ. It was New Year's day I believe."

Sami did a double take as she remembered talking to EJ about Chad possibly cheating on Will. EJ had denied it, and Sami knew their conversation happened after the first of January. Even though she was upset, she covered with Brady because she didn't want to make a scene and ruin Will's party. "Right. Don't worry about it, Brady. Mia is supposedly gone, and Chad is focused on Will."

Brady looked the room over and found Chad sitting on the stairs alone. "Poor guy feels really bad for what happened. He probably feels even worse since Will doesn't remember anything."

Sami rolled her eyes at the thought. "I highly doubt it. He's been extremely smug since Will woke up and has made demands on what is best for Will. He's starting to remind me of Rafe."

Brady tilted his head to make sure he heard correctly. "You don't really mean that, do you?"

Sami shrugged her shoulders and let out a reluctant sigh. "I know he's EJ's brother, but… " she started but chose to not finish her thought because she was still upset with EJ. "Well, he is EJ's brother."

Brady gave Sami a confused look because he wasn't sure what just happened. "Everything okay?"

Sami forced a smile before turning to the kids at the table. "Will is awake. Everything is or will be awe-some."

* * *

><p>Marco walked into the Dimera guesthouse to look it over as Stefano requested. He headed for the kitchen area first and began to look through the cabinets to make sure everything was in order. After looking through the cabinets, he headed for the couches. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Arianna sitting on one. "How long have you been sitting there? I thought you exited the mansion from the front entrance because you were headed for the hospital."<p>

Arianna stood up from the couch and gave Marco an unamused look. "I just sat down. I heard you going through the cabinets. What exactly are you looking for?"

Marco could tell Arianna was upset with him and chose to make small talk with her. "I am glad you are here. Stefano told me today that he would allow me to take a vacation soon for all my hard work. I was thinking I could spend some of that time with my mother, and then maybe we could go skydiving."

Arianna shook her head in disbelief. "Are you trying to ask me on a date?" she asked with frustration. "Why are you in here looking through the place? What does Stefano suspect you will find here?"

Marco didn't want to answer her question. Changing the subject again, he asked, "Did something happen that I don't know about? Our interactions have changed."

Arianna remembered seeing Marco with Azzura at the masquerade. "You know why things changed. Don't pretend to be clueless."

Marco didn't respond as he tried to figure out what Arianna was hinting. "Is this about Brady?" he asked causing Arianna to become more frustrated.

"Brady? Really?!"

"I saw you two talking at Chez Rouge last weekend. Have you decided to date him?" Marco asked straight out.

Arianna stepped back placing her right hand on her hip. "Brady and I are not together. I did talk to him some, but we weren't alone. We were talking to Nathan and Melanie as well. What's your excuse?"

Marco was relieved to learn Arianna didn't want to be with Brady, but he questioned why she was so cold to him. "My excuse for what?"

Arianna didn't like how Marco seemed to not want to fess up. "I saw you with Azzura at Chez Rouge, too. She had her hands all over you, and you didn't seem to mind."

Marco didn't respond as he remembered talking to Azzura at the masquerade. He was working, but he knew he couldn't tell anyone about his mission concerning Azzura. "I should go. I have to check on security," he said deciding to check out the guesthouse when no one was there.

Disappointed, Arianna didn't try to change his mind. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. You may need to check to see if security is on Azzura personally."

Marco walked out defeated. Arianna let out a sigh of frustration because she let her anger with life get the best of her. She looked out the window and watched Marco return to the mansion. She doubted she would be able to sneak into the mansion unnoticed now.

* * *

><p>Dario arrived in front of his mother's hospital room, but before he could go in, Maxine walked out to stop him. "I'm sorry Dario, but you can't go in there. We are running multiple tests on your mother to find out if there's anything else we can do."<p>

Dario understood and nodded his head. After Maxine reentered the room, Dario walked down the hall and heard voices coming from a nearby waiting room. He recognized Manny and Gabi's voices and walked in.

"I don't know if I can take this anymore, Manny," she confessed to her oldest living brother. "I am tired of everything, and I'm running on fumes."

Dario stepped up and made his presence known to his siblings. "We can help each other through this. I can help you if you don't know if you can do this anymore."

Gabi didn't make eye contact with Dario as she commented, "I don't think Chelsea will be enough to save Mama. She is set on dying now."

Confused, Manny asked for clarification. "Chelsea? How could Chelsea save Mama?"

"She won't," Gabi clarified before explaining, "Dario started dating Chelsea to appease Mama since she started feeling worse when he came out to her. She hasn't improved though, so his idea to date Chelsea didn't work."

Dario traded a glance with his brother wondering if he was upset with him for trying to date a girl. Deciding to be honest with them, he admitted, "I ended things with Chelsea because it wasn't right."

Gabi stood up and got in Dario's face. "What is wrong with you?" she questioned full of disappointment. "Did you break up with her for another man? I noticed how close you and Ignazio are."

Flabbergasted, Dario set the record straight, "I am not attracted to Ignazio in that way and never have been." Dario remembered commenting to Chelsea that his sister was bipolar, but took it back. He began to wonder if maybe his diagnoses was right. "Chelsea and I wouldn't have worked, Gabi. She was never into me. She only went out with me because she wanted to help me see that I love Sonny."

Gabi slapped her hand against her chest in shock. "Are you serious? She did that?" Shaking her head, she asked, "What the hell is wrong with people? Is everyone a damn liar these days?"

Manny tried to get in the middle again, but Gabi pushed him away, grabbed her backpack and rushed out. Turning to Dario, Manny couldn't believe what happened to the family in his absence. "Dario, why are we falling apart?"

Dario let out a frustrated sigh. "Mama is dying. That's why, and it's all my fault."

Manny placed his hands on Dario's shoulders to help calm him. "This is not your fault. What happened between you and Sonny? I thought you were going to work things out when you went with him to Colorado."

Dario shook his head as he remembered everything that happened. "It didn't work. Sonny and I hurt each other, and Mama took a turn for the worse."

Manny wanted Dario to focus on himself and not their mother. "Do you love Sonny?"

Dario made direct eye contact with his brother for a second but could not hold it. "Manny, I can't think about that now. Mama and I need to sort this out before it's too late."

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Chad and Will walked into their bedroom at their apartment. Will had already washed up for the night, and noticed how Chad was stuck on him after he got out of the bathroom. Chad grabbed Will's hand and asked, "Are you tired? We can just go to sleep if that's what you want."<p>

Will grabbed his neck as he admitted, "Even though it was great to see everyone at the pub, it was kind of tiring. I am glad that I get some alone time with you though. I noticed you stayed to yourself most of the party. Are you okay?"

Chad kept a straight face and said, "Yeah. I just wanted to be out of the way, so you could talk to everyone."

Will raised his hands in front of him and began to massage his shoulders. "Thanks for being so selfless, Chad. I know my parents aren't making it easy on you." Looking down, Will stopped giving Chad a massage. "I need to check on something, so go ahead and get ready for bed. I promise I will be right here when you are done."

Chad nodded his head and left the room for the bathroom after taking his shoes, socks, and jeans off. Will walked over to his desk and noted that his laptop was in a different place then he remembered. "That's weird. I don't remember my laptop being here and closed." Opening his laptop, it quickly booted up. After putting in his password, he began to look through his music library.

In the bathroom, Chad finished brushing his teeth and looked in the mirror. He wondered how much longer he could do this. He didn't like how Will's family dismissed him, but he also felt guilty for wanting to complain to Will about it. "Will needs all the support he can get right now. It's your job to make sure he gets everything he wants and is safe. You can do this."

Chad put his toothbrush up and dried his face with a towel. Returning to his bedroom, he found Will standing next to his laptop with his finger on the spacebar key. "What's going on?"

Will smiled widely as he shared, "I've missed you so much, and I thought I would remind you of one of the weirdest but also one of the hottest moments in our past."

Intrigued, Chad walked over to Will. "How do you plan to do that?"

Will pushed Chad onto the bed and said, "Relax, and I'll do all the work. If you want a hint just think about what happened after EJ's bachelor party last year."

Chad's eyes lit up as he knew exactly what Will had planned. On cue, Will pushed the spacebar, and music began to play. Will began to teasingly dance for Chad as he started to unbutton his shirt. Chad leaned his hands on the bed behind him to get a full view of Will. "Wow."

Will began to sing some of the lyrics as he took off his top shirt and waved it around. He gave Chad a few winks as he threw his shirt on the ground, so he could take off his undershirt. "You wanted a show – now I'm naked," he sang after lifting his T-shirt over his head.

Chad looked Will's upper body over, and it amazed him how there were no bruises or cuts on his body that would say he was brutally attacked and stabbed less than a week ago. He pushed his hands from the bed, so he could lean forward. He desperately wanted to help Will take the rest of his clothes off.

Will loved the look on Chad's face and knew exactly what he wanted in that moment. When Chad tried to stand up to join him, Will pushed him back on the bed. "No touching, sir. I can only touch you when the time is right."

Even though Will's control of their situation turned him on, Chad wondered where Will was going with this. "Can I at least take off my own clothes?"

Will shook his head as he continued to dance. "That's my job." Placing his hands on his belt, he quickly slid it off to start unbuttoning his pants. After unbuttoning the top button, Will lifted his hands in the air as he moved closer to Chad. "How much do you want this?"

Chad just nodded his head because he had become so lost in the moment and didn't have words. He watched as Will teased him by lowering his hands near his jeans. He really wanted Will to take them off, but even more so he wanted to hold Will so they could kiss each other.

Will finally finished unbuttoning his jeans and took them off. He slid his thumbs under the top of his briefs and teased Chad as he moved his thumbs from the front to the side to hint he was ready to take them off, but he didn't. Instead, he pushed Chad back to make him lay on his back, so he could straddle him. "Do you remember this?"

Chad's eyes only lit up more as he remembered when he straddled Will in a drunken state. Will stood over Chad on the couch and took off his briefs. Chad smiled wildly, but his smile faded when Will lost his balance and toppled over landing on his back on the floor. Chad quickly pushed himself off the bed to make sure Will was okay.

Will grabbed his side where his stab wound once was. "Yeah. I think I just knocked the wind out of me," he answered. Raising his hand, so Chad could help him onto the bed, he started to feel bad for his failed attempt to be sexy. "I'm sorry I totally ruined our moment."

Chad sat next to Will and pulled him close. "The moment's not ruined yet," he shared moving Will's right hand onto his left leg. "As you can see I'm still in the mood. For a guy who was just released from the hospital, you sure are giving Mick Jagger a run for his money."

Will ignored Chad's corny comment about the song he stripped to, looked down, and smiled when he saw Chad's excitement increase as he moved his hand higher up Chad's leg. Seeing this caused him to question his insecurities about Chad's commitment to him. Chad's body really seemed to respond to him. Will pushed Chad backward on his back again and straddled him once more. Lifting Chad's shirt off of him, he looked deep into Chad's eyes. "I've missed this so much, and I hope we never stop."

Chad moaned a bit as Will grinded into him. "I hope we never stop either."

Will suddenly felt a tiredness come over him and grew faint. He lowered his body and began to kiss Chad hoping that would help give him energy, but he only felt more tired. He stopped and rolled off Chad feeling bad. "I'm sorry, but I think I am more tired than I thought. I really wanted to do this for you, but I failed you and myself."

Chad turned his body towards Will filled with concern. Placing his hand on Will's forehead, he asked, "Are you okay, Will? Do we need to get you back to the hospital?"

"No," Will quickly answered. "I am fine – just tired. Perfect timing, right? I really wanted to give you a good time tonight."

Chad remained concerned for Will but for different reasons. "What are you talking about Will? We don't have to have sex. It feels good just being close to you, so don't feel pressured. I love you."

Will turned his head and making direct eye contact with Chad filled his body with hope. "I love you, too," he replied before suggesting, "Can we just cuddle and fall asleep together?"

Chad moved closer to Will as he pulled Will into his arms. "Every night for the rest of our lives, Will."

Will's face lit up and gave Chad a quick kiss. Placing his hands on Chad's briefs, he playfully lamented, "I don't think it's fair that I'm the only one who's completely naked here."

Chad let out a small chuckle as he separated himself from Will for a quick second, so he could take off his underwear. After doing so, he and Will got under the cover and pulled each other close again. Chad ran his hand through Will's hair as Will rested his head on Chad's chest. "I love you, Horton. Good night."

Will kissed Chad's chest and closed his eyes. "Love you, Chad. Good night."


	61. Chapter 61 Don't Speak, Pt 1

**Chapter 61: Don't Speak, Part 1 – Friday, January 20th, 2012**

The next morning, Chad woke up and found Will sleeping on the opposite side of the bed. Moving over, he pulled Will close to him again so they could cuddle. Will turned his body beginning to stir. "Good morning, Horton."

Will opened his eyes and smiled excitedly as he pushed Chad closer by grabbing his ass. "Good morning indeed." Will pulled Chad on top of him clearly feeling energized from the night of sleep. Chad began to kiss Will's neck, which made him lose himself for a moment. Opening his eyes and noticing the time from Chad's digital clock, he quickly snapped out of the excitement from Chad and pushed him off. "We need to get ready for school."

Chad watched as Will jumped out of bed and began to get dressed. Concerned that Will might over expend himself like he did the night before, he cautioned, "Will, let's just relax. It's Friday. Let's take the weekend and start on Monday if that's what you want."

"I feel great," Will said as he finished putting on house clothes, so he could walk out.

Chad got up and put on a pair of shorts to walk out with Will. "Will, we have plenty of time to get ready for school then. Just take it easy and don't rush anything."

Sonny, who was cooking breakfast, turned his head surprised to see Will and Chad up. "I made a big breakfast for you Will. I figure I should do my part to help you get back to your full health."

Will made his way to the table and took a seat. "I think I can take things slow," he claimed winking at Chad.

Chad walked over to Sonny glad Will found a reason to slow down – even if it was something as simple as breakfast. "Need any help? I had other plans to test Will's health, but I think he's hungry for actual food."

Sonny wasn't sure what Chad was hinting because he wasn't used to Chad being so forward. "I've got everything in order. Maybe you can do whatever test you were talking about at the table."

"I'm not sure you would appreciate that," Chad said with a small laugh. Taking a seat next to Will, he mentioned, "Besides, Will is set on going back to school today."

Sonny continued to make scrambled eggs as he quickly gave Will a glance. "Are you sure you want to rush this?"

Will knew Chad and Sonny were just trying to look out for him, but he wanted them to know he could handle this. "Yeah, I need to return to my normal routine. I can't miss school a whole week, and I can't allow you to do that either, Chad."

"I'm fine," Chad informed Will. "I've kept up with most of my work this week by catching up when I couldn't see you."

Sonny finished cooking and brought food over to the table. He noted how touchy Will and Chad were with each other and teasingly commented, "Well. It looks like you two are doing your best to bring normalcy in your lives. I guess it helps when you're soul mates."

Chad smiled and squeezed Will's leg. He never imagined Will would be able to forgive him so easily, and he couldn't help questioning the reality of it. He knew Will had a big heart that was capable of forgiveness, but he remembered Will's face when Will came upon him with Mia outside of the Chez Rouge bathrooms. "That's got to be it," he said giving Will a kiss trying to stay in the moment.

Will raised his eyebrow to Sonny and almost made a comment to Sonny about being as cheesy as Chad but decided against it because he didn't want to put Chad off. Sonny joined them at the table, and the guys began to dig in to eat. Will thought about Chad's previous take on soul mates when he was trying to help Sonny through his break up with Kai, and wondered if Chad still thought the same. After finishing a bite of bacon, he asked, "Do you guys really believe in soul mates?"

Sonny decided to answer the question first, "I don't know. I guess anything is possible." He thought about Dario and questioned if it was likely he was his soul mate because of everything they had been through in less than a year. A thought of his ex-boyfriend before he came to Salem crossed his mind, but that never would have worked out.

Chad thought about it and remembered what Abigail told him. "I think my idea about soul mates has changed. Abigail kind of confused me on the idea of soul mates, but I really do believe when soul mates exist they belong to each other and no one else." Turning to Will, he posed the question to him, "What do you think?"

Will felt uneasy about answering his own question because of how Chad responded. He didn't want to cause any tension with Chad, but he also didn't want to lie. "It's a very romantic idea, but I choose to just believe in love."

T walked in from the living room after hearing their conversation and decided to share his two cents. "Love is overrated. It never works out how you want."

Will played off T's pessimistic take on love and brought his attention to the food Sonny made. "Join us for breakfast. We can all go to school after."

T took a seat unable to say anything because there was so much the others didn't know. He awkwardly began to eat before finally saying, "Yeah. We can do that." T looked down and focused on eating. He didn't take part in the guys' conversation thereafter.

* * *

><p>Azzura headed out of the kitchen after putting something in the oven and found Ric walking towards the stairs. Stopping him, she decided to get under his skin a bit. "Where is your caro 'Nazio? Has he left you out in the cold and replaced you with his new friends?"<p>

Ric took the bait and gave Azzura an ugly look. "What the hell is your problem? Are you so threatened by Ignazio that you must tear us down at every opportunity?"

Azzura thought about what she knew about Ignazio's involvement in Will's attack. "I like how you state you are a part of Ignazio. Are you two going to marry each other when gay marriage is legalized here? I am telling you now this will not end well for you."

"What is going on in here?" Maddalena asked as she made her way in from the basement.

Azzura straightened up and turned to Maddalena. "Signora, I need to talk to you about something."

"Not now," Maddalena commanded. Turning to Ric, she claimed, "I have a mission for you, Ricardo."

Ignazio walked downstairs wondering what business his grandmother had with Ric. He had received a text from Ric earlier telling him that Will was on his way to school, so he was already frustrated. "What do you need with Ric?"

Azzura didn't like how Ignazio was showing disrespect to Maddalena. "Watch yourself, Ignazio."

Maddalena was not in the mood to deal with the pointless tension in the room. "There is no need for concern here. We must work together as we have in the past." Turning to Ric, she decided to quickly dismiss him from the room. "Ricardo, hold your phone close, and please leave the mansion. I will contact you soon."

Ric traded a glance with Ignazio and walked off. Even with him gone, Ignazio didn't want to drop this. "You say you want us to work together, so why am I not allowed to know what you want Ric to do for you?"

Azzura stepped in to set Ignazio straight. "Ric has done plenty in which you are not aware." Azzura pulled out a bag that contained a knife as she informed Maddalena, "I found this in Ric's bedroom. This is the same knife the cops are looking for involving Abe and Will's attacks."

Maddalena turned to Ignazio and shook her head. "Ignazio, I need you to come clean about what happened this past weekend. Tell me what you have done."

Ignazio wanted to smile about his accomplishments, but the fact that Chad was still in town kept him from taking complete pride in his plan. It also didn't help to find out Ric had a part in Abe's attack and didn't tell him about it. Attempting to collect his thoughts on his plan, he explained, "I set a plan in motion to get everyone what they needed or wanted to happen. I knew Will was the key to having Chad leave Salem, and so I fixed it so Will caught Chad with his ex-lover. With Will and Chad's separation, I figured Chad would want to leave town, but it seems he needed a bigger push."

Maddalena knew her grandson was not giving her all the details. "You claim you set a plan in motion to help everyone. How did Will's attack on the pier help everyone?"

Ignazio didn't want to discuss the details with his grandmother. "Why must we talk about this? What is done is done."

Maddalena's concern grew causing her to begin to lecture her grandson. "This is important, nipote! I want to set you back to the honest path. I do not want you doing things and then find yourself in too deep with evil. You must hold onto your humanity after all of this is over. Now tell me why you had Will attacked."

Ignazio sighed and glared at Azzura for searching through Ric's bedroom even if he understood why it needed to be done. "It accomplished many things. Azzura needed Lucas in town. You needed someone to test the prototype or solution on, and I provided Will. I took one of the vials from the basement, and Ric made sure it was used on Will."

Maddalena showed her frustration as she acknowledged, "I told you to stay out of that basement and not to get in the middle of what Colin and I are trying to accomplish. Now things appear grim for us because the cops, at the present time, are aware that something suspicious is occurring because of how quickly Will's wounds healed."

"This is not how the plan was supposed to work out," Ignazio quickly notified Maddalena and Azzura. "I talked to Ric afterwards, and he told me how it happened. All of the solution was not used on Will because he managed to grab it before they could use it all and threw it into the water. They were then supposed to grab Will's body after the graffiti was sprayed, but someone came on them, so Ric and the other men ran. The graffiti was placed to send Chad a message that he would never be welcomed in Salem and leave. He was already struggling, but since Will was found, he quickly turned around."

Azzura couldn't believe the plan that Ignazio had put together. "Your plan would have been flawless if everything went perfectly, but the truth is it did not, and now we are possibly in trouble."

Ignazio became heated, and it showed in his voice. "I did everyone a favor! Yes, I kept you in the dark about my plans, but I only did so because you have done the same to me! I knew about the prototype prior to you cutting me out because you sent me to get it from the pier with Ric. Why did you cut me out?"

"The girl," Maddalena let out referring to Kinsey. "I knew something was afoot, and you were keeping me in the dark about something. I cannot trust you, nipote, and honestly, I should not have put you in that situation."

Ignazio continued to raise his voice due to feeling hurt by his grandmother's words. "You can trust me. You can trust me more than Azzura. I am family. This should prove to you that I am more than capable."

Maddalena grabbed her head as it began to hurt. Reflecting on her thoughts after seeing Ignazio with Chelsea, she knew what needed to be done. "Ignazio, stop this. Chad is still in Salem, and has shown no signs of leaving. I think maybe I have coddled you too much. I know you are a man, but maybe it is time you took the next step to solidify your manhood."

Ignazio gave Maddalena a questioning look, "What do you mean?"

"I believe it is time you moved out and lived on your own," Maddalena answered.

Ignazio couldn't believe his grandmother wanted to kick him out. Flustered by the suggestion, he shared, "I will show you I belong in this family. I am a Dimera." Ignazio grabbed his phone from his pocket and rushed out to find Chad and Will, so he could push them to leave Salem.

With Ignazio gone, Maddalena turned to Azzura. "I think you know what must be done with the knife."

Azzura nodded her head. "I already have it figured out."

Downstairs, Colin examined Abe's body trying to decide on what changes he needed to make on what was in his system. Writing down some notes, he heard his phone make a noise. He didn't realize he had missed a call because he now had a voicemail from Lexie. Putting his phone to his ear, Lexie asked him to meet her at the hospital. Placing his phone in his pocket, he wondered why she asked him to come in.

* * *

><p>In the hall, Nathan stood with Melanie as he looked over the test results that had come back on Isobel's condition. He gave Melanie a solemn look and shook his head. "This is not good."<p>

Melanie placed her hand on Nathan's shoulder and rubbed it. "I know it's bad news, but this is part of your job. They need to know what's going on, and it's probably better they're hearing it from you."

Nathan knew he had to do this, but commented, "I don't think they'll get to have a proper goodbye with their mom."

"You need to tell them now then," Melanie replied.

Nathan took a deep breath and headed for the waiting room with Melanie in tow. As soon as they entered the room, Arianna, Manny, Gabi, and Dario stood up. "I've got some of the results back, so I thought I would inform you what we're looking at." After a pause he shared, "Your mother's time is limited."

Manny grabbed Gabi's hand. "Limited? What does that mean?"

Nathan held on to the file in his hands as he shared, "It looks like she only has a week or so left to live. Her organs are slowly shutting down, and there's nothing we can do at this point."

Dario sat back down as he and his siblings were devastated by the news. "I can't believe this. I need more time."

Gabi took her hand from Manny unable to deal with the bad news. "I'm heading to school. I need to find something I can focus on."

Arianna looked at her sister as if she were crazy. "Take the day off. I'm sure your professors will understand."

There was no changing Gabi's mind. She remembered telling herself hope always failed her, and she didn't know why this time would be different. "I can't quit living my life completely. I have made tons of sacrifices to make sure Mama stayed with us. I need to do this for myself."

Dario became annoyed with Gabi's want to get away. "You haven't even chosen a major at school. What does it matter?" he pointed out. "You want to focus on something, focus on Mama."

"You have no right to talk to me, Dario!" Gabi exclaimed. "This is all your fault! You killed Mama when you told her last week! She was doing so well until you did that last week! Now she's going to die!" Gabi rushed past Melanie and Nathan after grabbing her things.

Arianna wanted to go after Gabi, but Manny stopped her from doing so. "Just let her go to school. She'll come back to us when she's ready." Remembering his conversation with his brother the day before, Manny walked over to Dario because he could tell he was feeling guilty. "Don't listen to Gabriella. She's upset and just needed an outlet. If your relationship with Sonny had anything to do with killing our mother, then we all played an even bigger part in making her sick."

Nathan tried to help the situation by sharing, "You guys can talk to your mother now if you want."

Arianna jumped at the chance. "Of course. Does she know yet?"

Nathan shook his head. "I thought you would want to be in there when I told her."

Dario looked down in shame as he suggested, "You two go ahead. I will join you in there later." Arianna and Manny followed Nathan out leaving Melanie alone with Dario.

Melanie took a seat next to Dario wondering if there was anything she could say to help console him. "I can't imagine what you're going through, Dario. All I can say is sorry."

"Sorry?" Dario questioned as he looked up to her. "Why would you be sorry? You did nothing wrong. I'm the one who did this."

Melanie leaned a little closer to Dario as she explained, "I'm sorry because I kept my distance from you. I avoided you after you finally came out because I didn't know what exactly you needed to hear. I guess I had a lot of questions, too, but I should have been there for you. I still care about you a lot, Dario. I know things got weird after we ended things, but I do care about you."

Dario didn't know what to say at first because he needed to process what Melanie said to him. "Everything is so confusing for me, and I am not sure what I need to do in this situation."

Melanie decided to be up front with her thoughts on homosexuality. "Dario, you are who you are. Your mom may not agree with that, but I don't think denying it will help you in the long run. The sooner you accept who you are, the easier this will get."

Dario shook his head. "Thanks for trying to help, but I think I just need to be alone right now. My main priority is being with my mother before she leaves."

Melanie put her hand on Dario's leg giving him a softened look. "I think the best thing you can do is be real with your mom about everything. Don't fake anything with her. She's your mom and knows you inside out."

Dario watched as Melanie stood up and walked out. He ran his hand through his hair questioning whether Melanie was right. If she was, he wondered if he could be up-front about his feelings.

In Isobel's room, Nathan finished telling Isobel how long she had left. First, Isobel looked away from the others as she let the news sink in. She already knew it was close, but knowing more details only made it worse. "This is exactly why I did not want tests run," she said under her breath before turning to Arianna and Manny. "Where are Gabriella and Dario?"

Arianna took her mother's hand to comfort her. "They will be here soon, Mama. They are taking the news very hard."

Isobel knew Arianna lied to her and figured Gabi went to school. "Tell Dario to take his time so I can sort through this. In the meantime, please call for Father Matthew. I really need his assistance at this time."

Manny nodded his head to his mother, "I will call him now."

"Please let me have some space to think before he arrives," Isobel adamantly requested. The others allowed her request and left the room.

* * *

><p>At the Dimera mansion, Sami shared her frustrations with her husband. "I don't understand what he's thinking. First, he wants to live with Chad again, and now he's going to school not even a full day after being released from the hospital."<p>

EJ stood behind Sami and began to rub her back. "Samantha, William is his own man. He has every right to make his own decisions."

Lucas, who was sitting on the couch, quickly became annoyed at having to watch the closeness between EJ and Sami. "I wish you would just stay out of it, EJ. You're siding with Chad because he's your brother."

Sami removed herself from EJ and walked over to grab a drink. EJ tried to move closer, but Sami kept her distance from him. "Is everything okay, Samantha?"

Sami decided not to take a drink and turned her body to face EJ. She couldn't hold in her anger for him anymore. "I know you knew Mia was in town way before she reared her ugly head at the masquerade Friday night. Brady told me yesterday. How could you keep that from me?"

Azzura walked in with treats for the kids. When she saw that EJ and Sami were fighting, she stopped just outside in the foyer hoping no one had seen her. She glanced over to Lucas, who seemed to want to step in.

EJ stepped back and gave Sami a serious look while also giving her a curious smile. "Samantha… You have been holding onto this since last night?"

Lucas stood up frustrated as well. "How long have you known about Mia?"

Sami turned her head to Lucas and gave him an impatient look. "Not now, Lucas." Turning back to EJ, she answered his question. "I didn't want to cause a scene last night at the party when you finally arrived at the last second. You have been so focused on being the mayor. You knew about Chad and Mia, didn't you?"

EJ became defensive and shared, "I told Chad not to mess up. I warned him about Mia, but he didn't listen to me."

"That still doesn't cover the fact that you kept the truth from me," Sami countered. Remembering the first part of her conversation with Brady, she asked, "Are you also covering for your father? I know he has something to do with the fact that my mom and John can't get out of London."

EJ put his hands up because he wanted to show he did not understand where all this was coming from. "I am not aware of any plan..."

Sami quickly interrupted EJ and yelled, "You may not be keeping anything from me there, but I know you're keeping something else from me." Searching through her purse, she pulled out the tube of lipstick Harold found. "What is this and who the hell did you get it from?"

Lucas stepped in again as Azzura continued to watch. "I told you this would happen," he called out. "I told you it would only be a matter of time before EJ went off and found someone else to be with."

EJ quickly gave Lucas an annoyed look. "Lucas, if you know what's good for you, you will stay out of this."

Lucas didn't want to back down as he was tired of wasting time at the Dimera mansion. "Can we just go to Will and talk to him?"

EJ ignored Lucas. Softening his tone, he began to speak to Sami. "Samantha, I don't know what you think happened, but..."

Looking to Azzura, Sami quickly ended the conversation with EJ because both had said enough. "I don't want to have this conversation now. I need to find my son and talk to him. He is my top priority. I wish he was yours, too."

EJ sighed when he looked at Azzura, too. He threw his body on the couch defeated as Sami and Lucas walked past Azzura and left the mansion. Looking away, he asked Azzura, "What are you doing here?"

Azzura entered the room making sure to have an uncertain quality in her voice even though she was delighted by what she just witnessed. She reminded him, "I am here because Sami asked me to help her with the kids today. I brought them snacks."

EJ stood up from the couch as he looked at the time. He needed to be at the office, but he didn't want to leave the kids alone with Azzura. "I'll ask Mary if she can watch the kids since Samantha left."

"Sami told me she gave Mary the day off," Azzura swiftly claimed.

EJ put his hand on his forehead wondering what he should do. "I guess you and the kids are going with me to the office. You can watch them there. I'll get the kids, and we'll meet you down here."

"I can drive since my car returned from the mechanic's shop today," Azzura told EJ.

EJ nodded his head. "Whatever you want. You can ride with us."

After EJ walked out of the room, Azzura quickly looked through one of her bags and pulled out Ric's knife. She needed to find a place to hide it, so it could easily be found by Arianna.

* * *

><p>Chad, Will, Sonny, and T arrived on campus and were greeted by Ezra and Abigail. "Horton, it's good to see you out and about."<p>

Will gave Ezra a confused look because even though he looked familiar, he wasn't sure if he knew who Ezra was. Noting Ezra called him by his last name, he said, "Thanks. Do I know you?"

Abigail decided to formally introduce Will and Ezra. "Will, this is my friend, Ezra. He's the president of Kappa Sigma, and he actually came to visit you when you were in your coma."

Will shook Ezra's hand remembering when Ezra handed him a flier towards the end of the fall semester. "Right. Thanks for coming to see me. It means a lot."

Chad looked at his phone mentioning, "Class is starting soon." He hoped he could get rid of Ezra as he wasn't fond of his interest in Will.

Abigail looked at the time and agreed. "Yeah, we should go. I'm glad you're okay, Will." After giving her cousin a hug, she and Ezra headed for the English building bumping into Josh, who had just exited the registrar's office. "Josh, what were you doing in there?"

Josh eyed Ezra before answering Abigail's question. "I needed to take care of some class stuff to make sure I'll be able to graduate in May," he shared not wanting to divulge any other details. "How's Will?"

"He's actually here," Abigail informed him.

Not wanting to stand around, Josh adjusted his backpack over his right shoulder. "Well, I should go. I hope you and Ezra have fun in whatever class you have."

Abigail watched as Josh walked away. She noted how distant he was and realized she was losing him. She knew she needed to do something soon to let him know where she stood.

Ezra picked up on Abigail's thoughts and put his hand on her back. "If you want things to work between you two, talk to him."

"Let's just get to class," Abigail said trying to play off her situation.

Will continued to walk to class with Chad, Sonny, and T and noticed he was getting some really weird stares from other students on campus. Before he could say anything, Gabi approached them. "Gabi."

Gabi debated walking up to the guys to say something because of her feelings about homosexuality, but her experience with Kai and Brett earlier in the week still haunted her. She didn't want Will to think she hated him and wished the attack on him. Gabi wanted to hug Will but felt awkward because of how she had cut herself off from her friend. "It's good to see you around looking really healthy."

Will patted Sonny on the back as he commented, "I think Sonny's big breakfast this morning really helped with that."

Gabi forced a smile as she couldn't stop thinking about the news she received concerning her mother. Turning to T, she thought about how she treated him and asked, "Are you going to class today? I haven't seen you all week."

Thrown off by Gabi's seeming genuineness, T wondered why she was giving him time. "I might be there later, but I'll just go by myself."

Gabi felt awkward and looked around. Spotting Brett and Kai walking up, she decided to rush off because she didn't think she could hold it together with them around. "Okay. I'll see you guys later – maybe."

Kai and Brett made their way over as Gabi walked away. Kai gave Will a hug first and noted that Chad was still around. He didn't understand how Will could still be with him. "Sorry I couldn't make it to your party yesterday. There's something I really want to talk to you about - in private."

Kai wanted to tell Will to dump Chad because he deserved better, but Will noticed how Kai looked at Chad and didn't want to give Kai an opportunity to say something negative. "It's okay you couldn't come out, so don't feel like you have to make up for it. We can hang out soon. I'll call you."

Kai nodded his head and turned his attention to T. "Hey T. Where have you been?"

T felt uncomfortable and decided to dismiss himself, so he could get off campus before he was spotted by his father. "I should head to class. Later."

Kai looked to everyone else and asked, "Is he okay?"

Sonny remained silent because he still questioned Kai and T's friendship. He wondered if something else happened. Will shrugged his shoulders before saying, "I think he just needs to get to class since he hasn't been all week apparently. Maybe we should, too."

Brett gave Will a smile. "I'm excited you are now with the music department. Remember – if you need any help getting around or anything else, let me know."

Chad began to feel somewhat jealous but managed to keep it at bay. "I'll walk you to class before I head to mine."

Will smiled but felt uneasy about the way Chad was hovering over him. He wanted to gain some sort of independence back, but he didn't want to push Chad away. Looking around, Will renoticed the stares he was getting from others, and it really bothered him. "Why is everyone on campus looking at me like I'm a disease? Did the media make a big deal about my attack?"

Sonny eyed Chad before sharing, "Chad's coming out probably helped that."

Realizing he didn't think to tell Will that he came out publicly, Chad quickly stepped in. "I gave Abigail's dad an exclusive and came out publicly on Sunday. Everyone knows we are together."

Will smiled and took Chad's hand. "Does that mean this is okay?" Chad smiled and nodded.

* * *

><p>Jennifer sat at her desk in her office working on paperwork for the hospital. She had managed to keep her focus on work, for the most part, since arriving, but when her gaze left the screen and went to her pictures on her desk, she couldn't help but think about her conversation with Daniel the day before. When she heard a light tap on the door, she raised her head and called out, "Come in."<p>

Jack walked in trying to keep some detachment from Jen. "Sorry to come over unannounced, but I wanted to talk to you in person about JJ spending the night with me at the Salem Inn."

Jennifer remained at her desk and motioned for Jack to sit down. She felt uncomfortable being alone with Jack and tried her best to hide the fact. "Yeah. We do need to talk about JJ. I know he's really excited about tonight."

Jack softly smiled and commented, "Yeah. He keeps sending me texts asking me questions about what we're doing tonight."

"So what do you have planned tonight?" Jen reflected on her conversation with Maggie and thought about how Maggie pushed her to find out the truth about Jack. She was not ready to do that just yet.

Jack thought about how much he wanted to spend time with JJ and Jennifer but knew he couldn't share his thoughts on that. "I was going to pick him up around five, so we could head out and decide what we want to eat. Then I thought we could head back to the inn and watch movies or play games. Whatever JJ is in the mood for."

Jen smiled as she shared, "JJ has taken a liking to Buddy's Burger Barn ever since Aunt Maggie took him there. I bet he will want to eat there."

Jack smiled as well. "I remember when we lived in London how much you craved the double deluxe explosion."

Jen began to laugh and shook her head. She was about to reminisce on the good times with Jack, but she stopped herself before she could. The grin on her face faded as she adjusted her body in her chair to become serious again. "I'm sure whatever you decide JJ will have a good time."

Jack noted the shift in Jen and wanted to bring her back to him, but he questioned if he should push this considering his promise to Abigail. He wanted Jen to know how he felt at least. "Jen, I hope you know I was happy with you when we were in London. If I hadn't been taken hostage, I would have been with you and the family."

Noting the word 'hostage', Jen looked down avoiding eye contact with Jack. She needed to push Jack away to protect herself and Daniel before she could have this conversation with him. "Jack..."

Jack's phone made a sound signaling he received a text message. He didn't know who the text was from since he didn't recognize the number, but Ignazio sent him info on Will's whereabouts.

Relieved for the interruption, Jen suggested, "That's probably work. You should do whatever it is you have to."

Jack nodded his head. "Yeah. I should."

Manny, Arianna, and Dario were now in Isobel's hospital room trying to keep things light since the bad news. Isobel, on the other hand, wanted to have a serious discussion. Clearly weaker, she looked at all three and said, "I am done fighting for my life, but I want all of you to continue to fight for yours."

Dario didn't like seeing his mother like this and questioned if she would make it past the evening. He looked to his brother and sister sensing they wondered the same thing. He shook his head thinking that Gabi should be there instead of running away.

Isobel motioned for Arianna to come closer. "Arianna, please find happiness with the man you love – the one you refuse to tell me anything about."

Arianna thought about Marco and shook her head. "I'm not sure if that's happening anymore, but I promise you I will try to find happiness no matter what."

Isobel gave Arianna a frustrated look but decided to move on. "Manuel, please come closer." After Manny replaced Arianna at her bedside, Isobel told him, "Hijo, please make something of your newfound freedom. Don't let the past get in the way of your future."

Manny nodded his head. "I won't let you down, Mama."

Isobel reached out for Dario. Manny moved so Dario could now stand by her bedside. Taking her hand, he calmly said, "Yes, mama." The thoughts in his head weren't as calm as his tone due to the advice Melanie had given him.

"Dario, stay with Chelsea and never give in to your evil desires," Isobel started straightforwardly. "Chelsea is a beautiful woman and seems to know her way around the kitchen thanks to her grandmother Caroline. She will make a suitable wife and mother."

As Isobel continued to praise Chelsea and her attributes, Dario began to feel guilty for breaking up with Chelsea and for kissing Sonny on the pier. Unable to hold his tongue, he confessed, "I'm still struggling with what is right, Mama. I still love Sonny."

Isobel pulled all of her energy together to give Dario some tough love. "I have been too nurturing with you. I will be extremely disappointed in you if you choose to be with a man."

Manny couldn't believe how hurtful Isobel was being with Dario and didn't want to stand for it. "Mama that is enough."

Isobel turned her tough love to Manny. "¡Cállate! This is your fault, too, for setting such a horrible example for your hermanito!" As Manny backed off, Isobel's blood pressure rose as her thoughts went to Andres and the secret she was keeping. She attempted to calm herself down, so she could talk to Manny alone, but she was too upset.

Conflicted, Dario rushed out of the room. Manny followed suit leaving Arianna alone with her mother. Arianna attempted to calm her mother down, but warned, "Mama. We love you very much, but you are making this the hardest goodbye. These will be your last words!" Isobel turned her head embarrassed because she knew Arianna was right. Arianna decided not to say anything else.

Out in the hall, Manny managed to grab Dario's arm to stop him from leaving. "Dario... wait. Don't let Mama get to you."

Dario gave his brother a look of deep anguish. "This is just so hard! I love Mama, but I also love Sonny. I don't know if I can choose."

"Who says you have to," Manny disputed. "If Mama is going to base her love for you on who you love, then forget it. Don't worry about her. Worry about yourself!"

Dario wasn't ready to hear what Manny had to say on his predicament. "I can't... I need space."

As Dario rushed off, Colin walked around a different corner spotting Manny. Surprised by the fact that Manny was out, he backed away because he couldn't afford Manny finding out he worked at the hospital. Turning around, he accidentally bumped into Jack.

Fortunately for Colin, Jennifer rushed out of her office to catch up with Jack before Jack could say anything. Jack turned towards Jen and asked, "What is it?"

Colin managed to slip into a room, but stayed close as Jennifer continued to talk to Jack. "I forgot to ask you if JJ needed to pack anything specific for when he stays the night with you at the Salem Inn. Will he need a sleeping bag and a pillow?"

Jack shook his head. "There's an extra bed, so he'll have all of that," he replied. "I'll just send him the details." Jack turned around and walked off. Jen placed her hand over her heart wishing things were easier.

After Jen headed back to her office, Colin walked out of the room and looked around to make sure Manny was not nearby. He made his way to Lexie's office and knocked on the door before entering. "Lexie, you wanted to see me?"

Lexie stood up from her desk and motioned for Colin to take a seat. "Yes, thanks for coming in. I needed to talk to you about something – something I need to stay between the two of us."

Colin took a seat. His curiosity peaked even more. "Of course. I will keep what you have to say in confidence," he lied.

Lexie sat down and leaned forward on her desk. "I know about your history with my father and André, so I am aware of the fact that you knew of André's plans on Melaswen. You told him you wouldn't help with transporting all those people and because of that he punished you by faking your death."

"Then I was left stranded on the island after I almost escaped with the others," Colin finished her story. He wondered where Lexie was headed with talking about this. "What do you want to know?"

Lexie clasped her hands together as she shared, "I want to know what you remember about the drug that was used to make my husband, Jack, and others appear dead. I believe the same drug was used on Will."

Colin casually placed his hand over his mouth but was worried with how much she knew. "André never told me about the makeup of the solution, but he did tell me about its capabilities."

"Is that why you ran tests on Will when he was brought in?" Lexie asked putting Colin in the hot seat.

Colin's nerves increased as he realized she was putting everything together. He knew he needed to cover his bases. "I thought it was peculiar how Will's wounds were healing so fast, so I wondered if I could catch something other tests may not have caught. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything."

Lexie leaned in even more admitting, "I found something."

In his office, EJ sat with Mr. Olsen working on a new statement concerning some safety precautions in Salem. He wanted to put more security on the pier and close it off to the public at night. "Please read my statement back one more time, and we can break for lunch."

* * *

><p>Mr. Olsen began to read EJ's statement but was interrupted when Azzura walked in with the kids. Mr. Olsen stopped reading the statement back because he wasn't sure if EJ wanted him to read it in front of the kids. "What do you want to do, Mayor Dimera?"<p>

"We can reconvene after lunch and release the statement afterwards." EJ instructed him.

Mr. Olsen left the room as Johnny, Allie, and Sydney looked the place over. Azzura stepped forward. "The children wanted to come see you when I informed them lunch time was near."

EJ thought about how he sent Sami a text to join them for lunch, but Sami told him she already had plans. "It's okay," he said to Azzura before turning his attention to the kids. "Food will be here soon. Are you three having fun?"

"Ms. Sarto is a fun babysitter," Allie answered.

Johnny took EJ's hand wanting a tour of the office. "Dad, it's cool you are helping everyone. You are the good guy. You help everyone feel happy."

"Thank you, Johnny," EJ said with a smile. Johnny's comment caused him to think about how his relationship with Johnny was different from his relationship with Stefano. The idea of being a good guy sounded so foreign to him.

When the food arrived, Azzura pulled out a blanket from one of her bags and set it on the floor so the kids could have an indoor picnic. "Everything is set for you," Azzura said to the three little ones.

EJ watched as he began to eat at his desk. Making eye contact with Azzura, he complimented her, "I see you thought ahead. You truly do have a talent with motherhood."

"Thank you," Azzura said appreciatively as she joined EJ at his desk. "Your children really do think the world of you – especially Johnny. He has said a lot about how you will make everything better for everyone now."

"It is an extremely tall order," EJ commented.

Azzura took a bite of her food and gave EJ a curious look. "I know about the Dimera family. My signora has told me about your family. She said the family used to be completely respected and revered. She craves for the family to be what Johnny wants for you – a good family that helps the community and is respected for it."

EJ took a bite of his food and remained quiet due to being deep in thought.

"What do you want for the legacy of the Dimera name?" Azzura asked.

"I want the same," EJ claimed. His thoughts continued to get the best of him. He thought about the things he and his father did over the years. He began to wonder if Johnny and Sydney would live the same life.

"EJ!" Allie called out to her step-dad. "Johnny isn't eating his food."

EJ stood up and could see Allie was right. "Johnny, why aren't you eating? You love pizza."

Johnny rushed over to EJ and shared, "I need my Tonka truck. I can't eat without my toy truck."

Azzura stood up and went to the kids' bag to look for it. "I believe it is in here."

After Azzura handed Johnny his truck, Johnny took it over to the blanket and began to eat his food. EJ watched Johnny for a moment before explaining the situation, "Johnny started eating with his Tonka truck after he started therapy. I believe he needs it with him to help him with some attachment issues."

Noting the concern on EJ's face, Azzura encouraged, "You are a good father, EJ. I can tell you have a good heart. I believe you will make good and honest decisions as mayor and as the future head of the Dimera family."

EJ gave Azzura a nod of gratitude while internally questioning why Azzura would say what she did about him.

* * *

><p>Brett followed Will out of class after it was over. "Where are you headed?"<p>

Will zipped up his book bag after putting his book in. "I'm meeting my parents in the cafeteria. They apparently want to check in on me."

"That's sweet," Brett remarked. "I am headed for the caf, too, but I am meeting other friends there. I'll walk with you."

Will thought about how he didn't know much about Brett even if Kai introduced him last semester. He didn't see any harm in them walking together since they would most likely become friends. "So I never asked you what your specific major is."

"Piano/vocal performance," Brett answered. "Hopefully one day, you will see me on the concert stage or hear me on a record making lots of moolah."

Will smiled and replied, "Maybe I can help you with that when I learn the ins and outs of running a studio."

Before Brett could respond, another student walked past them and stopped when he saw Will. "Hey. How much do you charge for a... you know...?" The male student moved his fist to his mouth and stuck his tongue on the inside of his cheek to push his cheek out with it.

Will gave the guy a confused look. "What?"

The guy gave Will a stupid look. "You know what I'm asking. How much do you charge for a blowjob?"

Brett quickly pushed the guy back. "Leave him alone you asshole." The guy quickly walked off.

Will was still confused about what just happened. After they continued to walk towards the cafeteria, he asked, "Where did that come from?"

Brett gave Will an uncomfortable look. "I don't know if I should be the one to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" Will asked. "What's going on? I need to know why that guy asked me that. I need to know why everyone keeps giving me dirty looks."

Brett took a deep breath. "People have been talking all week since Chad came out on Sunday saying that he and you were in a relationship."

"What have they been saying?" Will became impatient. He couldn't believe people were making a big deal about his relationship with Chad when they didn't seem to care when Kai and Sonny were dating last semester.

Brett felt really uncomfortable. "I don't believe what they're saying, but a lot of people think you're some sort of prostitute because you were found on the pier. They think you were cheating on Chad because you left him at Chez Rouge to do a few tricks."

Will was in complete shock and dumbfounded. He couldn't say another word as they made their way into the cafeteria. Spotting his parents, Will finally looked to Brett. "I guess I'll see you around." Brett awkwardly nodded his head and walked over to his other friends.

Will joined his parents trying to put what Brett told him to the back of his mind. Noting his parents brought outside food for them to eat, he asked, "Are you guys too good to eat school food?" He was trying really hard to be in a joking mood.

Lucas didn't want Will to know they were trying to butter him up. "We thought you would like some good food since you've been in the hospital this whole time."

Will shrugged his shoulders giving Sami the cue to give him his food. "We got you your favorite from Bruce and Jack's."

Will looked his food over and noted that they even got him an ice cream shake. He gave them a suspicious look and questioned, "You drove to the other side of town to get this for me. What gives?"

Lucas gave Sami a look. "I told you he would figure it out."

Sami ignored Lucas and tried to calm Will. "We just want what's best for you."

Will gave his parents an unamused look. "I'm guessing you're not referring to the food."

"How are things going with Chad?" Sami asked deciding not to irritate her son unnecessarily anymore.

Will decided to take a bite of his food before answering. "Things with Chad are great, and I wouldn't change a thing." He wanted to make sure his parents would drop the subject of Chad.

Lucas sensed Will's annoyance. "Will, we have the right to be concerned. We wanted to check in on you and make sure you aren't overdoing it."

Will didn't want to argue with his parents, so he remained calm and loving as he shared, "You don't have to worry about me. Everything is okay. I'm awake, and I just want to move on."

Sami wasn't sure if Will was in denial or not about everything. "Have you considered therapy for what happened?"

Will managed to keep calm as he requested, "Please just stop. Mom, I'm fine. Dad, you can go back to Hong Kong. I know you have to get back to Sophie and work."

Lucas knew he needed to head back but didn't want to leave Will so soon. "I'm staying for now. I'm not going anywhere until I am convinced you are okay."

"Fine," Will let out before suggesting, "Can we just enjoy our time together then? I would rather keep lunch light – especially sitting in the midst of everyone on campus." Will looked around and noted he was still getting stares from some of the other students. He couldn't believe what Brett told him.

Sami and Lucas noted how uncomfortable Will seemed, but they knew he had a point. The school cafeteria was not the place to push Will. "Sure, Will. Sorry if we're embarrassing you."

Will let out a sigh feeling a little guilty for making his parents feel bad. "You're fine. I just want to be happy."

"We want that, too," Lucas said before taking a bite.

* * *

><p>Sonny, Chad, and Abigail found an empty table in Horton Town Square and sat down. Making sure they had enough seats for everyone, Sonny asked, "So Will's not coming right?"<p>

Chad shook his head. "No, he sent me a text during class saying he was meeting his parents for lunch on campus. Will thought it would be a good idea if I avoided his parents. I agreed."

"They're still giving you a hard time?" Abigail asked.

Chad nodded his head. "They are making things really difficult," he shared.

Sonny was still stuck on the seats. "Abigail, you said that we needed two extra seats. Who are we waiting on?"

"Chelsea and Gabi," Abigail shared with a smile. "I'm glad Chelsea's not mad at me. I thought she would be."

Sonny gave Chad and Abigail a concerned look. "I'm not sure if I can get through lunch with Gabi. She really doesn't like me. It's probably a good thing I couldn't get in touch with T."

Abigail knew there was tension between her cousin and friend, but she attempted to soothe Sonny's worries by telling him, "I think things will be different now. I talked to her earlier, and she really wants to make an effort to make amends for distancing herself from everyone."

Chelsea headed into the town square from the pub running into Gabi. "Hey Gabi. Abby told me you were coming, so I told my grandma I would give this to you." Chelsea pulled out a large envelope from her purse and handed it to Gabi.

Gabi looked the envelope over before deciding, "I'll open it later. Thanks." She wondered what was inside, but didn't want to open it in front of Chelsea. She couldn't forget what she did to Dario, and wanted to keep some distance from Chelsea emotionally.

Back at the table, Sonny spotted Dario walking out of Mandalay Café. Dario seemed clueless to his surroundings and appeared to be contemplating something. Excusing himself, Sonny walked over to Dario to see how he was since they hadn't talked in a while. "Dario, how are you feeling?"

Dario was surprised to see Sonny because he was deep in thought. "Oh. Hey. I... How are you? Nathan told me you asked about me."

Sonny noted that Dario didn't answer his question but let it slide. "I'm okay. I wanted to talk to you since it's been a while. I'm still here for you no matter what happens."

Dario appreciated Sonny's support and without thinking grabbed Sonny's hand because it seemed so natural for him to do so. "Thanks Sonny. I..."

"What the hell?" Gabi exclaimed after rushing over. She had spotted Dario holding Sonny's hand when she and Chelsea headed towards the table. Turning her attention completely on her brother, she commented, "You still want to be with Sonny." Her fury from her realization didn't allow anyone else to say anything as she continued, "I can't believe you! How can you keep choosing to be this way? After everything that has happened, you... I can't even say it anymore. I am very disappointed in you and your decisions. I am so frustrated with you because you won't respect our mother's dying wish!" Pushing Dario, she decided she couldn't stay for lunch and left.

Sonny tried to help Dario keep his balance, but Dario kept an open space between them. Embarrassed and confused by what just happened, he admitted, "I still need time. I'm sorry." Sonny watched as Dario walked away and took a moment before joining the others at the table.

Everyone avoided talking about what happened between Gabi and Dario throughout lunch and kept the conversation light. After they were almost done eating, a reporter managed to sneak up to Chad to ask, "Are the rumors true? Have you and Will Horton broken up? He's not around."

Aggravated, Chad put his fork down and turned to the reporter. "Get lost. Don't make me call my body guards."

"I think your response will suffice," the reporter gleefully responded before leaving.

Abigail shook her head as she commented, "The nerve of reporters. I'm so glad I'm not following in my dad's footsteps."

Chad picked up his fork to finish his food, but he wasn't hungry anymore. Feeling heated, Chad angrily complained, "I don't understand why this is still happening. I wish people would just move on and leave Will and me alone. I'm tired of everyone trying to get in the middle of us. I'm glad Will is at school, so he doesn't have to deal with this crap." The others at the table traded glances with each other as they remained silent.

* * *

><p>After sitting alone in the cafeteria for a while after his parents left, Will decided he couldn't stay on campus any longer due to the constant stares and hustling he had received from other students. He sent a quick email to the professor of his next class trying to explain his absence without sounding like too much of a victim. It was humiliating for him to run away like this, but it was too much.<p>

On his way to the car, he walked past Ignazio unknowingly in the parking lot. He stopped in his tracks when Jack approached him. Deciding to be nice, he shared, "I believe Abigail is at the square if that's who you're looking for."

Jack gave Will an appreciative smile before putting a voice recorder in his face. "I actually was waiting for you," he shared. "I have a few questions about what happened last Friday – on the thirteenth."

Will stepped back as he quickly quipped, "I have no comments to make."

"I am here to help you though," Jack encouraged hoping he could convince Will to give him an exclusive in the same way he convinced Chad. "I want to talk to you about that night, so we can clear some things up. There are rumors going around that make it sound like you frequent the pier at night quite often."

Will pushed the recorder from his face. "I said I have no comment."

Jack didn't let up. "So you weren't meeting a customer on the pier? You didn't leave Chad at Chez Rouge to make money?"

Will couldn't say anything else as it shocked him to be in this situation. "I... I..."

Ignazio rushed up and pushed Jack's hand from Will's face causing Jack to drop his recorder. "Watch it. Do not harass my friend here."

Jack picked up his voice recorder to make sure it was okay before pulling out his card to give to Will. "Will, if you change your mind on getting the truth out there let me know. I can help you like I helped Chad."

Ignazio took the card and told Jack to beat it. After Jack walked away, Ignazio turned to Will and asked, "Are you okay?"

Will nodded his head admiringly. "Thanks for doing that. I've had to deal with that all day, and I just want to go home."

"Where is Chad? Do you need me to take you?"

"No, I can drive myself," Will replied wanting to regain some of his strength and dignity.

Ignazio put his arm around Will. "Okay, but let me know if you ever need anything," he offered. "I cannot imagine what you are going through. It is as if your life here has been tainted. Maybe a change in scenery could help."

Will thought about Ignazio's suggestion and simply said, "Maybe."


	62. Chapter 62 Don't Speak, Pt 2

**Chapter 62: Don't Speak, Part 2 – Friday, January 20th, 2012**

Will arrived to his apartment reeling over the fact that people believed he was some sort of gigolo. Thinking he was alone, he let out a loud sigh of frustration. He contemplated what Ignazio said to him on campus and wondered if his life in Salem was now too tainted for him to be happy there. Questioning how life was now different and more challenging due to the false rumors, he remembered telling Eric he wanted people to know who he was. This wasn't how he wanted it to happen.

Will began to head for the couch but stopped in place when he saw T walking out from the kitchen. Confused to see him there, Will asked, "T. Why aren't you at school?"

Wanting to avoid having to answer the question, T turned it back on Will. "Why aren't you at school?"

Will took a breath and admitted, "I think I'm rushing my recovery. I'm just overwhelmed by my own problems."

"Rough day back to school?" T asked.

Will took a seat on the couch as he questioned, "You've been on campus all week. You haven't heard anything about my attack?" Will wanted to see if T would admit he wasn't in class as Gabi claimed earlier.

T shrugged his shoulders and joined Will on the couch. "No. Should I have?"

Will thought it was weird how T really had no clue why he would be upset about school. He repeated his question from before. "T, why are you here and not at school? You told me you had added more classes to your schedule, so you could focus on that and not your family drama. What's going on?"

T looked away trying so hard to avoid any conversation about his problems. "Just tell me why you had a bad day at school. Let me help you."

Will only pushed harder deciding he would bring up what Gabi said earlier. "Gabi said you hadn't been in class all week, so maybe that's why you don't know about what everyone has been saying about me on campus. Why haven't you been at school? I know something is going on because you can't even look at me."

T closed his eyes as he finally admitted, "It's because I am no longer a student at Salem U."

Will grew concerned and wanted to know more. "What happened? Was it your decision?"

"It wasn't mine," T started to explain. "My parents saw a video of me kissing Kai online. It apparently spread around campus before school started – before your attack became the big story. My parents were even more humiliated by my actions and decided to take all of my financial aid for school. I had to find out from my professor that I wasn't enrolled anymore. I stormed out and headed to my dad's office on campus, and that's when he told me everything. He called me reckless and said he and my mom were officially done with me."

Will sat back for a moment taking in T's situation. "I'm sorry, T. What are you going to do now?"

"I've got nothing now," T began. "I've tried all week to find a job, but my family connections aren't working anymore. It's like I am blacklisted in Salem thanks to my parents."

Will shook his head. He couldn't imagine what he would do if his parents treated him in the same way T's parents treated him. "I'm sorry, T. I cannot believe your parents would be so cruel. They always seemed nice when I was around them."

T shook his head at Will. "I've only got myself to blame. I set this all up in anger and because of my stupidity I screwed myself over. You warned me. You told me I was hurting myself in the end, and you were right."

Will grabbed the back of his neck unsure of how to comfort T. He went to give T a hug, but Sonny walked in causing T to stand up. Will looked over to Sonny. "Sonny, what are you doing here?"

"I live here," Sonny answered with a bit of suspicion. He noted he walked in on something. "What did I interrupt?"

T immediately answered, "Nothing. Will and I were just talking." He didn't want Sonny to know what was going on with him.

Sonny didn't believe T. "You're lying," he claimed causing T to get nervous. "Will, what happened today? Did something happen to you at school?"

Relieved to know that Sonny thought they were talking about Will, T decided to get out of there fast. "I have a study group at the library on campus. I'll see you guys around," he lied.

Will stopped T from leaving and requested, "Check in with me later." T nodded his head and promised he would.

After T was gone, Sonny moved in closer to Will. "So what happened?"

Will thought about T's situation, but then he thought about his own predicament. "I had a run in with the media about some rumors spreading across town. Jack approached me and asked me if I had clients — clients I performed sexual favors on."

Sonny couldn't believe it. "What? Jack, as in my Uncle Jack?"

Will nodded his head. "Yeah, if it wasn't for Ignazio, he would have kept on. I couldn't take it anymore, so I skipped my last class." Wanting to change the subject, he asked Sonny, "Was your day eventful at all?"

Sonny thought about what happened at lunch and remembered how the reporter approached Chad, but then he also remembered what happened with Dario and Gabi. "I saw Dario at the square and tried to check in with him, but Gabi rushed up and went off on him. He was completely destroyed by what she said to him. I don't know what to do."

"Did you get to talk to him after?"

Sonny put his hand out pointing it towards Will and waved it side to side. "Kind of. He told me he needs more space, so I guess there's nothing I can really do at this point. I don't think Isobel has much time though, so I'm sure that's his main priority."

"Well, that is understandable," Will stated as he thought about his situation. "I need to figure out what I'm going to do."

"What are you going to do?" Sonny asked.

Will thought about his options. "I could either leave Salem and start a new life or do damage control."

Sonny wondered if Will really thought leaving Salem was a viable option. "Leaving Salem won't help you at all. I know people will talk and say whatever to everyone around them, but we know the truth."

A realization came over Will causing him to jump straight up from the couch. "Crap! This is not happening!"

Sonny looked up at Will with concern, "What? What is it?"

Will put his hand on the top of his head as thoughts of concern raced through his mind and showed on his face.

* * *

><p>Chad stood outside the music building waiting for Will to come out so they could head home together. After his run in with the reporter at the town square, he thought it would also be a good idea if they talked about the rumors and speculation circling around town. As he waited, Michelle, his friend from the last semester approached him. "Hey Michelle."<p>

"I wondered if I would ever see you on campus since we don't have any classes together this semester," Michelle commented. "I'll have to tell Beth that I actually got to see you. How is everything since – you know – what happened with Will?"

Chad smiled boldly as he shared, "Things are really good. We love each other, and we're staying together. Don't let the rumors about us breaking up fool you."

Michelle raised her eyebrows as she mentioned casually, "Well, I hope Will doesn't cheat on you again."

Chad gave Michelle a look to make sure she actually believed what she was saying. "Michelle, the rumors are not true. Will never cheated on me. I'm the one who messed up. I cheated on Will that night, and that's why he ran off to the pier."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Michelle gave Chad a disappointed look as Brett walked out of the building.

After taking a second to compose himself from Michele's question, Chad stopped Brett from walking off. "Hey Brett. Is Will coming out?"

Brett gave Chad a confused look. "He's not. He never made it to class. I assumed he was ditching with you."

"Where could he be?" Chad asked more thinking out loud.

As Chad pulled out his phone, Michele realized Chad didn't have time to talk things through with her. "We'll talk about your idiotic behavior later, Chad. You're lucky Will loves you so much. Hopefully I can knock some sense into you, so you'll love him as much in return," she said before walking away.

As Chad tried to call Will, Brett shared, "The last time I saw him he was sitting alone in the caf after meeting with his parents. He told me he would see me in class."

Unfortunately for Chad, Will didn't answer his phone. Chad put his phone back in his pocket as he thought through the possibilities of where Will might be. "Yeah, he told me he would be there, but he told me to meet him here after his class."

Kai walked up asking Brett, "Hey, you ready to check out my new place?" He wanted to pretend he didn't see Chad there for what he did to Will.

Brett nodded his head to Kai before turning to Chad. "I hope you find Will."

Hearing that Chad was looking for Will, Kai couldn't ignore Chad anymore and shared, "I saw Will leaving campus earlier."

"Thanks." Chad responded as Kai and Brett walked off. He pulled out his phone again and questioned why Will left campus earlier and wondered where he could be now.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Jennifer ran into Daniel coming out of a patient's room. "Hey, Dr. Jonas. I was hoping I could find you here."<p>

Daniel gave Jennifer a nervous look and made note of her talking to him in a professional manner. "Well, you found me."

Jennifer became nervous as well because of how uneasy Daniel seemed. "Yes. I wanted to make sure we were still on for our date tonight. Abigail and JJ are going to be out of the house."

"Are things better with Jack?" Daniel questioned.

Jennifer gave Daniel an uncomfortable look because she thought he was referring to their conversation before in her office, but then realized he was referring to Jack's relationship with the kids. "Oh. JJ is happy to spend time with him tonight. Abigail has opened up to the possibility of working through things with her dad, and the fact that he wants to stick around this time."

"What do you think about it all?"

Jennifer wasn't sure about sharing her feelings about Jack with Daniel due to awkwardness, but she decided to share anyway. "I'm optimistic."

Lexie, who was looking for Daniel and Jennifer, caught up with them. "Hey. Do you two have time to discuss something important?"

Daniel scratched the back of his neck with his index finger. "Something important?"

"It's about the tests performed on Will," Lexie shared as she reflected on her conversation with Colin in her office earlier. "I want to make sure access to the results remains limited."

Daniel gave Lexie a concerned look as he tried to read her. "Well, we have the rule of confidentiality in place, but I'm guessing you want more than that. You want to be the only one who has access to those results now, right?"

"Can you even do that?" Jennifer asked curiously.

Lexie held her hands up in protest. "Daniel, I know you're the current chief of staff, but I have concerns with possible leaks to others working for... for whoever is responsible. I can't lose this data. There is something else going on here, and I need to find out what that is."

Daniel still felt uneasy with Lexie's request. "I agree with you. Something's not right. Will healed extremely fast with no real explanation, but I think it would be dangerous if we left that information with you only. That puts you in a dangerous position."

As Jennifer grew worried, Lexie quickly argued, "But if you remain involved in this case, you will be in danger as well." Turning to Jennifer, Lexie decided to pull her into the conversation. "Talk to him, Jen. Tell him to stay away from this, so you two aren't in jeopardy."

Jennifer's worry only increased. "I don't like the sound of this at all. Why would..."

"What are you trying to do here, Lexie?" Daniel asked interrupting Jen. "I know things are difficult for you, but I don't want you to use Jen or me like this."

Lexie could see she had upset two of her friends and decided to back down. "I'm sorry. Can we just make sure the results aren't easily accessible? We can't let them disappear."

Daniel nodded his head hoping things would not remain tense. "Yes, we'll find a more secure place to store them. I don't want you to worry about this. Maybe you need a break to spend time with Theo."

"Thanks and sorry again," Lexie let out before walking away questioning if she was losing herself.

Jennifer took Daniel's hand and gave him a look of concern. "What just happened?"

Daniel sighed before sharing, "I think Lexie coming back to work was premature. We need to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't lose herself."

Jen nodded her head before asking for clarification. "So you don't think there is danger with those results?"

Daniel shook his head. "No. I don't think so. I think Lexie just wants to keep the information for personal reasons. There's something or someone she wants to protect."

Dario got out of the elevator and found Manny and Arianna standing in the hall outside of Isobel's hospital room. With some concern he asked, "What's going on? Why aren't you inside with Mama?"

Manny gave his brother a frustrated but sad look. "She kicked us out because she is upset and needs to rest."

Thinking about what Isobel told Dario before, Arianna put her arm around him. "Dario, you need to stop fighting this. I know Mama is set on this idea of you being someone else, but you should just be you – and no one else."

"Arianna is correct," Manny encouraged.

Dario placed his hands on the sides of his head sharing his feelings. "I'm so lost. I can't even think this through."

Arianna rubbed Dario's back lovingly. "I know you want to take stress from Mama and calm her worries about what will come of us, but you can't hide who you are. You cannot hide who you are from Mama before she dies?"

"Why can't I?" Dario questioned a bit overwhelmed and annoyed. He pulled himself away from Arianna.

Arianna allowed Dario to keep his distance, but allowed an intensity in her voice as she answered, "You don't want the last thing you do to Mama before she dies is lie."

Truth hit Dario as he thought about the guilt he would carry if he continued to lie to Isobel until she died. He would never be happy. Even with knowing that, he still had his doubts that he could handle being truthful about everything with his mother before she died. "It won't help her if I am completely honest about everything. Gabi was right earlier in that Mama has this one last wish, and I want to respect that for her. I don't want her to be unhappy before she dies. I can't live with that either."

"You won't be happy though. You will be miserable," Manny countered. "I know Mama wants you marry a woman, but I think even more she wants you to be happy with life. She wants you to live life fully."

Dario thought about what Manny had to say. Water began to form in his left eye as he admitted, "You have no idea how much I want to believe that. I hope she wants that for me, but I guess it's really hard for me to see it. A part of me wonders if she's keeping everyone out because she doesn't really want to see me. Tell her I'm gone. Maybe she'll see you when you do."

Arianna and Manny watched as Dario walked away. "How are we going to fix this?"

Manny wasn't sure. "I don't know, but we will have to do something soon. We don't have much time."

* * *

><p>Colin walked into Maddalena's office after returning unnoticed from the hospital. "I have some upsetting news to report. I believe Lexie is figuring out that something was used on Will and believes it is connected to your son, André, and what he did on Melaswen years ago."<p>

Maddalena stood up and agreed with Colin's assessment that the news was upsetting. "Things are coming unraveled when I thought everything was coming together nicely. We will need to be on watch – looking for ways to speed up my plan."

"Of course," Colin nodded his head. "For what it's worth, I think I convinced Lexie to keep everything guarded because of what happened to me. What is our next move?"

Maddalena walked over to a window to look out the curtain. "First, I want to test Ricardo's loyalty to me. He has been loyal prior, but I need to make sure his relationship with my nipote will not get in the way again."

"I have something he can do," Colin suggested remembering what he heard between Jack and Jennifer earlier. "I need him to cause a problem at the Salem Inn tonight."

Maddalena closed the curtain as she turned around to face Colin. "He can do that, but I have another job for him as well. Please call Ricardo and tell him what you need, but tell him to call me when he's done."

"What are you going to have him do?" Colin asked curiously.

"I need him to infiltrate the women's prison to get information on the ex-warden," Maddalena answered. "I need to find out what they know and what the cops are trying to dig up there. I think they may have something on my brother, and I need to make sure I protect the family name at all costs."

Colin was intrigued. Pulling out his phone, he questioned, "This all seems muddy to me."

Maddalena nodded her head in agreement. "This will be very tricky, and I will most likely have to do things I'd rather avoid. In the end though, I will be successful. Call Ricardo. If he has questions, have him call me."

* * *

><p>As the kids played with their toys in the mayor's office, Azzura stood next to EJ in front of his desk as they discussed their day together. "I really enjoyed spending time with the children in your office. I learned a lot concerning the processes of local government."<p>

"It seems the kids learned a lot as well," EJ shared. He was still getting the hang of things and hoped he wasn't making a fool of himself as the new mayor. It really put him in a weird position because of the business Dimera Enterprises covered up.

Azzura moved in closer and ran her hand down EJ's arm. She could tell he felt more comfortable around her and was letting her in. "You are a good father. I can tell the children are very proud of you and truly believe you are capable of doing good things for this town."

Without knocking, Sami walked in and immediately noted the closeness between Azzura and EJ. She sighed loudly to get their attention. After EJ and Azzura separated, Sami turned to the kids to pretend she didn't notice their closeness. "Hey everyone! Did you have fun in the mayor's office? I'm sorry I couldn't join you."

As the kids ran over to give Sami a hug, EJ received a call from Chad. Removing himself from Azzura even more, he answered his phone, "Hello, brother. What can I do for you?"

Chad sounded exasperated on the other side. "I am about to leave my place to talk to Will, but I thought you should know that Will was approached by Jack Deveraux on campus. He asked Will questions about last Friday night and why he was at the pier. He even hinted to the rumors that Will regularly prostitutes himself out on the pier."

EJ shook his head as he placed his hand on his forehead. "I will take care of it. Let me know if Will needs anything."

After EJ hung up, Sami made her way to EJ worried because he had said Will's name. "Did something happen to my son? What did Chad do wrong this time?"

Azzura walked off to keep the kids distracted so EJ could tell Sami what Chad had said. "Apparently Jack Deveraux approached Will on campus and asked him if the prostitution rumors were true," EJ answered. Attempting to pull Sami into an embrace, he added, "I told Chad I would take care of it."

Sami was not amused and didn't allow EJ to pull her in. "Don't bother. I will take care of it," she claimed. "I'll talk to Jack personally after we get the kids home."

EJ grimaced as he looked over to Azzura, who had witnessed Sami pulling away from him. She smiled inside because she finally made some progress with separating EJ and Sami.

* * *

><p>After work, Jennifer helped JJ bring his things down the stairs of the Horton house. "So have you talked to your dad about what you two are doing over the weekend?"<p>

Abigail entered the house with Josh on her mind, but her thoughts went elsewhere when she overheard JJ answering their mother's question. "Dad and I are going to order in and watch movies all night. We might play some video games if we don't find anything good to watch."

"You're staying with dad at the Salem Inn?" Abigail questioned. "Is that a good idea?"

JJ quickly got defensive as he replied, "It's a good thing. He's my dad, and I'm spending time with him."

Abigail backed off knowing this was really important to her brother. "I hope you have fun."

The doorbell rang, and Jack was on the other side to pick up JJ. "Are you ready to have a blast tonight? I made sure the job knew not to call me or interrupt our time together."

JJ smiled and gave Jack a hug. "Yeah. I can't wait."

Jen began to help JJ grab his stuff, so he could take it to Jack's car when Jack's phone began to ring. Jack pulled out his phone from his pocket as he apologized. "I don't know who would be calling right now." Jack looked at the number and found it familiar, so he answered. "Hello. This is Jack Deveraux."

Abigail rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she watched her dad on the phone. She turned towards her brother and mother and questioned how this seemed so easy for the both of them. She wondered if her dad had kept his word in not pursuing anything with Jennifer. After Jack got off the phone, Abigail asked him, "Another story?"

Jack shook his head. "That was Salem Inn. Apparently there seems to be a problem with flooding, so the whole building is being evacuated. My stuff should be fine, but I no longer have a room there – at least for the night." Jack turned to JJ giving him a sad look. "It looks like we'll have to try this another..."

"I know what we can do," JJ interrupted his dad from canceling. "You can stay here, and we can do everything we were going to do here."

Jack glanced to Jennifer before giving his son a hesitant look. "I don't think that is a good idea. We won't get to have the guy time like I planned."

JJ remained persistent. "We have the room. There's an extra empty bed next to Mom's bedroom. You can have it. I have been excited about this! It's happening!" JJ turned to his mom hoping she wouldn't stand in the way.

Jen could see JJ really wanted this and didn't want to stand in the way of their evening. "I don't have a problem with it," she shared.

Before Abigail could cut in, Jack made sure to clear things up for JJ from the get go. "JJ, I'll stay here, but I want you to know something about your mother and me. We are never getting back together."

Jen gave Jack a surprised look because she didn't know he had given up on trying to get back together with her. Abigail was pleased. JJ, on the other hand, was not. "Why not?"

Jack thought about how he messed up so bad when he walked out on the family. "I made some mistakes, and things happened because of those mistakes. I still love your mom very much, but there's something you have to realize about love. If you truly love someone, you should want them to be happy even if it is someone else who makes them happy. If you make the person you love very happy, you should hold onto them and never let them go."

JJ sat there in silence thinking about what his dad had to say. Even though it made him sad to find out his parents were never getting back together, he understood what his dad was saying. He realized it really was his dad's fault things weren't going to work out for the family, but that didn't change how much he loved his dad.

Abigail also reflected on what her dad had to say. Returning her thoughts on Josh, she grabbed her purse and informed her family. "I'm going out. There's something I need to do."

Jennifer gave Jack a smile after Abigail left and headed for the kitchen to think alone. "If you two want snacks, there's plenty in the fridge."

"We'll probably order pizza," Jack declared causing JJ to get excited again. Jack watched Jen as she disappeared into the kitchen. He wondered if he did the right thing in verbally confirming he had given up on being with Jen.

* * *

><p>Gabi walked into the pub with the now opened envelope that Chelsea delivered to her earlier in the square. She headed for the back and found Caroline looking over financial records for the pub. "Mrs. Brady. Can I have a moment?"<p>

Caroline turned around in her chair and welcomed Gabi. "Yes. I see you have the envelope I delivered with Chelsea."

Gabi nodded her head and took a seat. She couldn't believe what was inside, and a part of her was afraid of the hope that came over her from seeing it. "That's exactly what I want to talk to you about. It's too generous. You don't have to do this for me."

Caroline threw her hand at Gabi as she said, "Nonsense. I believe in you, Gabi. I think this will be good for you, and it will give me time to start preparing for retirement."

Gabi pulled out some of the forms in the envelope. "Going to school to learn how to run a restaurant while honing my cooking skills is a big deal. It's an even bigger deal that you're paying for everything, and it's out of state."

Caroline grabbed Gabi's hand wanting to deliver an important message to her. "Gabi, I know that this is a huge decision for you. I also know your mother does not have much time. I thought you would at least like the option to learn more because I really do want to leave the restaurant with you when I retire. It will be my last greatest investment."

Gabi still wasn't sure about accepting Caroline's offer. "I guess I should be saying thank you for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I can't decide anything though until..." Gabi stopped as hurt came over her. "Until Mama is..."

Caroline stopped Gabi from saying anymore. "Gabi, I understand. I know this is hard for you and your family."

Gabi put her head down and placed the papers back in the envelope. "I should go so you can get back to work."

Caroline stood up with Gabi. "Before you go, there is something else I need to say to you."

"What is it?"

Filled with regret, Caroline explained, "I need to apologize to you for what I did to you last summer. My memory has returned and how I used you is very unfortunate. I know you have done your best to help me not remember that, but I thought you should know that you are appreciated."

Gabi's eyes welled up as she grabbed Caroline's hands. "You never have to apologize because you have done so much for me. I need more people like you in my life." Feeling a rush of sadness and loneliness come over her, Gabi pulled Caroline into a hug.

Out in front, Will walked up to the bar where Chelsea stood. "Hey. What's new with you?" he asked casually. He wanted to make sure he showed no signs of urgency to Chelsea.

Chelsea wiped off the cash register as she commented, "I think it's time for change in my life. What brings you here?"

Will looked the place over as she nervously shared, "I came to talk to great-grandma. Is she around?"

Chelsea pointed her thumb towards the back. "She's in the office, but Gabi is with her currently." As much as Will tried to hide it, Chelsea noted worry in Will's eyes. "Is everything okay?"

"I just need to talk to great-grandma about certain things about me," Will answered. "It's better if I prepare her before she gets wind of anything." Gabi walked out from the back causing Will to think about T's situation. He quickly grabbed her attention by asking, "Hey. Have you talked to T?"

Gabi gave Will a weird look. "No? I mean besides at the school when you were there. Are you okay, Will?" Gabi turned to Chelsea and asked, "Did he lose his memory?"

Will quickly realized he almost slipped and told Gabi about T's family situation. "No, my memory is fine. I'm just getting used to life again. I know you and T aren't exactly friends anymore."

Caroline walked out and got excited when she saw Will. "Will, I didn't expect to see you today. Let me cook you up something special. I need you to keep getting better."

Gabi thought through what Caroline had just said and remembered something Will said to her earlier. Deciding to leave, she dismissed herself in haste, "I need to go. Bye."

Will thought it was weird how Gabi just walked out so quickly. He turned to Caroline and stopped her from heading to the kitchen. "I'm okay. Don't worry about my health. I just want to sit down and talk to you for a minute."

Chelsea wondered what Will needed to prepare Caroline for but decided to give them time alone. "I can watch things," she proposed.

"Thank you, Chelsea," Caroline said before taking Will's hand to lead him to a table. After sitting down, she gave him a fretful look and asked, "What do you need to talk to me about?"

Will reflected on how awful his experience at school was and couldn't imagine what it would be like if people started harassing the rest of his family. After a deep breath, he began to explain the situation. "I don't know if you've heard anything on the news or from customers, but there are rumors spreading about me. My attack last week was big news evidently and when Chad confirmed we were in a relationship, the media and everyone else began to speculate why I was on the pier in the first place. Apparently, the top theory is that I'm some sort of gigolo."

Caroline remained silent for a moment before nodding her head. When she finished nodding her head, she continued to stay quiet for a while longer. Will wondered what she was thinking and hoped he hadn't caused unnecessary stress on her. Fortunately, Caroline finally spoke, "I already knew about the rumors. People will always say the nastiest thing on their mind about people they know nothing about. Trust me. I know from experience on both sides." Taking Will's hands on the table she looked him straight in the eyes. "We both know those rumors aren't true. Our family knows those rumors aren't true. Your friends know those rumors aren't true, so don't let those idiots dictate how you feel about yourself or your life. Just stay true to yourself and grow. You are good Will, and you will be alright."

Will smiled widely as his grandmother pulled his hands closer to her, so she could give them a kiss. "Thanks great-grandma. I love you."

"I love you, Will," Caroline said as she squeezed his hands. "How about I cook you up something now."

Will stood up and made sure to give Caroline an appreciative look. "Thanks, but I should head back to my place. Maybe another time."

Caroline stood up and gave Will a hug. "I'll hold you to that. If you ever need anything, let me know."

"I will," Will said before turning around to leave.

"Will?" Caroline called out to her great-grandson.

Will turned around. "Yeah?"

Caroline moved closer to Will. "Have you taken any necessary steps to heal from all of this? Are you talking to a therapist?"

Will felt uneasy about talking about his feelings and thoughts about what he had been through. Holding it all in, he calmly stated, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'll see you later."

"Right," Caroline said as Will walked out. She couldn't help worrying things were still unsettled for him.

* * *

><p>Abigail walked across Horton Town Square as she kept replaying what her dad said about love in her head. She hoped she could find Josh since he wasn't answering his phone. As she looked around, she wasn't really paying attention to where she was going and accidentally bumped into Chad. "Chad, oh, I'm sorry. What are you doing here alone?"<p>

Chad looked across the square before answering, "I have been going everywhere hoping to find and talk to Will. I went to the apartment thinking he would be there, but Sonny told me Will headed to the pub after going home from school, so I am heading that way."

"Is everything okay between you and Will?" Abigail asked realizing she hadn't asked him that before.

Chad nodded his head, but his voice showed he wasn't completely certain. "Yeah. Surprisingly, Will has been very understanding and forgiving. I feel bad about everything that has happened, and a part of me wonders if he's really okay with all of this."

Abigail felt bad for Will and knew things weren't easy for him. "I hope he is okay and isn't trying to hide from anything."

"Me, too," Chad answered feeling antsy. "How are you doing? Any new updates on Josh?"

Abigail cautiously smiled as she shared, "I know what I want now, and I've put it off for too long. I want to be with Josh, and there's no way I want to let that go. He's been great, and I love him. I know he loves me, too. I just need to tell him."

Chad smiled back. "You should definitely go for it then. I spotted him coming out of Mandalay Café not too long ago heading the opposite direction. I should go find Will though. We should catch up more later."

"Thanks Chad," Abigail said patting him on the back. "Good luck with Will."

"Good luck to you, too."

Abigail rushed off to find Josh and found him sitting on a bench near one of the many entrances of the square. She stopped herself from getting closer and remained silent though because he was on the phone and seemed upset. She decided to listen in to see what was going on.

Josh placed his left hand on his right shoulder as he held the phone to his right ear. "Are you serious? Dad's going to have multiple surgeries?" Remaining quiet for a bit to let the other person speak, concern grew on his face. "Mom, when you told me what was going on with dad, I started setting things up in case I needed to come to Georgia to help you. Pretty much all of my classes have been transferred to online. I can talk to my other professors to see if they can allow me to do individual study, so I can still graduate."

Josh remained quiet again as his mother talked again. "Yeah, I've told you and dad I want nothing to do with pa's business because I want to do something else with my life, but I know dad needs me now, so I can help out temporarily until he gets back on his feet. ... It's going to be temporary, mom. I don't want to go into that anyway. What's important is that dad is okay. I don't care if you guys left me here to fend for myself when I started college. Pa left you the family business, and you know that's not what I want for my future."

Josh listened to his mother again, but then thought about Abigail. He realized he needed to talk to her before he decided anything. "Actually, mom, before you hang up, I should say I can't make any promises. There are some... things that I don't want to just leave here. ... Yeah, I stopped business already when you told me about dad's accident, but I have other stuff. ... I've got to go. I'll call you later when everything is figured out."

Josh hung up his phone and let out a sigh of frustration. He took a seat on the bench feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to do the right thing for his parents, but he didn't want to leave Abigail. "I have to talk to Abby about this. I can't just walk out on her like this."

Abigail remained unseen for a moment longer as she reflected on what she just overheard. She couldn't believe Josh was dealing with all of this the entire time and hadn't said anything to her. Feeling guilty for a lot of things and for spying on Josh, she stepped forward and announced herself so Josh knew she was standing there. Now standing behind the bench, she nonchalantly asked, "Josh, what's going on?"

Josh remained seated, turned around, and sighed. "I'm glad you found me. I really need to talk to you about something."

"I really need to talk to you about something, too," Abigail shared as she continued to reflect on what her dad said to JJ earlier about love. She also remembered how she realized she had been treating Josh the same way Jack treated Jen. She wanted to make this decision easier for Josh because she had already hurt him so much. "I should go first – if that's okay."

Josh, who was now standing in front of the bench facing her, nodded his head wondering if Abigail had finally made her decision to be with him for good. Even if it complicated things for him, he still wanted Abigail to be his. He loved her. "Yeah, go ahead."

Abigail looked down towards the bench mounted between them and reflected on how much she wanted to tell Josh she wanted to be with him and how much she adored him for sticking by her through everything. A tear fell down her face, and she looked just to the side of Josh because she could not make eye contact with him because she was about to be brutally honest with him. She had to let him go. "Josh, you are such an amazing guy." Abigail paused because she had a huge lump in her throat because this was so difficult for her. "I... I have treated you horribly, and you didn't deserve any of that. That's why I am here now. I know now you will always have a place in my heart, but I can't be with you. I can't give you what you want, so I am telling you you're free to go. I'm not going to stand in the way of you living your life, and I am not going to stand in your way of finding true happiness."

Josh's heart sank and tried to get Abigail to look at him. He wondered what made her decide all of this and questioned the convenience of Abigail breaking things off again when he was most likely leaving Salem. "Abby, are you sure this is what you want? You can't even look at me."

Abigail took all of her strength to look Josh in the eyes and say, "Yes. This is what I want, and this is what you need."

"What does that mean?" Josh questioned.

Abigail looked away again because she knew if she told him the truth, she would keep him from helping his family when they needed him more. Instead, she told him a different truth, "I'm no good for you, Josh. I think, deep down, you know that. I should leave you alone now. I really hope the best for you."

Josh tried to stop Abigail from leaving, but she rushed off. He couldn't believe Abigail had officially broken things off with him. Trying to avoid his feelings, he took a seat on the bench again and tried to convince himself that moving to Georgia would definitely be the best thing for him now.

Abigail stopped by the stairs in the square and began to cry. She couldn't believe she had just pulled a similar stunt her father pulled on her mother multiple times. In a weird way, she understood her father better now. She understood his love. Not wanting attention, she continued to head for her car.

* * *

><p>Jennifer stood near the kitchen door looking into the living room as Jack and JJ played video games together. She couldn't help but smile at the two interacting. It warmed her heart to see JJ spending so much time with his dad. Focusing on Jack, she wondered what made Jack decide to move on. She speculated if his decision would make things easier for everyone.<p>

The doorbell rang causing Jen to jump out of her thoughts. "I've got the door." She quickly opened the door and was surprised at first to see Daniel on the other side. Her shock turned into realization as she remembered she had a date with Daniel. "Daniel, oh my gosh."

Daniel, who was dressed in a nice shirt and slacks, raised up his hand to show Jen he brought a bottle of wine. Hearing voices and loud noises coming from the living room, he asked, "Is everything okay?"

Jennifer let Daniel in as she began to explain the situation. "I'm sorry. I forgot to call you to tell you there has been a change in plans. Jack and JJ are having father-son bonding time here now because Salem Inn was evacuated due to some issues with flooding." Daniel didn't say anything at first because he had this whole night planned to reconnect with Jennifer since both had been so busy. "Are you upset?" Jen asked fearfully.

Daniel gave Jennifer a sad look. "No, I'm not upset. We can still have our date night in the kitchen, right?"

Jennifer nodded her head and took Daniel's hand to lead him into the kitchen. Turning her head towards Jack and JJ, she let them know, "Attention. The kitchen will be off-limits in ten minutes, so if you need anything from there you better get it now."

After pausing the game, Jack and JJ watched as Jennifer and Daniel disappeared into the kitchen. Jack stood up deciding he should go in there to confront the awkwardness head on. "I'll grab us a few drinks and chips."

Entering the kitchen, Jack gave Daniel an uncomfortable smile. "Don't mind me. Pretend like I'm not here."

Daniel had every intention of doing just that. Noting the smell, he commented to Jen, "Smells really good in here. I can't wait to eat."

Jen smiled at Daniel trying to focus on him only as Jack made a lot of noise grabbing stuff from the fridge. "I made lasagna. I hope you like it."

"Why wouldn't I?" Daniel commented.

Jack couldn't help but watch the closeness between Jen and Daniel as he grabbed a bag of chips, while holding onto a few soda cans in one arm. Lost in his thoughts, he accidentally dropped a can of soda on the ground. The can busted and spilled everywhere. "Oops."

Jen rushed over with a kitchen towel to help Jack clean the mess. Daniel sighed and wondered if he was fooling himself in trying to pretend Jack wasn't there and not in the way.

JJ leaned back on the couch after Jack headed into the kitchen. Nathan and Melanie walked in debating on whether they should go see a late-night movie. Noting they were headed for the kitchen, JJ stopped them. "You might not want to go in there. Mom and Daniel are having a date in there, so it could get awkward."

Melanie smiled at the thought of Jen and Daniel having a date in the kitchen. "Maybe we should go to the movie then to give my dad and Jen some space." Before she could invite JJ, Jack walked out of the kitchen holding drinks and chips. "What were you doing in there?" Melanie asked untrustworthily.

Jack awkwardly made his way over to the couch and handed the drinks and chips to JJ. Wiping his clothes off to make sure he had gotten every drop of soda off, he replied, "Just grabbing snacks before Jennifer and Daniel start their date."

The doorbell rang again and Jack decided to get it, so he wouldn't have to deal with anymore awkwardness. "I'll get it." Opening the door, he was surprised to see Sami standing there. "Sami, what are you doing here?"

Sami looked in the house and gave forced smiles to Nathan and Melanie before turning her very real frustration to Jack. "I need to talk to you alone."

Jack turned back to Nathan and Melanie and asked, "Can you two hang out with JJ? I'll be right back."

Nathan nodded his head and turned his attention to JJ as Jack walked out the house with Sami. Getting a closer look, Nathan asked, "What game are you playing?"

JJ liked having Nathan around but didn't particular like Nathan when Melanie was around because he always seemed absent and preoccupied with her. "Are you two going to the movies?"

"I think so," Nathan shared noting that JJ didn't answer his question. He wondered why JJ seemed aloof.

Melanie joined JJ on the couch and gave him a smile. "You know I'm going to be your step-sister soon, so I think it would be great if we got to know each other better."

JJ wasn't too keen on the idea and kept his focus on his game controller. "Daniel and mom haven't really planned their wedding, so we have plenty of time for that."

"Why not tonight?" Melanie asked enthusiastically. "You could join us for the movie tonight if it's okay with your parents."

JJ gave Melanie a weird look because he didn't expect an invite from her. "You mean you'd let me hang out with you and Nathan?"

Nathan sat on the other side of JJ and lightly slapped JJ's leg. "I think the real question is would you let us hang out with you tonight."

Outside, Sami rubbed her arms due to the cold as she berated Jack. "My son is officially off limits. You know those rumors aren't true, but the more attention you give to them, the longer they stick around. I don't appreciate what you did today."

Jack did not want to deal with Sami, so he quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I know Will has been through a lot, and it was tacky the way I approached him, but I really wanted to help."

"Help?" Sami called him out. "How could you help my son?"

Jack scratched his cheek for a moment before replying, "I know Will hasn't and isn't soliciting his body to strangers. I want to get the truth out though. Let Will and Chad tell the people what really happened between them that night so they can leave Will alone about all of this."

Sami thought about Chad coming forward about everything and wished he would, but she knew that she needed to protect her son. "Jack, don't worry about my son. I can do that. What you need to do is worry about your daughter. She is the one who really needs you now."

Confused, Jack wondered why Sami would bring up Abigail. "What do you know about her?"

"I know plenty – trust me," Sami started. "Let me offer you some advice on what your daughter is going through. She needs you to stop hiding and running away. She needs you to show her that you are strong and want to be a part of her life. If you can't do that for her, she's going to struggle through most of her life doubting love. I was lucky to find it with EJ even after I tried to sabotage it numerous times. You have your chance now to finally make things right."

Jack took a deep breath and nodded his head appreciatively. The thought of his daughter being like Sami caused a shiver to run through his body. "Thanks for that, Sami, but I should head back in if you're done with telling me to back off from your son."

Sami gave Jack a frustrated look. "I hope you heard what I had to say."

"I did," Jack replied before heading back into the house. He wanted to get back to his son and focus on his relationship with him for now.

Jack walked into the living room in time to hear JJ tell Nathan, "It would be cool if I could go to the movies with you guys, but I have to hang out with my dad tonight. You know – you're the coolest guy I know. I hope I'm cool like you one day."

Jack felt a jealousy come over him as he stood near the entry way. He suddenly felt like a hindrance on his son and questioned if JJ had better male role models in his life already.

* * *

><p>Back at Chad, Will, and Sonny's apartment, Chad finally caught up with Will. It felt like forever since he had seen Will because they last saw each other before classes started earlier in the morning. "Will. I thought I would never see you again," he overstated.<p>

Will, who was sitting on the couch with T and Sonny, stood up and walked over to Chad. "Sorry. I couldn't stay put in one place and needed to make sure everything would be okay."

Chad pulled Will into a hug and held him for a moment. He thought about how Sami, EJ, and Lucas warned him this would happen. "I am so sorry, Horton. I obviously didn't think things through when I came out."

Will let go of Chad and turned his back glancing over to T and Sonny, who were pretending to focus on something else. Turning back to Chad, he didn't want Chad to blame himself. "I'm not mad at you, and I don't think this is your fault. The media will twist things around even when they know the truth. Let's forget about it, and I will just have to adjust."

Chad didn't want to let this go so easily because he saw Will just taking it all in to make him feel better. "I'm going to clear this all up. I'll call Jack and give him the real story. I should have said what happened from the get go. I'm going to tell him about Mia, and..."

"No, Chad," Will intersected. "I don't want you to do that. Don't talk to any media about this."

Chad scratched the back of his neck. "I need to do this. People are out there destroying your name, and I need to let them know what they're saying is not true. Let me do this for you. Let me take care of you."

Sonny stood up and joined them. Thinking about what his dad would say in this situation, he advised, "Will's right, Chad. If you talk to the media, it could make things worse."

Chad continued to scratch the back of his neck feeling guilty for tainting Will's name. "I should have never come out the way I did. I should have protected you better than that. I was desperate and reckless."

Will took Chad's hand wishing Chad would stop thinking he needed to protect him from everything. It heightened his insecurities. "Chad, stop beating yourself up. It will all be okay. We are together and nothing else can hurt us."

"What about Mia?" T asked from the couch.

As Will gave T a look to back off, Chad answered, "She's gone for good and knows I have no interest in her."

Unable to hold in his anger for a moment, Will walked over to T and aggressively whispered, "Please don't ask about Mia again." T traded a glance with Chad and Sonny. All three were surprised to see Will respond so harshly.

After a knock on the door, Sonny quickly made his way over to answer it to avoid the awkwardness in the apartment. When he saw who was on the other side, he realized things were only going to get worse. "Gabi, what are you doing here?" he asked thinking about what she said to Dario at the square.

Gabi walked in holding a big bag with food in it. "I decided to bring Will some homemade food since he's probably not getting it here."

Sonny wondered if that was a dig at him as Chad decided to help her with the bag. "Thanks. Do you have time to eat it with us?" Chad offered.

As Gabi nodded her head and followed Chad into the kitchen, T leaned into Will and whispered with less aggression than Will, "Don't tell Gabi what I told you earlier. I don't want her to know what happened with my parents."

Will reluctantly agreed feeling guilty for the way he lashed out on T and realized T was afraid of getting close to Gabi again. Patting T on the back, they headed into the kitchen with Sonny behind them. Will gave Gabi a hug, and said, "Thanks for doing this for me. It means a lot."

Gabi smiled at Will and gave Sonny a look after. Even if she didn't agree with Will's lifestyle, she knew she couldn't ignore what he needed. "Like I said before – you need authentic and real food to get your strength back. I hope that I can be your best friend again."

"I don't have a problem with that," Will claimed smiling widely. He knew he couldn't leave Salem because he had all the support he needed here. Salem was his home.


	63. Chapter 63 Falling Apart

**Chapter 63: Falling Apart – Sunday, January 22nd, 2012**

After grabbing the Sunday paper from the couch in the living room, Celeste walked into the kitchen and found Lexie sitting alone at the table drinking coffee while reading something on her tablet. Taking a seat at the table, Celeste interrupted Lexie's concentration. "Darling, I am very concerned."

Lexie looked up from her tablet clearly annoyed. "Concerned? What are you concerned about?"

Celeste remained calm and poured herself another cup of tea. "You have become obsessed with Abraham's disappearance as well as Will's attack. Did you sleep at any point last night?"

"I slept some, but I have work to do," Lexie answered musing over how she upset Daniel and Jennifer at the hospital earlier that weekend. Maybe she was a tad obsessed but she had a purpose for it. "I need to find Abe."

Celeste shook her head wishing Lexie would take care of herself and Theo. "I know you desperately need Abe, but I don't like how you keep telling Theodore that Abraham will be found."

Lexie tried to return her focus to what she was reading as she replied, "Mom. Please just back off. I know I will find Abe, and I know it is father who orchestrated everything. I tried to talk with the driver who drove him to the mayor's office that Friday, but he refused to talk about anything. Father has betrayed me in the worst way possible, but I should have known better. I let my guard down."

Celeste put her hand on Lexie's tablet and lowered it, so Lexie would look at her. "Alexandra, I am not sold on the idea Stefano is responsible for this."

"Have you received any new premonitions?" Lexie asked somewhat sarcastically before turning serious. "Did you know something would happen to Will just as you knew something was coming to Abe? Could you have stopped this?"

Celeste shook her head knowing there was nothing she could have done to stop Will's attack. "Alexandra, I did have a feeling due to the things Chad shared with me, but I had no idea it would come to the attack. Chad was filled with uncertainty during that time." Celeste thought about Chad and was surprised she hadn't spoken to him for a while.

Wondering if her mother had any new bad vibes, she asked, "Is there a reason you don't like my promise to Theo? Is there something about Abe you're not telling me?" Celeste didn't answer causing Lexie to worry. "What are you keeping to yourself?"

Celeste took a sip of her tea and gave Lexie a nervous look. "Darling, there was an incident involving Theo last week. He found my tarot cards and pulled out the death card."

Lexie began to panic. "I cannot believe you let that happen." She remembered when Theo finally spoke the week before thinking she overheard him say the word 'death'. "Mom, please keep your cards up while you're here. I don't want Theo around that stuff. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and I will find Abe. I don't care what your cards say."

The doorbell rang ending the tense moment between the two. "I will answer the door," Celeste decided. Standing up, she headed out the kitchen to answer the front door. She didn't need to look through the peephole because she had a familiar bad feeling rush over her. Slowly opening the door, she asked, "Maddalena, what are you doing here?"

"I called Alexandra to let her know I was on my way. She agreed to meet with me – alone," Maddalena shared.

Celeste continued to get bad vibes from her daughter's aunt and reluctantly pointed towards the kitchen door. "She is in there."

Maddalena walked into the kitchen and put on a smile when she saw Lexie sitting at the table. Lexie put her tablet down and stood up to offer, "Do you want some tea?"

Maddalena took a seat at the table and accepted the tea. As Lexie grabbed a cup for her, she began to ask questions. "So how are you keeping busy these days?"

Lexie walked over and poured tea into the cup. "I have returned to work at the hospital. I'm also actively doing research to find my husband. I believe I know who is responsible."

Maddalena played her curiosity in a clueless way. "Research?"

Lexie was hesitant in sharing what she had gathered with her aunt. "My research involves your son, André. Years ago, he was involved in a plot where he faked a lot of deaths using some drug to get revenge on those who hurt him in his past."

Maddalena looked down as Lexie described the things André did. She began to shake her head before admitting, "I know about the horrible things my son is responsible for. He became someone I no longer recognized."

"My father did that to him with his influence," Lexie said feeling bad for bringing Maddalena down. "He seems to have that effect on anyone who gets close to him."

Back in the living room, Chad arrived hoping to talk to Lexie. When Celeste told him Lexie was talking to Maddalena in the kitchen, he decided to check in with Celeste since they hadn't seen each other for some time. "I had another tarot dream in the middle of last week. I would have come to you sooner, but I wanted to focus on Will's recovery and making sure he was happy."

Celeste gave Chad a skeptical look. "I'm not sure I completely believe you, Chad. A part of me senses you have avoided me purposely."

Chad became nervous, but he wanted to deny it. "No, why would I avoid you?"

"Truthfully, only you can answer that question," Celeste opposed. "What is going on with you? What are you trying to conceal from everyone?"

Chad felt these emotions rising through his body. He had no control over them as he suddenly felt regretfully out of control. He tried his hardest to fight what he felt, but his mouth opened to confess, "I'm scared as hell. I thought this would all look better, but the truth is that it only seems worse. Everyone is against us, and I think I've only put Will in a worse position. I cannot tell Will though because I need Will to feel confident in our relationship. He needs me to feel confident, too."

Celeste maneuvered her head, so she could look directly into Chad's eyes. She pointed out, "This has gotten you into trouble before, Chad. Hiding your feelings and trying to control it all with your brain is not a good way to approach things."

Chad remembered realizing he was thinking too much and not letting his emotions show. It was a harder cycle to break than he thought. At the same time, though, he didn't want to show weakness to anyone. He didn't want anyone to know he regretted coming out for Will's sake and wished he didn't even open up to Celeste about it.

"All these dreams are clouding my judgment. They are making me think too much about my life when things should be so much simpler." Closing himself off completely, he said, "I think we're done here, Celeste. I don't need to talk to you about my dreams anymore because I have Will. I don't have anything else to fear because I have given up on the family I thought I needed. I don't need to be a Dimera. I wasn't even raised as one and knew Will before I knew my true paternity. I won't let anything or anyone stand in the way of my new family with Will, and I can't afford anyone whispering doubts in my ears."

Celeste tried to calm Chad down. "Chad, I am not trying to demoralize you. I am trying to help you. Did you have a dream featuring the strength tarot card? You must be careful with blindly rejecting any part of you. Do you know who the beast is?"

Before anything else could be said, Maddalena and Lexie walked out of the kitchen. "Alexandra, the family name will be rectified with EJ as mayor because I believe he will do good things," Maddalena encouraged.

Lexie hopefully nodded her head. "I know he still struggles with how he views father, but I hope his eyes will open soon."

Celeste clasped her hands in front of her as she asked, "What did you two discuss?"

"It is not important," Maddalena informed Celeste before noting Chad's presence. She remained plain with her nephew as she walked over to him. "How is Will doing, Chad?"

Chad scratched the back of his neck and answered, "He is doing okay." He couldn't help but think about the possibility of Maddalena's involvement in turning André evil as well.

Maddalena bowed her head slightly before commenting, "The streets of Salem are not safe for anyone it seems – especially for sexual minorities."

"I will do whatever it takes to protect Will," Chad claimed. He didn't want to show it on his face, but Maddalena's comment about Salem only brought more fear and concern to him. He thought about how he still wanted to leave Salem behind, but Will wasn't prepared for that. He needed to make him ready.

Maddalena forced a smile and patted Chad on his shoulder before turning to Lexie. "I will take my leave. We will talk again soon."

"Let me walk you to your car, Maddalena," Celeste offered following Maddalena outside.

Lexie wondered about her mother and aunt before turning her attention to her brother. "Chad, what are you doing here?"

Chad took a deep breath to remember why he came by in the first place. "I need a favor – actually I might need a few," he shared. His connection to Lexie was going to be the hardest one to break when the time came.

Back outside, Celeste and Maddalena made it to Maddalena's car. Maddalena's driver held the door open, but Celeste made sure Maddalena didn't go in just yet. "Stay out of my daughter's life. Don't come back here," she warned.

Maddalena wasn't pleased with Celeste's rudeness. "You have no right to tell me what to do, Celeste. Be careful with your attempts to push me out." Maddalena got into her car, and her driver closed her door and headed for the front of the car. Lowering her window, Maddalena offered a few more words to Celeste. "You may not enjoy my presence, but I am here to stay."

Celeste watched as Maddalena's car drove off. She shook her head as she continued to get bad vibes. Something was coming, and she feared there was nothing she could do about it. "I need to protect my family at all costs."

* * *

><p>As T walked out of the bathroom after a shower and into Will's bedroom to get dressed, Sonny and Will were in the kitchen cleaning from breakfast. Will turned on the sink as he began to rinse the dishes Sonny had washed. "I kind of like being in recovery because people want to make me food. I wonder whether Gabi will come back tonight with more. She's surprised us with some awesome food the last two nights."<p>

Sonny nodded his head trying not to think about Gabi. He didn't understand why she was coming around so much, when she made a big deal on how homosexuality ruined her brother's life. He wondered how she could be so hateful to Dario, and pretend like it was nothing when it came to Chad and Will. They showed PDA in front of her, and she didn't seem to flinch. "Do you think she's going to make it out every night? Why do you think she's been coming over so much when she avoided us at all costs last semester?"

Will thought about it and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. Maybe she's reaching out because her mom is dying and can't get that from her family right now. Maybe she misses T and wants to reconnect. Maybe a part of her feels bad for me because of my attack. The only thing I'm sure of is I'm not going to complain about the delicious food."

Sonny shook his head and tried to focus on what he was doing. Gabi really was starting to be a thorn in his side, and he didn't appreciate the snide comments she made about how Will wasn't getting good food. He knew she was attacking his cooking when she said things like that because she blamed him for Dario and Isobel's situations. Shaking it off, he shared, "I have something in the oven for the meeting about Nathan and Melanie's wedding. I think you'll really like it."

Will noted how Sonny turned the topic to his cooking. "I bet everything will taste delicious. You know I appreciate your cooking, too, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Sonny answered trying to hide his jealousy better.

Will turned his head when T walked in dressed. "Hey T. What do you have planned for the day?"

T scratched his shoulder sharing, "I am going to try some last options for a job."

Sonny stopped washing dishes and turned his head towards T. "Why are you looking for a job?"

"I just want some extra cash to save up for my own place," T lied, before contending, "I'm sure you guys don't want some guy sleeping on your couch every night." T headed for the door after there was a knock. After he opened the door, he yelled out to Will. "Will, your parents are here." Turning back to Sami and Lucas, he told them to come in. "He's in the kitchen with Sonny," he shared before heading out.

Sami kept both hands on her purse as she peered into the kitchen with Lucas behind her. "Will? Your father and I are hoping to talk to you."

Sonny stopped washing dishes again. "I've got everything covered here. You can go in there and talk with them if you want."

Will raised his eyes and let out a sigh before whispering, "What if I don't particularly want to talk to them?" After drying his hands, he headed into the living room and motioned towards the couch, so they could all sit and talk. Placing his hands in-between his legs he asked, "So what brings you two here on a Sunday?"

Lucas slightly turned his body on the couch. "We wanted to check on you to see how you're doing. How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine," Will answered. "I haven't felt sick or anything. I know Lexie wants me to come in for another checkup, but I don't think it will be necessary."

Sami attempted to remain calm as she suggested, "Well maybe you should go to be safe." Will simply shrugged his shoulders and didn't say anything in response. Sami wiped her hands down her legs to ease the apprehension she felt for her son. "Have you watched the news at all since you've been out?"

Lucas curled his pointing finger and scratched his neck. "Yeah, has anyone said anything off-color towards you?"

Will sat back in the couch and avoided having to look at his parents because it seemed they were staring holes into him. "If you're asking about the rumor going around about me being a gigolo, then yes, I have had some run ins, but I am moving on."

Lucas felt uncertain about how casual Will seemed about it. "So you're not going to do anything about it? What does Chad think about it?"

"Chad's upset," Will shared with a bit annoyance. "He's not happy that people are falsely accusing me of things so freely."

Sami continued to struggle to stay calm. Even though she had talked to Jack about what he did to Will, it didn't stop the rumors from spreading. "This is all Chad's fault. I think you two should come forward on the truth. The media needs to know that Chad is the one who cheated. Jack could help you clear things up and let everyone know who really messed up here."

"No way!" Will raised his voice. "I'd rather forget what happened that night, and I don't care what the media thinks about me! I don't want them to know what happened because then more questions will come and they'll expect me to answer! Stop being so damn selfish!"

Lucas put his hand up to stop Will from getting upset. "Whoa, Will. We are not the ones who are being selfish here. We are thinking about you and your wellbeing. Chad has not thought about you once here. If he did, we would not be here now. How can you sit there and just forget about Mia?"

Will did not calm down and only grew more aggravated. "Mia is a bitch, and I hate that Chad…"

Sami and Lucas watched as Will stopped talking. "You hate what? Will, what do you hate?" Sami asked wondering if he was finally going to be honest about how he felt.

Will realized he lost himself for a moment and took a deep breath. In a much calmer tone, he replied, "I don't hate, Chad. Chad is committed to me, and he loves me. We are together and nothing or no one can change that. Chad is a good guy."

Lucas raised his voice now. "I wish you would stop trying to protect Chad, when he doesn't deserve it! He cheated on you, and I don't believe for a second he's really gay!"

Will didn't want to have this conversation. He also didn't want to lose his temper again about what happened that night. "Chad's announcement proved to me that Chad does love me. He's committed, and I wouldn't change anything about it. Like I said, I don't care what the media has to say!"

Sami placed her hand on Will's shoulder with concern. She decided to call him out in a gentler way. "So you do remember what happened that night? Have you talked to anyone about it? It's not good to pretend this didn't happen."

Will let out a sigh and shook his head. "I don't want to talk about me. How about the rest of the family? How are Johnny, Allie, and Sydney?"

Sami digressed deciding not to push anything with Will. "They are okay. They are worried about you still. I think it would be good if you came over and spent some time with them."

Will nodded his head in agreement. Turning to his father, he sensed Lucas was still on edge. "What about Sophie? How is she?"

Lucas hated they were dropping the conversation about Chad. "She is okay," he said defeated for now.

"How is EJ doing with the mayoral duties?" Will asked next. He liked that his parents allowed him to direct the conversation.

Sami thought about what she witnessed between EJ and Azzura and chose not to give his question a full answer. Becoming purposely flustered, she said, "I don't want to talk about it."

Lucas cracked an inappropriate smile nodding his head in jest as he added, "Busy's right. All Dimera men are bad news and are quick to cheat."

Even though his dad was on his rampage on Dimera men again, Will noted that Lucas was mainly referring to EJ now. "Mom, did something happen between you and EJ?"

Sami gave Lucas a dirty look to communicate to stop egging it on. Turning to her son, she shared, "I am not sure. We are just adjusting to everything I guess." Feeling uncomfortable with what she was doing, Sami grabbed her purse and debated leaving.

Lucas sighed and wanted to blame Sami for Will's excusing Chad for cheating because Sami was doing the same with EJ, but refrained. "Will, I hope you know I love you, but I think you're making a huge mistake with Chad. You may hate me for saying this, but he's going to leave you out in the cold. It's bound to happen."

Will did not want to do this, but he couldn't take it anymore. "I have to get ready because I have plans for the day. I'll make sure I stop by and see Johnny, Allie, and Sydney later. Thanks for coming by to... Thanks for coming by."

Sami pulled Will into a hug and kissed him on the cheek before standing up. "Will, please don't hide from us. Don't forget us."

Will sensed fear in his mother's voice and did not understand it. He did not understand how she could think he would forget them. "Mom, everything will be okay. I promise."

"That's good," Sami said before heading out.

Lucas gave Will an uneasy smile. "Bye, son."

"Later."

* * *

><p>While Gabi was in the kitchen of the Dimera guesthouse, Dario, Manny, and Arianna were trying to sort through some stuff in preparation of Isobel's death. Dario remained quiet as he folded a few blankets over the couch. Deciding he couldn't do anymore, he took a seat on the couch and simply sat still to be in his thoughts. He couldn't believe how quickly his mother was losing her life. He hated it, and he hated the tension between him and Isobel. He wished there was something he could do about it so there was at least some kind of closure.<p>

Arianna eyed Dario and decided to leave him alone. Heading to the kitchen she called out to her sister. "Why don't you help us go through some of Mama's things? Pick something to take with you to the hospital when we go tonight."

Gabi met her sister near the table as she claimed, "I have to finish this food for the meeting today at the Horton house. Melanie asked me to cater." Noting that Dario wasn't doing anything, she called him out. "Why aren't you doing anything to help, hermano? Does this hurt more for you than everyone else?" Turning back to Ari, she asked, "Why aren't you getting onto Dario about doing his part to help Mama? Remember when you set me straight about ending things with T because it was what was best for Mama?"

Arianna gave Gabi a weird look as she mentioned, "I never told you to end things with T. I told you to talk to him, so Mama would stop worrying."

Dario closed his eyes for a second and shook his head. Standing up he asked, "Are we going to start this again?"

Gabi thought about the closeness she witnessed between Sonny and Dario. She thought it was unfair of her brother to put his feelings before the family's feelings. "How could you be so stupid, Dario? Why are you just throwing your life away? You have a choice here, and you keep making the wrong one!"

Dario raised his voice. "You have become even more jaded after Will's attack," he exclaimed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Gabi grew frustrated and pushed Dario hard hoping to make him see what was going to happen to him. Tears began to form in her eyes because she wanted to scream at her brother. How could Dario be so stupid? How could he not realize that if chose to be gay, he would end up in the same situation Will found himself on the pier. She didn't want to find her brother lifeless on the pier or some other dark place. She wanted to save her brother, but she felt helpless and hopeless. "Why?!" she shrieked.

Arianna looked to Manny before trying to settle things between Gabi and Dario. "Do either of you want to tell me what is going on between you two?"

"Dario is seeing Sonny behind everyone's back," Gabi informed her oldest brother and sister. After Dario released a sigh of frustration and defeat, Gabi continued, "When Dario came out to Mama, everything went downhill. Now he's making sure she dies faster! He's been selfish, when the rest of us have made sacrifices for her! He'd rather sacrifice himself for something else pushing Mama closer to death!"

Dario felt like Gabi punched him in the gut as tears began to form in his eyes. "Do you really think that?"

"What the hell else am I supposed to think, Dario?" Gabi questioned rhetorically cutting off Manny's attempt to calm things down. In a desperate tone she laid out, "She asked you not to be gay or act on it, but you're ignoring her one wish and meeting up with Sonny whenever you can. All you have to do is lie here. Tell Mama you made a mistake, and that you're really straight. I mean — what happened to when you told me I wouldn't have to worry about Sonny anymore after your return from Colorado? Just fucking lie to her!"

"That is enough Gabriella!" Arianna turned towards her sister clearly overwhelmed by everything that had transpired in the last minute or so. Now that she had Gabi's full attention, she reminded her, "Almost a week and a half ago you were going on about having an honest moment between the family. Why can't you see that asking Dario to lie to Mama is just the family running from the truth again?"

Gabi couldn't believe Arianna was turning on her during this. "Why can everyone else keep secrets or run away from the truth and no one says anything to them? Don't sit here, judge me, and pretend you have never run away or kept a secret from the family!"

Manny finally managed to make his way over to Gabi to calm her. "Gabi, we are not judging anyone here, but you said it yourself before. Dario claiming to be straight and telling her he's dating Chelsea is not enough to save Mama. This is not his burden to carry. It's no one's."

"She's right," Arianna let out causing everyone to turn their attention to her. "I have been keeping a secret from the family, and maybe it's better if I just tell everyone now," she stated cautiously thinking about how Gabi truly seemed to believe Dario caused Isobel's health to worsen. "That same day Gabi said she wanted an honest moment between the family at the hospital, Mama didn't deliver on what Gabi wanted. Mama lied to all of us that day when she claimed she had improved health wise. I talked to Daniel, and he informed me that it was just the opposite. Mama had gotten worse just as we had expected before she lied to us. Dario is not at fault here. No one is."

"How long have you known?" Dario questioned. He was unsure of what to do with the new information.

Arianna lowered her head. "I've known for a few days," she shared. Overwhelmed by all the lies, Dario rushed into the bathroom to be alone.

Gabi pulled away from Manny and headed back into the kitchen to check on her food. She couldn't believe this had happened again. She reflected on when she had to accidentally overhear Arianna and Isobel's conversation at Dario's old apartment to know that her mother's treatment didn't work and that she was dying. She held in her tears as she faced the stove. Everything just got worse, and she felt sick to her stomach for being so angry at Dario for not having the power to defeat death.

Manny headed into the kitchen and put his hands on Gabi's shoulders. "Gabi, we need to talk this out." Gabi simply shook her head and remained silent.

Marco knocked on the door and entered the guesthouse without being invited in. Arianna gathered herself together and placed her hands on her hips. "What happened to your manners? Are you seriously just going to barge in here?"

As Manny moved next to Ari's side to give Gabi space, Marco apologized. "I didn't mean to intrude. I only want to talk to you about something I found here."

Manny didn't like that Marco looked through the place. "What did you find?"

Marco gave Arianna an uneasy look. "I found a picture of Tony and Anna under the pillow in your mother's bedroom."

Arianna went somewhere else as she commented, "She keeps calling Tony 'Andres' but I don't know why. Maybe it's just her mind slipping."

"There is no trouble here, but I thought you should know I returned it to its rightful place in case your mother asked for it," Marco shared.

Manny looked down as he remembered Andres very well. He wondered if he should say anything about it but chose it would be best if he didn't say anything, so they could get rid of Marco. "Thanks for letting us know. Unless my sister has anything else to say to you, we'd appreciate some family time."

Marco turned to Arianna, who wouldn't look at him anymore. "My prayers are with your mother."

* * *

><p>T shook Josh's hand and sat down at a table in Java Café. "Thanks for meeting me here, Josh. I really need your help."<p>

Before Josh could say anything, Kai and Brett arrived and interrupted their conversation. Kai placed his hand on T's shoulder and asked, "When are we going to hang again?"

T felt uncomfortable around Kai. "I'm not sure I have the time," he said hoping not to offend Kai.

Kai's phone began to ring before Kai could respond to T's blowing him off. "I need to get this. It's my dad." Kai walked over to the other side of the café and took the call.

"So you two go to Salem U, right?" Brett questioned trying to make conversation.

Josh looked to T, who remained quiet. Turning to Brett, Josh answered, "This is my last semester. What about you?"

"My second semester," Brett answered.

As Josh, T, and Brett continued to make small talk, they noted that Kai's conversation began to get heated. Kai's voice became louder and after hanging up, Kai rushed out in noticeable grief. All three got up and followed Kai outside.

Managing to catch up with Kai first, T turned Kai around by pulling Kai's shoulder with his right hand. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

Kai fought off T's hand and got in his face. "You are bad news, T. You are nothing but a user. Stay away from me because my life is over!"

T stepped back confused as Brett followed Kai away. "What just happened?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just as clueless as you. Why did Kai say those things about you?"

"He said them because it's all true," T admitted. "I'm not sure if you're aware of what I did with Kai. I kissed him."

Josh looked down uncomfortably. "I know. I saw the video," he shared. "What were you thinking? I thought you were straight."

"I am straight," T maintained before answering Josh's question. "I wanted to get revenge on Gabi, but I really messed up. My life is over, too."

Josh put his hand on T's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself down, bro. Everything will be fine. Does this have anything to do with why you need my help?"

T looked up to Josh and nodded his head. "Do you need a partner for your entertainment business? I can't really sing or play an instrument, but I can possibly strip or something."

The look on Josh's face turned into an unfortunate one. "I'm sorry man, but I canceled all of my upcoming parties and suspended the business for the unforeseeable future."

T gave Josh a bothered and confused look. "Why? What's going on in your life?"

Josh answered in a more mimicking adult tone – clearly not his own. "I'm growing up and taking responsibility."

T took Josh's answer as a personal dig feeling like a complete failure. "Thanks for meeting me here. I should go," he said before swiftly leaving.

Josh stood there alone wanting to stop T, but nothing came out of his mouth in time to stop him. Scratching his left shoulder with his right hand, he wondered why T needed a job. He wished he could help.

* * *

><p>Nathan and Melanie took a seat with Will, Sonny, Chad, Abigail, Gabi, and Arianna to discuss a few plans for their wedding. "First, I want to thank everyone for showing up. I know everyone has things they need to do, so we won't make this too long. We also have some food that Sonny and Gabi made for us, so if you want to snack on anything while we talk, feel free to grab something from the buffet table."<p>

Melanie looked at Nathan as she wondered why Sonny decided to bring food when she personally asked Gabi to cater for the meeting. She hoped Gabi wasn't offended that someone else made food. "Nathan and I have decided on the main colors for our wedding. We are going with starfish, sweet lilac, and cockatoo. This week…"

"Wait, before you continue, I should translate the color choices to the guys," Nathan said causing everyone in the room to laugh. "Starfish is some sort of khaki color."

"You might want to explain khaki is a light brown," Abigail interjected.

The girls laughed as Nathan continued, "Sweet lilac is a light pink color, and cockatoo is close to baby blue."

Melanie eyed Nathan to make sure he was finished. "Okay. Since the guys are now caught up, I can continue with the important details. So far, we have set the date for June 27th, which is on a Wednesday."

"Wednesday?" Sonny questioned.

Nathan grabbed Melanie's hand to let her know he would explain this one. "Melanie and I decided on the 27th because it's the sum of the day of our birth dates. Seven plus twenty is twenty-seven."

"That's so sweet," Arianna commented trying to forget what happened with her family earlier. She turned to look at Gabi, who seemed cut off from everyone else. She worried what Gabi was thinking about.

After covering the rest of the necessary details, Melanie and Nathan thanked everyone again for coming. Everyone stuck around to enjoy the food and each other's company. Melanie gave Nathan a hug excited that everything was coming together nicely. Turning towards everyone else, she squeezed her fiancé's hand. "I think it's time we talk to Will and Arianna."

Nathan nodded his head in agreement. Nathan and Melanie went their separate ways to talk to Will and Arianna privately. Nathan found Will first looking at family pictures on the wall. "Hey, Will. There's something I want to talk to you about."

Will smiled at Nathan and commented, "I guess this has to do with my role as your best man. If you're worried about your bachelor party, don't. I am sure I can come up with something you'll definitely enjoy."

Nathan gave Will a concerned look. "You don't have to plan it if you're not up for it, Will. I already know what I want to do with all you guys, so I can do head that up. I know you have a lot on your plate with everything that has happened recently."

Will wondered if Nathan was serious. Holding back his defensiveness, he responded, "I am your best man – we are family, so I am definitely planning you a bachelor party. It's not a problem. Tell me what you want, and I'll do the rest."

Melanie found Arianna standing alone. Taking her hand, she offered her a break as well. "Ari, I would totally understand if you needed to focus on family right now. If you need any help with your duties as my maid of honor, then I'm sure Abigail could help with that – if she still wants to be one of my bridesmaids."

Arianna tried to play off her family issues and forced a smile. "No, I am sure I'll be able to plan a great party and keep everyone else in line to make sure your day is perfect," she shared. "Don't worry about it. I am your maid of honor, and I will make sure you have the perfect wedding."

Melanie gave Arianna a hug of appreciation. "Thanks Ari, but I am serious about this. If there's ever a time when you need to take a break or step back, I want you to tell me. I promise I won't turn bridezilla on you!"

"Don't worry, I will." Arianna held onto Melanie for a moment hoping she would be able to pull this off for her friend.

Nathan made his way over to Chad and Sonny, who were getting a drink. "Hey guys, thanks for doing this for me. I hope this wedding doesn't add more stress to your life."

Chad raised his right eye as he thought about how life seemed to keep going with no signs of stopping. He looked over to Will, who was now talking to Arianna. "I'm sure I can handle it."

Nathan turned to Sonny, who was staring at Gabi, and tried to get his attention. "Sonny, everything okay?"

Sonny looked away from Gabi, and gave Nathan a half-smile. "Yeah, I'm not too stressed. Things have kind of calmed down for me. I don't have anyone trying to convince me I have a kid on the way." Sonny wished his life was less stressful, but he didn't want Nathan to worry about it.

"It's crazy how you two had Kinsey and Mia trying to ruin your lives," Nathan commented. "Is it true they came to Salem together?"

Sonny nodded his head and let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah. Before Kinsey left Salem, she and Mia were sharing a room at Salem Inn."

Even though Will had assured him everything was fine, Nathan still worried about Will and wanted to make sure Chad had no plans of making another mistake. "It's good the truth came out about Kinsey before she had the baby, but what's going on with Mia, Chad? Is she still trying to break you and Will up?"

Chad thought about his last conversation with Mia at the hospital. Even though she claimed she didn't want to be with him anymore, she seemed to believe Chad and Will were doomed. She pointed out all the reasons she didn't believe he was gay, and he knew there was truth in what she said because it bothered him so much. "I can't let this get to me," he quietly said pushing those thoughts from his head.

"What did you say?" Nathan asked because he wasn't sure he heard correctly.

Chad shook the feelings of fear from him, and answered more confidently. "There's nothing I can say about Mia because she doesn't matter anymore. She used me like Kinsey used Sonny." Eyeing Will, Chad warned Nathan, "I'd be careful with saying Mia's name in front of Will. He doesn't really like hearing it."

Nathan's curiosity about the current state of Will and Chad's relationship increased. "Are things okay between you and Will?" He wondered if the two had talked through everything.

Sonny looked over to the table with the food on it. "I'm going to make sure everything is still warm," he said dismissing himself from the conversation.

Chad wondered if Nathan doubted his commitment to Will. He didn't appreciate it if that was the reason Nathan was asking him all of these questions. "Will, and I are..."

"What are you two talking about?" Will asked interrupting, but neither was able to respond. Grabbing Chad's hand, Will gave Nathan and Chad a nervous smile. "Why are you two so quiet? Do you two have some sort of secret?"

Nathan and Chad traded looks and remained silent.

Melanie intercepted Abigail from making her way to the food table. "Hey. I think we need to talk about what happened Thursday at Will's party." she shared.

Confused, Abigail asked, "What happened?"

Melanie remembered how Abigail seemed annoyed with her for interrupting her conversation with Josh. "I'm sorry if I upset you with the way I cut in on your conversation with Josh. I got the feeling I might have interrupted something important. Are we okay?" In the back of her mind, she couldn't help wondering if Abigail's shortness with her had anything to do with Chelsea.

Abigail now knew what Melanie was referring to. "Melanie, we are okay. I'm sorry if I seemed upset with you. I guess I was frustrated with my situation with Josh and let that show in how I acted towards you. I was trying to get through to Josh before... well, now it's too late."

Melanie sensed something happened between Abigail and Josh. "Is everything not okay between you and Josh?"

"No," Abigail admitted. "Josh is going through some family stuff, and is most likely moving to Georgia to help his family. He doesn't know that I know, but I decided to let him go since I'm not ready to be the girlfriend he needs. I have my own family drama I need to deal with first, and I don't want him to wait for me even though I do love him. I don't want him standing on the sidelines."

Melanie looked around to make sure everyone was distracted. "Abigail, everyone has family drama – it never goes away. You need to tell Josh everything. Tell him you know and that's why you ended things with him."

"I don't want to hold Josh back though," Abigail countered. "We shouldn't even be talking about this because we're here to talk about your wedding." After Melanie sighed, Abigail continued, "You said Aunt Maggie is going to help you with the shopping this week."

Melanie nodded her head. "Yeah. We are starting tomorrow morning – bright and early. You should come if you can."

"I have class in the morning. Maybe another time," Abigail said.

Melanie smiled and agreed. "We will be doing a lot of shopping, so I am sure you'll be able to help at some point." Remembering something she needed to talk to Nathan about, she excused herself. "We can talk more about that later."

After Melanie walked off, Abigail made her way to the table. After taking a bite of Sonny's homemade pizza, she turned to her cousin and shared, "This is really good, Sonny. You have always been a natural."

Gabi overheard Abigail's compliment and thought about the fight she had with her family earlier. She grabbed a chip and put some of her homemade guacamole on it. "You need to try this, Abigail. You'd really like it."

As Abigail tried it, Arianna headed over having witnessed Gabi's jealousy from the couch. Pulling her sister away somewhat, she tried to make peace and affirmed, "You really out did yourself with the food you made for the meeting. I can't believe you made most of this."

Gabi pulled away from Arianna after whispering, "How am I supposed to believe you? I think you're lying," she accused her sister. Returning to Abigail she asked, "How was it?"

Before Abigail could answer, Sonny stepped in. "What are you pulling here, Gabi? This is not some kind of competition."

Abigail stepped away because she didn't want to be in the middle of Sonny and Gabi. She knew things were about to get heated, and she didn't have the energy to put a stop to it.

Gabi stepped in Sonny's face and declared, "Melanie asked me to cater for this meeting. She said the food was all up to me, but here you are with your 'homemade' pizza. Why do you feel the need to put your nasty ass in everything in Salem? Not getting enough attention?"

Nathan quickly stepped in to put the argument to rest. "I asked Sonny to cook. I had no idea Melanie had already asked you to make something. It's my fault."

Unfortunately, Sonny was already upset and unleashed the frustration he had been holding in onto Gabi. Everyone's attention went to Gabi and Sonny when he yelled, "You are the worst friend I have ever known. I don't understand you at all because when I first moved to Salem, we became really close friends and you already knew about me being gay! What the hell happened to you? Why do you hate me so much?"

Gabi remembered how she lost her cool with her family earlier and how she falsely accused Dario of killing their mother. She looked Sonny dead in the eyes and loudly explained, "I wanted to help you, Sonny. I really liked you, and I wanted to help you fix yourself because no one should have to go through what you, Will, and Chad are going through. Unfortunately for me, my want to help you backfired! It backfired because you got involved with Will, Manny, and then Dario! You have managed to use your dick and ass to sway my only two brothers on your side – a side that will only lead to a life of unforgiveable torture!"

Sonny grunted in frustration and continued to be nasty towards Gabi. "You are the torture, Gabi! That's what you don't get. You stand here and say you want to help, but you're doing the exact opposite. You just confirmed the only reason you're hang out with Will and Chad is to fix them so they're not gay! Gabi, wake the hell up! There is no cure! This is not a choice! We have been this way since we were in our mother's wound! If you want to be a good friend – heck, if you want to be a friend – stop being a judgmental bitch and wake the fuck up!"

Gabi cringed at what Sonny had to say and began to shake her head. "If anything happens to my brother... If he is attacked and dies... If I lose him like I'm losing my mother, I will hold you responsible! I will..." Gabi began to break in front of the others as she realized she would blame herself if anything happened to Dario for becoming friends with Sonny.

Arianna finally grabbed Gabi to calm her down. "Gabi, let's go home. We can pick up the dishes later. Let's go home, so we can rest."

Realizing that everyone was staring at her now, Gabi let out defeated, "I am done with the judgment and will stay out of everyone's way from now on. My want to help has only come to bite me in the ass." Pushing her sister away from her, she rushed out of the house.

Arianna walked backwards towards the door. "I'm so sorry Melanie and Nathan. I'll talk to you guys when everything has calmed down."

Melanie and Nathan gave Arianna a sad look knowing this was a hard place for her. After Arianna was gone, Sonny couldn't take it anymore and headed out as well. Melanie and Nathan traded a glance with the others before turning to each other. They wondered if their wedding party was doomed.

* * *

><p>Lexie arrived at the women's penitentiary hoping to visit with a certain prisoner. After checking in, she was led to a private room. After taking a seat, a guard walked in with ex-Warden Jane Smith. Lexie stood up hoping that if she showed some respect, she could butter Jane up to talk about what they both knew was true. "Hi. I'm Doctor Alexandra Carver."<p>

Jane snarled at Lexie as she took a seat. "I know who you are. What do you want?"

Lexie took her seat again and eyed the guard. He seemed to want to go unnoticed in the room and have no part in their conversation. Leaning in, Lexie said in a softer tone, "I want to talk to you about my father, Stefano Dimera."

Jane adjusted in her chair feeling somewhat nervous to hear Stefano's name. She questioned if Lexie came to make sure she remained quiet, but then realized Stefano never would have told the mayor's wife of his illegal dealings. In a degrading sincere tone, she responded, "I heard what happened to your dear husband. It's really sad that such a good man could be caught up in something he never had a clue about. I'm sure he had his fair share of threats and warnings though."

Lexie gave Jane a quizzical look and wondered if she knew something. "What are you trying to say?"

Jane shrugged her shoulders and looked around the room. "All I am saying is I am sure your husband was a busy man as mayor and didn't have time to notice the real dangers around him."

An odd feeling came over Lexie as her thoughts immediately went to Rafe. She remembered how he reached out to Abe to share information on her father and EJ, but Abe decided to ignore it. She wondered if Stefano was working an organ trafficking business where Rafe was, too, but she realized her thoughts were getting ahead of her. Rafe was dead, and she wouldn't get answers from him now. With determination, she asked Jane straightforwardly, "Was my father ever involved in the organ trafficking business?"

Jane had no plans of answering Lexie's question truthfully. She perched her lips and let out a sly smile. "What makes you think that?"

Lexie looked down as she thought of the many clues she had gathered. "My father is known for his illegal business but has managed to avoid being caught or being tried for the things he has done in the past. You were arrested with Dr. Ben Walters and now he's in a coma, so he won't talk."

The ex-warden eyed Lexie and contemplated what to say. She wondered if Lexie had just threatened her to stay quiet between the lines. She remained clammed up as she replied, "I don't have anything to say. I was the mastermind behind the organ donations in the prison."

Before Lexie could say anything, Jane stood up and turned to the guard. "I am ready to return to my cell now. I have nothing else to say."

The guard, who was actually Ric in disguise, nodded his head and led Jane out of the room. Lexie leaned back and shook her head. She realized she screwed up on getting info from the ex-warden.

* * *

><p>Jennifer sat across from Adrienne at the bar making small talk for now, but she contemplated broaching the subject of Jack to see what Adrienne knew concerning his disappearance. Taking a sip of her soda through a straw, Jen thought about how Jack managed to keep away from her when he stayed over in the extra room Friday night. She didn't quite understand it, and still couldn't believe he had given up – even if that was something Jack had a habit of doing repeatedly in life. "So when are you going to see your other boys again?" she asked to keep the conversation going.<p>

Adrienne eyed Jennifer and reflected on her conversation with her brother in the exact spot a few days before. Even though she did believe Jennifer was interested in talking to her about her life, she also figured Jen wanted to talk about Jack. "Justin and I have talked about it, but we're not exactly sure. Sonny started school again last week, and we want to make sure he can go with us, so we can have the whole clan together again. Maybe we'll go when Sonny's on spring break."

Jennifer only nodded her head.

"Have you talked to my brother recently?" Adrienne asked as she looked over the bar to make sure her customers were okay.

Jennifer hadn't seen Jack since he left the day before to head back to the Salem Inn since the flooding situation had been fixed. "He came over Friday night to hang out with JJ. Something seemed off about him."

Adrienne leaned on the bar. "What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

Jennifer contemplated taking a drink to buy herself some time, but she chose to just tell Adrienne what was on her mind. "Jack has become distant in some ways even though he has made some progress with the kids. I don't know what's happening, but I think that's due to me not knowing all the facts on where Jack was when he went missing."

"You mean where he was before he popped back up this year?"

Jennifer nodded her head. "Have you talked to Jack about it? Do you have any clue on where he was?"

Adrienne thought through what Jack told Justin and her concerning his whereabouts. "Well, Jack said he had been injured and was taken to a clinic. He explained he was in there for so long because they didn't know who he was."

"He did tell me they couldn't identify him because he didn't have identification on him," Jennifer mentioned quietly.

Adrienne then remembered something else Jack said. "But I'm not sure if he was being completely honest with me because he also stated it was like whoever was in charge of the clinic held him hostage, and then let him go when they wanted."

Jennifer's face lit up because she heard the word 'hostage' once again. "Is it possible Jack was kidnapped?" she asked remembering how Abigail claimed Jack had told her he was taken captive. Jack had alluded to the idea as well.

Adrienne leaned in even more and questioned, "Who would kidnap Jack?" Reflecting on her conversation with Jack about his whereabouts some more, she shared, "Jack did tell me there was no way he would purposely leave you guys and stay away for that long."

"I don't understand," Jennifer said under her breath. She didn't understand why Jack would tell Adrienne and Abigail a different story than what he told her.

Before Adrienne could say anything, Justin walked in and met Adrienne behind the bar to give her a kiss. "Hello, love."

Adrienne quickly became distracted by Justin's kiss. "Justin. I missed you, too. Jen and I were just talking about my dear brother – the one who is actually in town."

"Sorry to interrupt," Justin said to Jen.

Jennifer caught herself in a daze and broke out of it. "It's okay," she said softly. "There's something I need to go do anyway. I'll talk to you two later. Enjoy your evening."

Justin and Adrienne watched as Jennifer walked out. Turning to his wife, he asked, "What's going on there?"

"I'm not sure." Giving her husband another kiss, Adrienne asked, "How has your day been?"

Sonny walked into the Cheatin' Heart reeling from the fight he had with Gabi earlier. He felt lost and confused because he still remembered the good times with Gabi when they first became friends, but now she was a completely different person. He found his dad talking to his mom at the bar and decided to join them. "Hey. You have any good news for me?"

Justin finished his statement to Adrienne before turning towards his son with some concern. "I'll tell you good news, but first you have to tell me the bad news."

Sonny took a seat and let out a sigh. "I got into it with Gabi today at Nathan and Melanie's meeting. I said some things that probably needed to be said, but at the same time not."

Adrienne leaned forward on the bar wanting to know more. "Why did you get into it with Gabi?"

Sonny thought through the fight, and he still didn't understand everything. "Well, there's Dario, but I have this feeling there's more there. I mean – I think Gabi is going through a lot of darkness and may have it all piled together to unleash on whomever she dislikes."

"That seems unfair for you," Justin commented. "Is she upset with you for what happened between you and Dario?"

Sonny nodded his head before adding, "I know she's going through a lot because her mom is dying, and I don't know what I would do if I was in her position. She thinks I'm screwing up Dario's life. I do feel like I am sometimes, and I feel guilty about it."

Adrienne took Sonny's hand giving him a softened look. "Sonny, don't beat yourself up. We've talked about this before. Everyone makes mistakes, but we have options to make things better."

Sonny sighed because he believed going off on Gabi only made things worse. With anguish in his voice he shared, "Why does life have to be so hard?"

"Because without those challenging times, life would be boring, son," Justin answered playfully trying to lighten the mood for his youngest. "In all seriousness, Jackson, life is hard, but we can't let it bog us down and defeat us. You have been through so much, Sonny – especially with coming to terms with who you are. I hope you haven't come all this way to just give up. You're a Kiriakis!"

"And a Johnson," Adrienne added.

Sonny looked up to his parents and released a smile on his face. "I just want to be happy like you two are, and I know you two have reminded me a lot that you didn't have it easy."

"That's for sure," Adrienne cut in grabbing Justin's hand. "It's worth it though. Love should not be easy because if it was, you couldn't ever appreciate it completely."

Sonny watched as his parents held each other's hands. He wasn't sure if he had the strength in him to fight for love.

Kai arrived in a stupor catching Adrienne's attention first. Making his way to the bar, he sluggishly asked Adrienne, "Let me have a double shot of your best tequila."

Sonny turned around and got a whiff of all the alcohol Kai had clearly consumed already. "Kai?"

Adrienne came from around the bar and cut in. "I don't think you're supposed to be here. You're not even 21 yet, and you're drunk as a skunk! Are you okay, baby? Having a bad day?"

Kai leaned against the bar because he could barely keep his balance. "Bad?! To say it's a black-hearted day's an understatement. My life is over, and I have plans to drink away what's left of it."

Sonny stood up and helped Kai stand on his feet. "Kai, you shouldn't be here. You could get in trouble."

Kai turned his attention to Sonny. Giving him an embarrassed smile, he shared, "I need to tell you something, Sonny – tell you something before my life's gone. I still love..."

"I think we should take a break," Sonny quickly interrupted Kai. "How about we go outside and get some fresh air, so no one reports you." Kai nodded his head in agreement because he was suddenly tired of talking. Sonny turned his attention to his parents. "I'll see you two later."

After Adrienne and Justin said bye, Sonny led Kai outside. Kai was really hard to move once they got outside. "Where are you taking me?" he asked while pulling his wallet out of his pocket. "Are we going somewhere private? We haven't had sex since before I left for winter break. We planned on having sex when I came back, but… but… but that never happened."

Sonny tried to get Kai to move, but his body was all over the place, he couldn't get him to budge. It felt very weird to him that Kai had his arm around him. They were so close after everything that happened between them. "Come on, Kai. We should not be out here."

Kai's emotions were unmistakably heightened as he became very serious with Sonny. "I need you now more than ever, Sonny. Did you still love me?"

Dario had heard from Arianna about the fight between Gabi and Sonny earlier and decided to find Sonny at his mother's bar. He wanted to clear the air with Sonny about some of his thoughts and feelings now that he knew he wasn't exactly responsible for his mother's decline in health. He didn't want to continue lying anymore. When he spotted Kai hanging over Sonny, he decided to stop in his tracks to find out what was happening.

Sonny pulled Kai up by holding him closer. "I still care about you Kai. Tell me what's wrong."

Kai leaned his head on Sonny's head. He struggled with remaining conscious with what he was doing. He turned his head in an attempt to look into Sonny's eyes, but due to the fact that he was leaning against Sonny, it was difficult. "What's wrong is that we're not together anymore." Without hesitation, Kai finally turned his head and kissed Sonny deeply.

Dejected, Dario left in a hurry unnoticed.

Sonny pushed Kai from him carefully so he didn't fall over. "What's wrong with you? This isn't about us. What's really going on?"

Kai became more conscious to what he was doing. He quickly became more depressed as he professed, "You hate me like my parents."

Unable to hold Kai any longer, Sonny was finally able to help Kai to a bench to relax for a moment. "What are you talking about? Why do your parents hate you?"

Kai thought about the events that had transpired before he arrived to the Cheatin' Heart. He went to Brett's place for drinks after he received the call from his father at Java Café. He managed to drink more than he ever thought possible and slipped out when Brett passed out on his couch. "My parents know I'm gay because somehow the video got to them."

Sonny still did not follow completely. "What video?"

"The one where I'm kissing T," Kai started wishing he could gain more control of his speech. He continued, "I didn't' think much about it, but everyone was watching us. I got too comfortable with my sex… sex… sexuality here, and didn't even think! My parents... My parents hate me."

Sonny pulled Kai close feeling bad for him. "I'm sorry that your parents can't accept you. How about I take you back to my great-uncle's so you can sleep the day away?" Kai nodded his head, and Sonny helped Kai back up to his feet to take him back to Victor's house.

"Wait. I've my own place now." Kai remembered trying to pull his wallet out earlier. After grabbing his wallet from his back pocket, he pulled out a familiar sheet of paper.

Kai handed the sheet of paper, and Sonny took it. Thinking it was Kai's new address, Sonny looked it over and saw it was his phone number. "What's this?" he asked.

Kai gave Sonny a small smile as he shared, "It's your phone number. I kept the sheet of paper you gave me in Organic Chem." Becoming somewhat shy all of a sudden, he claimed, "I want to give you another chance, Sonny. I want us to be together again, so I don't have to go back home. I was the happiest with you."

Sonny looked into Kai's eyes and saw sincerity in them. He had to look away because there was no way he was going to let him and Kai happen again – even if he was happy with Kai at one time in his life. "Kai, you can't come back to my place. Let me take you to your new place. Let me take you home."

"That's not what I meant," Kai clarified before explaining further, "My parents want me to come back to my old home as soon as possible, so they can correct me."

Sonny's heart broke for Kai and didn't know what to say. "Let me take you to your place. We can talk about what you need to do in the morning."

Kai nodded his head and pulled Sonny into a hug. "Thank you for still caring, Sonny. I really think we have something special." Sonny patted Kai on the back before helping Kai into his car to take him to his new place.

* * *

><p>Chad finally found a parking spot to the restaurant he had decided to take Will to as a surprise. He hoped they could escape the events of the day and focus on them. After parking, he turned to a blindfolded Will and announced, "We're here."<p>

"Can I take my blindfold off yet?" Will asked in anticipation.

Chad smiled and answered before he got out of the car, "Not yet." Quickly making his way to Will's side of the car, he opened the passenger-side door and guided Will out of his car. After closing the door, he turned Will's body so that both faced the restaurant. "Now."

Will lowered the blindfold without untying the knot in the back. As the blindfold hung around his neck, a heavy smile covered his face. "Antoine? Isn't this restaurant ridiculously expensive and hard to get into?"

Chad nodded his head and placed his hands on Will's shoulders from behind. "I called in a few favors," he answered remembering asking Lexie for a favor earlier. "Let's go in and enjoy."

Will followed Chad into Antoine holding his hand. After they checked in and were led to the table, Chad made sure to hold the chair for Will to sit first. Will felt somewhat uncomfortable by the move as it reminded him of how Melanie hinted that he was the girl in the relationship at the Kiriakis cabin, but he decided to focus on the fact that it was a romantic gesture. Watching Chad closely as he took a seat across from him, he shared, "This all seems so surreal."

Chad smiled and reached over the table to grab Will's hand. "I know what you mean. A week ago, I thought I would never look into your eyes again."

Will blushed and squeezed Chad's hand to make sure this was really happening. Chad was actually holding his hand in an expensive restaurant. He and Chad were on a real public date. After ordering their drinks and food for the evening, Will placed the napkin in his lap and asked, "So what's the special occasion?"

"It's been a week since my big announcement," Chad started hoping he didn't dredge up any negative thoughts or feelings because of the problems they faced due to his announcement. He wanted to remain focused on the positive. "However, that's not really why I wanted tonight to be special. I want us to get away from all the problems and stress. I want to celebrate us."

Will couldn't believe how warm his heart felt. He thought it would be a while before he started to feel completely safe with Chad again. Unfortunately, his fears still had a hold on his trust. "This feels really good to be here, but I feel like there are a few things that are ruining the romantic mood you've tried so hard to create."

Chad grew worried and asked, "Like what? I can fix everything."

Will could see the concern on Chad's face. "I'm not sure there's anything you can do, but I keep thinking about what happened earlier at gram's old house. I'm worried about Gabi, and I wish there was something I could do to help her. I can't believe she and Sonny got into it like that."

Chad gave Will a soft smile and encouraged, "You're a good friend, Will. I'm sure you will find some way to help her and Sonny, too." Unfolding his napkin and placing it on his lap, he asked, "Is there anything else?" In the back of his mind, he remembered all the questions Nathan asked him and then thought about all the things Gabi said about homosexuality. It triggered memories of his lovers' tarot card dream where Mia told him homosexuality would only lead to pain. What Sonny yelled at Gabi also triggered some confusion for him, but he managed to focus on Will. "What else is keeping you from enjoying our time together?"

Will rolled his eyes and mentioned, "My parents still don't approve of our relationship. They came by to talk to me about you today."

Chad hated the fact that Sami and Lucas didn't like him and wanted him far away from Will. He didn't want Will to dwell on the negative though. Winking, he smiled and announced, "Well, Horton, it looks like it's you and me against the world."

Will smiled at Chad's cliché comment and grabbed Chad's hand again. "I never want to let you go, Chad. I love you."

Chad smiled and squeezed Will's hand. "I love you so much, Horton. I plan on never letting you go."


	64. Chapter 64 The One That Got Away

**Chapter 64: The One that Got Away – Monday, January 23rd, 2012**

Early the next morning, Maggie, Melanie, and Abigail walked around Horton Town Square shopping for Melanie's wedding. Melanie stood in the middle of the other two and took their arms in excitement. "I can't believe we're getting this done today!"

Abigail smiled trying to enjoy this moment for her friend. "I'm glad my first class was canceled so I could be here with you."

Maggie had a list in her free hand and shared, "We have some stuff checked off already. How about we head into Janet's Boutique to see what we can find?"

Melanie was game and looked the square over to find Janet's Boutique. As she looked around, she thought she spotted someone she hadn't seen in forever, but when she did a double take, the person wasn't there. After a sigh of relief, she found their destination. "It's over there."

Before they could enter, Josh walked up and called out Abigail's name. "Abby, can I talk to you?"

Maggie smiled at Abigail and decided, "Melanie and I will head in to let you two talk in private."

After Maggie and Melanie walked in, Abigail became nervous about Josh wanting to talk to her. Looking at Josh and thinking about why she was at the square, she realized she and Josh could be engaged right now. The fact that they weren't even together only made things more difficult for her. "What's up?"

Josh took a deep breath before informing Abigail, "I'm leaving Salem tonight to help my parents with an emergency situation involving my grandfather's company." He didn't want to give her any more details about what happened to his dad, but he did want to see if she would change her mind about them. "I thought you should know because it might be a while before we see each other again."

Abigail bit her lip wanting to tell Josh that she already knew about his family situation, but she did not. She knew she couldn't stand in the way of what he needed to do. "Is everything okay?"

Josh pursed his lips and noted how Abigail didn't seem as surprised by his news as he expected. He found her calm and distant tone peculiar. "Everything is going to be fine," he said with uncertainty. "Are you going to be okay?"

Abigail felt a rush come over her as the reality of Josh's question hit her. She mentally took a deep breath before answering, "My dad and I are working things out, so I think that will be fine eventually." Before Josh could clarify he asked his question in relation to his leaving, she continued, "Keep in touch. I should head in there to help Melanie with shopping for her wedding."

Josh nodded his head feeling defeated and watched Abigail enter Janet's Boutique. Continuing to feel weird about Abigail's lack of reaction, he whispered to himself, "This can't be it. It can't be over like this."

Inside, Abigail found Melanie looking through a few wedding veils. She wiped the tear that managed to escape before inquiring, "Where's Maggie?"

Melanie turned around and smiled excitedly. "She went to see if I could try on a few gowns and veils," she explained. She noted that Abigail was having a harder time being as excited as her and asked, "Everything okay with you and Josh?"

Abigail wanted to say no, but thought now was not the time to mope. She didn't want to make the same mistake twice with Melanie. "He told me he's leaving tonight. I'm not sure when he's coming back, but he really needs to go."

"So the family drama is serious then. What family does he have outside of Salem?"

Abigail responded in a detached manner in an attempt to play off how this affected her. "Yeah, his parents moved away around the time Josh started college. I'm not really sure of all the details on why they moved away, but I know they originally wanted him to move with them. I think it had something to do with his grandfather's business."

"Abigail, are you okay with this?"

Abigail shrugged her shoulders and replied, "It's nothing I can't survive."

Melanie stopped what she was doing and turned to Abigail. "We can talk about this if you want. We're going to be step-sisters soon when my dad marries your mom. I can help you through this."

Abigail let out a small smile. "I'm okay – I promise. I think it would do me some good if we talked about you and this wedding. How are you doing considering what happened yesterday between Gabi, Sonny, and Arianna?"

Melanie gave Abigail an anxious and fearful look. "I think I might have to sit Sonny and Gabi down to work some kind of agreement out because I can't have that drama getting in the way of my day. I feel bad for all of them, and I don't want to put it on Arianna to fix it because that puts her in an awkward position."

Abigail nodded and agreed. She thought about how she stepped back and didn't stop the argument when she could have. "If you want, I can talk to Gabi and handle it. I know I'm not your maid of honor, but maybe it would be better coming from me instead of you or Arianna."

Melanie gave Abigail a grateful look and exhaled, "I would so appreciate it if you could do that."

Maggie arrived with one of the consultants and said, "This is Elise. She said she could help you find the perfect dress and veil for your wedding."

"Awesome!" Melanie let out with a huge smile.

As Melanie followed Elise around, Maggie pulled Abigail back to make sure she was okay. "Did you and Josh work things out?"

Since Abigail didn't want to talk about her relationship with Josh, she looked for an opportunity to get out of this conversation. Luckily, Melanie called her over to look at the first gown Elise recommended. "That is beautiful, Melanie."

"Maybe this is the one!" Melanie announced with great enthusiasm.

Maggie looked at the dress and beamed, "Maybe you should try it on and see how it fits." After Elise agreed to help Melanie with the dress, Maggie turned to Abigail and said, "You can go with Melanie. I need to call Victor to make sure everything has been set up for lunch today." Finding a veil, she quickly picked it up and handed it to Abigail. "Take this with you."

"Okay." Abigail said before following Melanie and Elise to a dressing room. Abigail watched as Melanie undressed so Elise could help her put on the dress. The excitement of Melanie's wedding was finally getting to her. "I can't believe this is really happening. I know Nathan is going to die when he finally sees you coming down the aisle."

Melanie gushed, "I know! He better not die literally because that's not allowed until after we're married for a very long time!" Looking at Abigail through the three-way mirror, she confessed, "I am so glad you could be here with me. I know we've talked about it, but I really thought we were going to stop being friends because of Chelsea."

Abigail didn't know what to say at first but figured she needed to settle this once and for all. "Yeah. Chelsea and I grew up together, and she's my best friend, but I am still your friend, too. I know Chelsea understands that. She's not telling me to stay away from you if that's what you think she's doing."

As Melanie adjusted her body so Elise could continue helping her with the dress, she admitted, "I guess I am so threatened by Chelsea because there was a moment when I thought I could lose Nathan to her. I had no idea they knew each other."

Abigail nodded her head as she remembered hanging out with Chelsea and Nathan back in the day. "Yeah, they were close, but that's all in the past. Chelsea has moved on, and Nathan adores you."

Melanie smiled knowing Abigail was right, but it still bothered her that Nathan was keeping a secret for Chelsea. She didn't know what to make of it. "Do you have any idea why Chelsea broke up with my brother? I tried to call Max and that's all he would tell me – that they broke up."

Abigail realized she never talked to Chelsea about Max. "Actually, I have no idea."

"There," Elise said as she finished putting the dress on Melanie. "This is how the dress looks. Do you have a veil you want to try with it?"

Abigail handed the veil Maggie gave to her, so Elise could help Melanie put it on. "Her hair will be different," she informed Elise. Elise nodded her head and managed to put it on Melanie so they could get an idea.

Maggie entered in time for all the women to look into the mirror and see Melanie in a wedding dress. Wiping her eye, she exclaimed, "Oh, Melanie. You are simply gorgeous – amazingly beautiful."

* * *

><p>Brady arrived outside of Kai's new expensive condo and knocked on the door. As he waited, he thought about how Victor sent him over to check on Kai after Victor received an interesting phone call from Kai's parents. Brady shook his head at what Kai's parents said to his grandfather and couldn't believe they could be so intolerable. When the door finally opened, Sonny stood on the other side. "Sonny, what are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.<p>

"It's not what you think," Sonny quickly elucidated as he motioned Brady in. "I had to bring Kai home last night because he was drunk and inconsolable. I was afraid of what he might do if I left him alone, so I slept on the couch."

Brady nodded his head as he entered. "Where's Kai now? I need to talk to him."

"I'll grab him," Sonny said before heading upstairs to Kai's bedroom. After entering, he walked over to Kai's bed and began to shake him. "Kai. Wake up. Brady Black wants to talk to you."

Kai began to stir and sat up once he realized who was shaking him awake. "Sonny? What are you doing here?" Before Sonny could answer, Kai's memory came flooding back. "Wait. You helped me here last night after I talked to my dad on the phone."

Sonny simply nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm going to head out, so I can make it to our first class. My cousin Brady is waiting to talk to you downstairs."

Kai rubbed his head and turned to look at the clock. "Right. It's Monday. I don't even know if I'm still enrolled in school. Tell Brady I'll be down in a sec."

"Sure thing," Sonny said casually before turning away.

After Sonny left, Kai took some aspirin and put on a t-shirt to head downstairs. Making his way down, he tried to forget his problems. "Brady. What can I do for you?"

Brady cleared his throat before explaining his presence. "I know your parents want you to drop everything here and return home. I'm here to provide you with other options."

Kai gave Brady a skeptical look because he saw no other options on his plate now that his parents knew he was attracted to other men. He had brought shame on his family and at this time had to recompense for it all. "Are you kidding me? My life is over. I have no say in what I do now."

Brady began to see the dread in Kai's eyes over the situation. He didn't really feel qualified to help Kai through whatever he was going through, but he knew he needed to convince Kai to remain in Salem. "Says who? I know your parents are upset and seem to have some control over you, but are you telling me you're just going to give up what you have here to live a life of torture and pain?"

"I'm not sure it's much better here," Kai admitted feeling defeated. "Sonny made it worth it, but you know how that turned out. Then I think about what happened to Will, and I realize how dangerous being gay really is."

Brady continued to struggle on what to say to Kai. Scratching the top of his head, he began to show his uneasiness of the situation. "Look. I'm just going to be upfront with you. I don't know the first thing about the gay world because – well – I'm a heterosexual man, and I've never been ridiculed for it. What I do know are the ins and outs of romantic relationships. It hurts a lot when they don't work out – especially when the one you love pushes you to the side for someone else, who will never give them what they really want."

After a pause to collect his thoughts on what direction he wanted to go on this, Brady continued, "You cannot let those failed relationships ruin your life. Yes, Sonny was your first, but I don't think you should make him your last. I am single now with lots of failed relationships, but I still carry the hope that I will find someone one day. If you go back to your parents, you are giving into the idea that you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life – at least that's what it sounds like will happen to me. Look, you have the option to stay here, continue your education, and have this great internship to work close to those in the field you want to be in, and then one day you can experience true love with someone who is not dictated or set up by your parents. You have options, Kai. Don't shut yourself off from them."

Kai studied Brady for a moment to take in his honest reaction to his situation. After a deep breath, Kai allowed a small smile of hope to appear on his face. "Okay. I can do this."

Brady smiled back after a deep breath. "I hoped you would say that."

Kai moved in and gave Brady a hug. "Thanks. I really needed to hear all of that."

Caught off guard by the hug, Brady allowed it and patted Kai on the back. "It's no problem. I'm on your side."

* * *

><p>Jennifer walked into the news station and checked in with the front desk. After they told her which direction to head, she maneuvered through the crowd and found Jack typing on his computer. Knocking on his office door, she announced herself, "Jack, do you have a moment?"<p>

Jack looked up from his computer screen and immediately jumped out of his chair. "Jennifer, what are you doing here? Come. Take a seat."

Jennifer cautiously took a seat and placed her purse on her lap. After Jack took a seat again, she shared, "I want to clear up a few things."

Jack gave Jen a nervous smile as he adjusted in his chair. "What things would you need to clear up with me? JJ and I had a great time Friday night. I'm back in the Salem Inn, but I am now looking into apartments or condos. Things are clearing up quite nicely."

Jennifer knew Jack was trying to avoid having any serious discussion with her. He had recently become more closed off from her, and she didn't understand exactly why. "I want to talk to you about where you were before you returned to Salem. I can't stop thinking about what Abigail said in my office the other day. Were you really held captive, and is that why you couldn't come back to us?"

Jack gave Jennifer a lost look because he knew he couldn't be completely honest with her about this. "Abigail had no idea what she was saying when she said that. I made a mistake, and the wrong words came out. I..."

"Jack..." Jennifer interrupted showing great seriousness in her eyes as they widened. Reflecting on her conversation with Adrienne, she sustained, "I've known you for years. Don't try to tell me something we both know is not true. You were held captive. I can see it in your eyes." Looking down, the guilt began to eat at her. "I can't imagine what you must have gone through and what you must think. How did you manage to escape?"

Jack moved in his chair again feeling uncomfortable but relieved that Jen knew at least some of his predicament. "I really should not say, but I am glad I finally came home to my family."

Jennifer looked away and put her fist over her lips. She couldn't believe Jack had been held captive, and she actually believed he had abandoned the family. "I am so sorry I moved on, Jack," she started as she turned her head to look at him directly. "I have complicated everything."

Jack hated to see Jen so torn about this even though he had wished for it when he first found out about Jen's engagement to Daniel. Remembering his promise to Abigail, he replied, "Don't worry about me, Jennifer. Live the life you have now."

Jennifer let out a sigh of disappointment and asked, "That's really all you have to say about my apology?"

Jack looked away from Jen and changed the subject. "I saw Colin at the hospital. Is he really working there again?"

Jennifer grew frustrated with Jack and didn't even bother responding about Colin. "What happened Jack? You are pushing me away when I know now where you've been. I know I'm with Daniel, but I don't understand why you have decided to stop pursuing me, when you kept at it when you first arrived."

"I promised Abby – I mean – I promised Abigail I would stay away, so that she and I could reconnect," Jack admitted.

Jen looked away again. "Oh."

Jack could see Jen's brain working overtime. "Jennifer, you have Daniel, and he makes you happy," he reminded her.

Jennifer nodded her head. "He does, but..." she stopped because she didn't want to finish her thought. "How do you feel about everything? Honestly... I won't say anything to Abigail."

Jack didn't want to lie to Jen about this. He thought about how he was injured on his walkabout and then held hostage in the castle. "It's hard, Jen. If I hadn't been taken captive maybe we would still be together."

Jennifer looked down to her purse and began to fiddle through it for her cell phone. She began to piece everything together in her mind and reflected on what Jack said about his blog and how he really wasn't the one who posted on it. She realized he had been taken captive from the beginning, and the guilt ate at her even more. "I'm sorry, Jack." Dropping her cell phone back in her purse, she moved her hair from her face and made eye contact. "I've got to go back to work. I am glad we got to clear some things up," she said standing up. She turned around quickly leaving even more confused than before. Jack felt the same.

* * *

><p>Justin and Adrienne arrived at the hospital hoping they could visit with Isobel since they knew her time was limited. After being cleared by Nurse Maxine, they walked in and found Isobel reading what looked like a few letters. "Isobel, I hope it is okay we stopped by."<p>

Isobel lowered the pages onto her lap and watched Justin and Adrienne for a moment. She couldn't believe they were standing in front of her after what their son did to her son. "I am glad you came to see me. There is something we need to discuss."

Adrienne moved ahead of her husband to listen intently to what Isobel had to say. "Well, I am glad we stopped by then. What do you want to talk about?"

"My children," Isobel answered. "Dario especially."

Adrienne turned to Justin and gave him a look of heartfelt sorrow. She believed Isobel was going to ask them to watch over her kids, but Dario especially. Turning back to Isobel, she managed to grab her hand and say, "You know how special Dario is to us. We will watch over him as well as Manny, Arianna, and Gabi."

Isobel knew Adrienne was sincere in her claim, but that was the last thing she wanted. Taking her hand away from Adrienne, she stated, "That's not what I want. I want you to stay away from them. I want your family to stay away from mine."

As Adrienne stepped back in shock, Justin moved forward to find out what was driving Isobel's request. "I'm confused here, Isobel. Why do you want us to stay away from your children? Have we done something to offend you?"

Isobel traded glances with Justin and Adrienne to make sure they truly were clueless to the fact of why she no longer wanted them around her kids. "Your son offends me. He lives a path that is corrupt and immoral. I do not need his influence in my children's lives. My kids don't need you two guiding them into believing lies the earth and society tell every day. Homosexuality is not okay."

Adrienne took a moment because this was the last thing she expected to happen when she and Justin decided to visit Isobel. She had hoped they could come together to help Dario and Sonny. She looked over to Justin as he responded, "I know finding out your son is gay can come as a shock. My wife and I were surprised when Sonny came to us. We were also surprised when we found out about Dario."

"Dario is not a maricón!" Isobel exclaimed with her limited strength. "My son is a real man, but your son has made him think otherwise. Tell your son – the maricón – to stay away from my Dario and share his evil life with someone else, or better yet, tell him to go away where he can make sure he does not damn anyone else to hell!"

Unable to hold back, Adrienne rushed closer to Isobel and passionately shared, "I get it now. I understand why Dario is having such a hard time right now. You're dying, and he thinks you hate him… and because you hate him, he hates himself! How could you do that to your son? What kind of mother are you?"

Justin could see Adrienne had rattled Isobel and questioned if he should stop this from escalating since Isobel was so close to death. Grabbing his wife from behind, he said, "Adrienne, we should go. There's nothing left to say here, so we should leave."

"Yes! Leave!" Isobel demanded as she struggled with her breathing.

Water formed in Adrienne's eyes because she did not understand the hate Isobel had in her eyes and heart. She simply nodded her head and allowed Justin to pull her out of the room. She felt horrible for Dario to have to go through such rejection.

Isobel laid in her hospital bed thinking about Dario and the things Adrienne said to her. Calming her breathing, she realized she managed to push him away again while upsetting her other children. She needed to do damage control, especially since her time was near. She reached for the button to call a nurse, but before she could push it, Maddalena entered her room. Visibly burdened by her presence, she asked, "What are you doing in here? I've asked for no visitors!"

Maddalena placed her hand over her chest pretending to be surprised by Isobel's rude response towards her. "Isobel Hernandez. Two people just left your room and they did not appear to work here. I came to talk to you about your little secret. I am shocked you have kept your mouth shut about it because we are both aware of how you cannot keep your legs closed. If I were in your position, I would have confessed it all to make sure no one took my son away."

"We are nothing alike!" Isobel declared with as much strength as possible. It was getting harder for her to raise her voice.

Maddalena coolly stated, "We are similar in some ways. We retained our maiden names. Of course, I preserved mine after marriage. You, on the other hand, never married. You simply followed your Mexican heritage and kept the tradition of bearing children out of wedlock because of your deplorable obsession with unprotected sex. Puta!"

Isobel became even more infuriated. She hated Maddalena and remembered what Andres told her about his mother. She remembered waking up next to him fearfully calling Maddalena's name while he slept. "I will not allow you to influence my son and torment him the way you did to Andres!"

Maddalena only shook her head and sneered, "You are a hypocrite for keeping his true paternity a secret! If you truly loved my André, you would have told your son about him from the very beginning. Now he is tormented because of your upbringing. He believes he is a failure because of the man you want him to believe is his real father!"

"You have no clue about the father of my children!" Isobel screeched as her breathing began to hasten.

Maddalena gave Isobel a smirk as she claimed, "Do not be so certain of that."

Outside of the room, Colin stood watch to make sure no one entered Isobel's room while Maddalena talked to her. He watched as Nurse Maxine walked towards the room and began to panic. He acted quickly and stopped her before she got too close. "My cousin Bo asked me to look into the missing bodies' case. Have you heard anything new?"

Maxine shook her head in disappointment as she thought about the case. "The number of bodies disappearing has ceased since Mayor Carver's attack," she shared before lowering her voice. "There is a rumor that Will Horton might have been the next attack. People are speculating thanks to some results the lab did on Will's wound. Apparently, the same knife that was used to slash Abe's tires was the one used to stab Will on the thirteenth."

Colin didn't expect Maxine to have such vital information for him. He became so intrigued by her answer, he didn't notice Nathan and Lexie walk to Isobel's room just as Maddalena was walking out of it. Lexie gave her aunt a questioning look, "Maddalena, what are you doing here?"

Maddalena became nervous but didn't show it on her face or her body. "I was only being a good neighbor. Your father has told me a lot about Isobel Hernandez, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do."

Colin made his way over and knew he needed to give Maddalena a reason to walk away from the others. "Good. Mrs. Dimera. You're here for your appointment."

Maddalena gave Colin a smile. "Yes, I was visiting with someone. Shall we run those tests now?" After patting Lexie on the shoulder, she began to follow Colin away.

Lexie told Nathan to go in to talk to Isobel before turning around to Maddalena and Colin. "Hold on."

Colin and Maddalena froze in place before turning around. "Is something wrong, Dr. Carver?"

Lexie joined them and simply smiled. "I just want to walk with my aunt and talk. She has a knack for making me feel encouraged and better about life."

Back inside Isobel's room, Nathan walked over to Isobel, who seemed even weaker since the last time he saw her. "Ms. Hernandez. Do you need anything?"

Isobel gave Nathan a look of fear as she answered. "I need to see my son. Please send for Manuel – alone. I need to talk to him alone."

Nathan nodded his head and noted how adamant Isobel was on Manny being the only one to visit her. "I'll make the call right now."

Lexie continued to follow Colin and Maddalena down the hall. "I've noticed how good of a relationship you have with, Dr. Murphy," she shared causing Colin and Maddalena to get nervous. She added, "I remember when Azzura came to my office to make sure Dr. Murphy was an excellent doctor. I am glad things worked out nicely."

Finally finding an empty room, Colin led Maddalena towards it. Maddalena turned to Lexie and forced an appreciative smile. "I am glad things worked out as well. I will catch up with you soon, Alexandra. Let me know if you need anything."

"Likewise," Lexie shared before heading off.

Maddalena walked into the room as Colin closed the door. She shook her head in frustration. "I asked you to make sure no one saw me in that room."

Colin apologized but figured they had bigger problems on their hands. "Signora, I have news. The cops are connecting the dots, and Lexie seems to be making our connection as well."

Maddalena crossed her arms clearly frustrated. She thought she had managed to convince Lexie to stop her research the day before and leave it to the rest of the family. "We must regroup in my home to see where everyone stands. I don't think Alexandra will make us, but we must remain cautious."

* * *

><p>At the Brady Pub, Dario and Ignazio found Chelsea cleaning off a table. Chelsea stopped when she saw them coming over and was surprised to see Dario there after what she did to him. Assuming they were there as customers, she asked, "Are you guys here for food, drinks, or both?"<p>

Dario placed his left hand on his right shoulder feeling apprehensive about approaching Chelsea again. It didn't help he was already on edge from what he witnessed between Sonny and Kai the day before. "We're not here to order. We… I want to talk to you."

Ignazio watched Chelsea and Dario and stepped in-between them. "You two still obviously have feelings for each other. I think you two should get back together."

Dario, who was still unaware that Ignazio knew about Sonny, quickly shook his head at the suggestion. "That cannot happen."

Chelsea was confused as to why Ignazio was still trying to push them together after their conversation at the square. She agreed with Dario. "Dario's right. Besides, I'm not in a place where I can date anyone. I'm not ready." Before Ignazio could ask what she meant by that, Chelsea gave Ignazio a restless look. "Can I have a moment alone with Dario?"

"Of course," Ignazio said before heading to the bar to sit.

Chelsea gave Dario a sad look. "I want to apologize for what I did to you. You were right with your assessment on the role I took in your life. I should have known better than what I did, and I hope we can become friends again."

Dario continued to hold his shoulder. "I want us to be friends, too, but first I need to say sorry as well. I'm sorry I called you out that way – especially since I knew I was using you to get over Sonny. Don't get me wrong; you're beautiful and great to spend time with, but yeah... you know."

Chelsea nodded feeling at ease. "You're a great guy, too. I really do like spending time with you as well."

Dario dropped his left hand and admitted, "I'm not too sure about that. I think I'm really screwed up. I don't think I'm great company."

"Are you kidding me?" Chelsea said to show she didn't agree with Dario's opinion of himself. "You have people in your life who care about you." Chelsea directed her hand towards Ignazio. "I'm getting to know Ignazio, but I see him with you a lot. He clearly thinks you're important or he wouldn't be with you. I can tell he really cares about you."

Dario smiled as he thought about his friendship with Ignazio. He didn't completely understand the draw he felt with him, but he knew it wasn't the same draw he felt with Sonny. "Yeah. He challenges me in ways I need, and I can tell he really wants to help me. His intentions seem good to me."

Chelsea smiled as she thought about Ignazio. She remembered her conversation with Nathan in Colorado about finding a good guy like him. Glancing at Ignazio, who was still at the bar, she remembered what he said to her when he saw her crying outside. He told her she was beautiful and strong. He told her to use the fire inside of her to her advantage to live the life she wanted. After a sigh, she returned her eyes to Dario and shared, "I'm really going to miss you guys."

Dario gave Chelsea a curious look. "What are you talking about?"

Chelsea looked around to make sure everything was running smoothly at the pub. "I mentioned to you before about possibly leaving when my grandma didn't need me anymore. I think that time is coming, so…"

Dario remembered the conversation with Chelsea. In a lighthearted tone, he said, "You can't leave. If you leave, I'll have one less person who enjoys my company. I think I'm causing too much stress for my family these days."

Even though Dario was trying to be playful, Chelsea knew he was hurting inside. "What about Sonny? I'm convinced he really enjoys your company."

Dario rubbed his eye as he thought about Sonny. "Yeah, I guess. I think he does, but I know I can be a pain at times. I keep remembering how I treated him when I found out about Kinsey. I acted like a jealous boyfriend, and I wasn't even his boyfriend. Kai, who was his actual boyfriend seemed to accept the Kinsey situation like it was nothing even though Kinsey lied in the end."

Chelsea gave Dario a confused look. "Why are you bringing up Kai now? I thought Sonny was through with him and wanted to be with you."

"I thought so, too," Dario mumbled under his breath. He thought about what he witnessed outside of the Cheatin' Heart the night before. Brady, who arrived to meet up with Victor, walked up just in time to overhear Dario say, "I saw Sonny with Kai at the Cheatin' Heart last night. They kissed."

Before Chelsea could respond, Brady quickly cut in, "Sonny was just taking Kai home because he was drunk. I promise you nothing is going on between Sonny and Kai."

Dario replayed the memory in his mind and realized he may have assumed too much. He grew frustrated with himself for trying to sabotage his relationship with Sonny subconsciously to give his mother what she wanted.

Victor walked in looking for Brady and Chelsea. Making his way over, he commented, "Dario, are you still going back and forth between my granddaughter and great-nephew?"

Chelsea gave Victor a stern look to make him back off on Dario. "Dario and I are just friends," she claimed before changing the subject. "Your big order should be ready. I'll get it from the back."

Since Chelsea walked off, Dario had planned on walking away, but when he heard Brady say, "I talked to Kai. Would you like an update on the parent situation?" he decided to stick around to find out what happened to Kai.

Victor nodded his head. "Sure. We have time before we have to meet the others in the town square with lunch. Did you tell him to man up and forget about what his parents want?"

Dario became curious and couldn't stay quiet. "I know it's none of my business, but what happened between Kai and his parents? Is that why he was drunk last night?"

Victor gave Dario an unimpressed look as he agreed, "You are right, Dario. It's none of your business." Before Dario could walk off, Victor realized he could use Kai's predicament as a teaching tool for Dario. "Kai's parents found out he's gay and want him to return home, so they can 'fix' him. While I tried to do the same with Sonny, his response inspired me and changed my mind. It's possible Kai's parents will turn around, too, if he shows them he is his own man." Turning to Brady to allow Dario time to simmer in thought, he asked, "What did Kai decide?"

Brady watched Dario at first as he answered, "He has chosen to remain in Salem. I helped him see he had too much to give up to live a life of misery and torture back home."

As Dario continued to listen to Brady and Victor talk about Kai, Sami and EJ arrived to have lunch together. Spotting Ignazio at the bar, EJ led Sami to him to say hi. "Ignazio. What are you doing here alone?"

"Cugino. Samantha." Ignazio stated with enthusiasm. "I am not here alone. I am here with my friend, Dario, but he is busy at the moment. Are you two here on a date?"

Sami saw Dario standing next to Victor and Brady. She grabbed EJ's arm wanting to take a seat, so they could talk alone. "Yes, but our time is limited because EJ has to return to his office."

Ignazio bowed his head slightly towards them. "Do not let me waste your time then. Find a table, and I will send Chelsea your way when she comes out."

EJ patted Ignazio on the side and led Sami to a table nearby, where Ignazio was in safe distance to hear their conversation. After sitting, EJ grabbed Sami's hand and gave her a concerned look. "Samantha, is everything okay? You have been distant."

Sami kept her focus on their hands even though she was tempted to look at Ignazio. With a solemn tone, she shared, "We barely have alone time anymore. I guess I miss you."

"I miss you, too, Samantha." EJ echoed. "Things have been hectic during this transition to mayor. It's a lot more work than I expected – especially with everything that is happening."

"I don't trust Azzura," Sami shared before explaining, "She's too friendly and naïve at times. She definitely has a secret."

EJ agreed unsure of what else to say about Maddalena's right hand. He hoped she would slip up soon, so they could know if she really could be trusted.

Sami gave EJ a softened stare deciding to change the subject since she said what she needed. "Has any new info come up on Will's attack?"

"Besides the fact that Will's attack wasn't necessarily due to his homosexuality? No." EJ wished they knew more about everything. "I know the cops think there is a connection to Abe's attack and think the graffiti was just a front, but I think the slurs on the pier were very real. I think whoever attacked Abe and Will also has something against homosexuality."

Sami believed EJ could be right. "If you think that about Will's attack, is it possible that Abe's attack may have some connection to race?"

"I suppose anything is possible," EJ responded. "Nothing is concrete right now, but I do believe if Dario hadn't arrived when he did, Will probably would be missing like Abe."

Ignazio continued to listen in on his cousin's conversation with Sami until Dario walked over filled with different thoughts from Brady and Victor's conversation. "Let's get out of here. I already told Chelsea I would talk to her later."

Ignazio stood up from the bar stool and realized he didn't realize Chelsea had come back out. "Actually, something came up. I need to head home. Maybe you should head to the hospital to visit your mother."

Dario wasn't so sure of the idea. "I think I'd rather avoid the hospital a little longer."

Ignazio needed to get rid of Dario because he couldn't go back to Maddalena's mansion with him. "You cannot hide until your mother is gone. You need to act now, amico mio." Patting Dario on the back as encouragement, he said, "I will call you. Talk to your mother."

Dario watched as Ignazio walked off. He grabbed his shoulder questioning if he had the courage to talk honestly with Isobel. His thoughts were interrupted when he was approached by Victor and Brady once again.

Brady, who was holding a few big bags of food, said, "I forgot to ask you how your sister, Arianna, is doing."

Dario didn't want to say much else to Brady and Victor because he felt weak in their eyes. "The family is going through a difficult time and wants privacy during this time. I am headed to the hospital. Have a good one."

After Dario left the pub, Victor and Brady, who were still waiting on a few more things from their order, joined Sami and EJ at their table. Victor didn't care that they were having couple time and interrupted, "How are things coming along with solving the case involving the attacks on Abe and Will?"

EJ looked up to Victor and answered simply, "The only information I can share is that I am working with the Salem PD to make sure safety is returned to the streets of Salem."

"Stefano's presence in Salem makes that goal quite problematic," Victor commented snidely. Spotting Caroline with the last bag of food, he turned to Brady. "I'll grab the last bag and meet you outside. I need to talk to Caroline for a moment."

Brady said goodbye to Sami and EJ and headed outside while Victor met Caroline halfway near the bar. Grabbing the bag from her hand, he thanked her. "It seems you are doing well."

Caroline confirmed it. "Yes. I have almost made a full recovery. There's still a bump in my step, but I have learned to adjust. I came out here personally to talk to you, Victor."

"I figured as much when I saw you come out of hiding from the back."

Caroline wanted to make amends on all accounts since her memory returned. "I know you have made progress with Sonny since the summer, and I feel like I am just beginning with my family. I know Will and Sami are being easy on me, but I still feel horrible for what I did."

Victor still felt bad about how he and Caroline fed each other on the negative attitudes towards homosexuality. "You must own up to the past mistakes and move on. The great thing about family is that no matter the harm done, forgiveness is always a possibility."

Feeling encouraged, Caroline let out a smile of hope. "I don't say this too often, Victor, but you're right about that."

* * *

><p>Chad and Will walked through campus trying to decide what to do for lunch. When Ezra approached them, Chad quickly grabbed Will's hand. "Can we help you, Ezra?"<p>

Ezra pulled out an envelope from his bag and handed it to Will. "Horton, this is your official invitation to rush tomorrow night at the Kappa house. I hope to see you there because I really want you to be a part of the frat before I graduate. As president, I'd like to take you under my wing if you're allowed to rush."

Will pulled the invitation from the envelope to look it over. Surprised by it all, he gave Ezra a nervous smile before confirming, "I'll be there."

"Sweet. You two have a good one," Ezra said before walking off.

Will continued to look at the invitation. His name was actually handwritten on it. Putting it back in the envelope, he placed the invitation in his bag. "I don't know why Ezra is so interested in me because I'm boring," he stated honestly without really thinking.

Chad studied Will closely to see if he was serious. "Will, you aren't boring. You're far from it. You don't actually believe that, do you?"

"I was joking," Will covered. "I never thought about joining a frat, but it might be good for me to settle in more."

Chad didn't like the sound of that because he still needed to convince Will they needed to leave Salem, so they could both be safe. "You should find out more about the frat before you commit to anything," he cautioned.

Will remembered Chad feeling uneasy about the frat because of how they rejected him. Looking away, he stepped back when Roman and Kate approached them. Giving his grandparents a weird look, he questioned, "Did you two come together?"

Kate eyed Roman and shook her head. "No, I caught up with your grandfather in the parking lot. We're here to see you for two different reasons. I simply want to have lunch with my grandson."

Chad quickly gave Kate a look as he shared, "Will and I already have plans for lunch."

Roman ignored Chad and informed Will why he was there, "I came for similar reasons as your grandmother – I wanted to check in on you."

"I'm fine, Grandpa Roman. You didn't need to come all this way to check on me," Will said before adding, "Chad and I are about to head out to lunch."

Roman took the hint. He was really hoping he could have a frank conversation with Will about his homosexuality. "Well, I do have one more thing to say. I need you to come to the station after you're done with classes."

Will wondered why he was needed at the station. "Okay. I'll be there."

Kate took the hint as well. "I'll let you and Chad get to your plans for lunch. Maybe we can have dinner?"

Will nodded his head and agreed, "Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. I told Johnny, Allie and Sydney I would come see them later anyway."

After Roman and Kate left, Chad pulled Will close and asked, "So what are you feeling for lunch?" Will shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

><p>Ric rushed down the stairs of Maddalena's mansion and found Azzura waiting near the front door. "Putanna!" he yelled out to her. "You have been in my room. Where is my knife?"<p>

Azzura giggled at Ric's anger even though he called her a whore. "What has happened to you? You used to be one Maddalena's best men, but now your infatuation has gotten the best of you."

Ric grew tired of Azzura's accusations and assumptions about him. He thought about the plans he wanted for his future and decided to inform her, "You know nothing. After all of this, I plan to ask Maddalena to release me from her services, so I can get away from the toxicity that plagues this family."

Azzura shook her head in disbelief. "I do not hear the truth from your lips. It's possible I will believe it when it has come to pass."

Maddalena and Colin arrived from the hospital through the back entrance. "Whatever you have planned for the moment must be pushed aside. We need to discuss our mission and make adjustments now."

Azzura rolled her eyes at Ric before walking to Maddalena. "I have uncovered more at the police station." She gave a nod to Colin to thank him for the contact he provided for her there before continuing, "The police have realized Will's attack is definitely connected to Abe's attack. They believe Sami could be the next victim."

Maddalena stroked her cheek as she let out, "That's interesting. We may be able to use that to our advantage." Turning to Ric, she asked, "Were you able to uncover anything at the women's penitentiary?"

Ric stepped forward putting his emotions to the side. "Alexandra Carver visited with the old warden. I overheard your niece talk about how she believes Stefano is connected to it all, but then Ms. Smith was not cooperative. She is unwilling to talk truths."

Maddalena grew frustrated. "Did you hear anything that could be useful?"

Ric nodded his head. "Yes, signora. There is a doctor they mentioned who is currently in a coma. I am looking into him now."

Maddalena nodded her head hoping she could find someone to point their finger at her brother temporarily. She thought in silence for a moment before asking, "Is there anything I am forgetting?"

Colin remembered what he talked to Maxine about earlier. "I told you before about my interesting conversation with Nurse Maxine. She mentioned the knife connection between Abe and Will." Ric became nervous as Colin continued, "Even though Ric mentioned Lexie seemed to blame her father, she is connecting everything by herself. I fear she may realize our part in all of this."

Maddalena balled her hands into fists. She was clearly irritated. As Ignazio entered the house, Maddalena looked to the others and exclaimed, "I am not happy our plan is backfiring due to the mistakes of my nipote."

Defensive, Ignazio spoke up, "Azzura's plan is backfiring as well because Sami and EJ are aware of the game she is playing with them."

Maddalena closed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't take how unbalanced everything was. "We will have to come up with an emergency plan," she announced before turning to her grandson. "First things first. Ignazio you are to have no part in this new plan."

Ignazio stepped up to his grandmother clearly upset. "You cannot keep me out of this. I will do what must be done to help the family."

Maddalena crossed her arms and gave Ignazio a look of dismissal. "I want you out of the house by the end of the week. You need to find a new place to stay, and Ric only works for me now."

Ignazio looked deeply into his grandmother's eyes and could see she was serious about this. Feeling rejected he walked past Ric and headed for his room.

Maddalena turned to the others in the room and declared, "We will be successful in our mission. Failure is not an option. We must all make sacrifices!"

Colin, Azzura, and Ric looked on in shock because of how Maddalena dismissed Ignazio. They also questioned what sacrifices would have to be made.

* * *

><p>Brady and Victor walked through Horton Town Square with the food from the pub. When they found Maggie and Melanie waiting for them at a group of tables reserved for them, Brady looked around and asked, "Where is everyone?"<p>

Melanie, who was on cloud nine from all the wedding shopping, gave Brady a welcome hug. "Abigail had to go to school. My dad and Jennifer are on their way with my husband-to-be."

Victor greeted Maggie with a kiss on the cheek. "How was shopping?"

Maggie turned to Melanie and answered, "Things are going extremely well. We've managed to mark off mostly everything on the list."

"Everything is actually coming together quite perfectly," Melanie commented before adding, "I do wish my mom and Nicholas could be here though."

Victor forgot about Carly and Nicholas and asked, "Are they coming down at all before the wedding?"

As Maggie and Brady began to pull out the food from the bags, Melanie replied, "I am still talking to them about it, so hopefully it will work out." Melanie began to help Maggie and Brady after placing her drink on the table. Unfortunately, Brady didn't see her put her drink down and accidentally pushed it off the table when he moved one of the bags of food. "Oh no."

Brady looked over and realized what he had done. "I'm so sorry. I'll get you a new one. What was it?"

Melanie and Maggie began to pick up what they could from the drink. "I had a caramel macchiato."

Brady turned to Victor. "Grandfather, want anything?"

"Get my usual – decaf," Victor requested.

Brady walked off and headed for Mandalay Café. As he waited in line, he heard a voice in front of the line that sounded very familiar. He maneuvered his head to look forward as he heard the female voice complain, "What do you mean? How can you be out of green tea? I was just here, and I want a refill. Why is the world always against me and my greet tea?"

Brady still couldn't really see the complaining woman, so he decided to wait until she walked by. After the woman gave up on getting her drink, she turned around and made a beeline for the exit. Brady got a good view of her and quickly grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. "Nicole? What are you doing here?"

Nicole looked on in shock. "Brady?"

* * *

><p>Chad and Will sat in Torelli's Restaurant enjoying lunch. After taking a sip, Chad smiled sharing, "I considered taking you to a Chinese restaurant since I know how much you like it, but I still need to teach myself how to use chop sticks."<p>

"I could have taught you, silly," Will mentioned wondering why Chad felt the need to teach himself. "I offered to help you before, remember?"

Chad nodded his head and picked up his fork. "Yeah, I remember." He began to play with his food with the fork as he thought about what he believed Will needed. Chad wanted to be in control of what he and Will did. He wanted to prove to Will he was capable of taking care of everything and didn't want to appear needy or weak. "We have a busy day ahead, so it's probably best we didn't take the time to teach me," he joked.

Will let out a chuckle. "Well, maybe next time."

Turning the mood towards a more serious tone, Chad put his fork down and asked, "Are you really okay? You haven't talked about what happened to you that night at all."

Will wanted to avoid the topic as much as possible because anytime he thought about that night, his whole body became tense. "Let's just enjoy lunch. We don't have time for a deep discussion."

Chad didn't want to let up because he wanted Will to share his thoughts and feelings with him, so he could help Will in the best way possible. He got an idea and decided to open up about some of his thoughts and feelings. "Do you remember when I mentioned something about having nightmares?" Will nodded his head thinking Chad had agreed they wouldn't talk about anything too deep. Chad continued, "I had a nightmare during finals' week. It was so surreal. You were missing, but I managed to find you in the basement of my father's mansion, but you were different. You were cold, closed off, and not the same Will I once knew."

Will leaned back in his chair feeling uncertain of the conversation they were having. "Why are you telling me this?"

Chad swallowed hard before admitting, "You're not the same. I can tell that you're trying to make everything normal, but it feels like you're pushing me away at the same time."

Will looked down and bit his tongue. He felt an anger surge through his body wanting to be released, but he managed to keep it at bay. Looking directly into Chad's eyes, Will couldn't contain his other emotions and asked, "Why do you love me?"

Chad felt dismay in his heart due to Will's question. Acknowledging that Will could read him so well, he sincerely offered, "I love you because you're my best friend. You're my family. Nothing could change that."

Will looked down realizing his insecurities had taken his lunch date with Chad somewhere he didn't want to go. "I should not have asked you that question."

"You don't believe me?" Chad quickly interjected with worry.

Will pushed his doubts inside and smiled. "Yeah. I believe you. I just don't know if anything or anyone else will try to get in the way."

Chad took Will's hand to make Will look up at him. "I already said nothing is going to get in the way – your family, my family. We are in this together. I know we've talked about my father using my aunt to break us apart, but I think he's done trying because we can do this. We don't need him or anyone else to tell us what to do. We have what we need right here – you and me."

Will didn't know what to say to Chad. "Maybe my parents will come around with time," he hoped. Taking his hand from Chad, he began to eat again. "So I'm definitely enjoying my music classes."

Chad let out a smile for Will's sake and noted how fast Will was able to move on from their serious conversation. He knew he would have to get Will to talk about what happened, so they could move forward, but he decided to give Will more time. "That's good," Chad stated as he began to eat his food, too.

Will looked up as Chad looked down. He felt bad for shutting Chad out, but he really didn't want to relive that day. He feared what would come of it.

* * *

><p>Manny arrived to the hospital as soon as possible after Nathan called him. He wondered why Isobel wanted to meet with him now and alone. Opening the door to Isobel's room, he peaked his head in. "Mama, you asked for me."<p>

Isobel slowly raised her hand and motioned for Manny to come in. "Please, Manuel. Hurry."

Manny walked in without closing the door all the way and rushed to his mother's side. "What's wrong? Is everything okay? Is it time?"

"Not yet, hijo,"she replied reaching for his hand.

Manny took his mother's hand and took a seat next to her. "Then why did you ask for me? Why am I here?"

Isobel's face turned to concern as she tried to squeeze Manny's hand. "Manuel, I need your help. I need your help with Dario. You must help him. Help him to make sure he receives the help he needs for his homosexuality like therapy and going to the church. You must help him grow into a true man."

Manny could feel the weakness in his mother's hold and shook his head. "Mama, Dario is more of a man than me. How can I help him be something I'm not?"

Isobel gathered enough strength to squeeze Manny's hand tighter. "Manuel. Listen to me. You are the oldest, so you have it in you to do this. Step up and be a true father figure to Dario because he never got to know his father. You can do that and help him. I know you can."

Manny gave his mother a confused look. "None of us really knew papa. He was around here and there, but we never really knew him because he never acknowledged us. He was in a completely different class than us."

Isobel grew somewhat impatient because she needed Manny to just agree to help Dario. "I am not talking about Ernesto. I am talking about Andres. Dario is Andres's son."

Manny's eyes widened at the news unsure of what to say. Outside of the room, Dario stepped back after overhearing his mother and brother's conversation. His soul felt frozen in time as his body rushed out of the hospital at the revelation that he had a completely different father.


	65. Chapter 65 Scars

**Chapter 65: Scars – Monday, January 23rd, 2012**

Chad put his credit card on the bill for the waiter at Torelli's restaurant to pick up. He smiled at Will hoping that things would continue to go well without anything falling apart, but a part of him still questioned Will's ability to look past his horrible experience from ten days before. Something seemed off about Will, and he needed to do something to help him. "So how many more classes do you have again?"

"One," Will answered. "It's a short one though, so I'll be done in no time. You?"

Chad watched as the waiter came by to take his card with the receipt. "I don't have anymore, but I am meeting with one of my professors."

"What about?" Will questioned.

Chad took one last sip from his drink before answering, "He's also my advisor, so we're going to talk about what requirements I have left to graduate." Changing the subject, he suggested, "I could wait until you're out, so I can go with you to the police station."

"No, you don't have to," Will responded when his cell began to ring. Will looked at the screen and announced, "It's Uncle Eric."

Chad watched as Will answered the phone to talk to his uncle. Eric seemed like a nice enough guy, but Chad couldn't help wondering if everyone hated him now because of what he did to Will. He got a bad feeling from Roman when they saw him earlier on campus.

The waiter returned with Chad's card and a new receipt for him to sign. Chad left a nice tip and signed off on the receipt. He turned his attention back to Will and understood he and Eric were discussing Marlena and John's situation. He couldn't help wonder if his father had anything to do with that.

Pulling out his phone, Chad noticed he had a text message. Ignazio sent him a message asking to meet with him. Chad sent a text back saying he had a meeting and would be able to meet up with him after. He then sent a second message that said: "I'll call you when I'm free, and we can meet for coffee."

Ignazio responded, "Ringrazio, cugino."

Chad didn't get the chance to ponder why Ignazio wanted to meet with him because Will put his phone back in his pocket and asked, "You ready to get out of here?"

Chad nodded his head after putting his credit card away. "I wish we could just sit here though and just be – you and me – no interruptions."

Will grinned but remained guarded with Chad. "We could do that, but we wouldn't get anything done."

Chad shrugged his shoulders, stood up, and took Will's hand. "I guess I wouldn't even notice or care with you around me."

Will and Chad left the restaurant and headed for the car. "My uncle wants to come visit soon. I'm not sure when that will be though because John and grandma Marlena are having problems getting through customs. I can't even talk to them on the phone because they're in confinement being tested for having some kind of disease."

"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise," Chad cracked without thinking.

Will took Chad's hand and with concern commented, "I know my mom and dad's dislike for you bothers you. Trust me, it bothers me, too, but I don't think the rest of the family feels the same way about you. If they do, I am going to make sure they love you like I do."

"That's not creepy at all," Chad said making light of the situation. Even though he had his doubts, he didn't want Will to worry about him. "Don't worry about it, Will. I will survive either way."

Will shrugged it off and changed gears. "So who sent you a text message?"

"It was Ignazio. He wants to meet with me," Chad answered opening the passenger door of his car for Will.

Will took note of Chad's gesture and wanted to open Chad's door for him in return, but they were in a hurry to go back to school. He got in and waited until Chad got in from the other side before suggesting, "Well, you can go ahead and meet with Ignazio after your meeting. I can just head to the station by myself. I can handle that on my own."

Chad started his car and stereo began to blast. Turning the volume down, he asked, "Are you sure? I can meet with Ignazio after."

Will nodded his head. "I'm not some damsel in distress. As a matter of fact, I'm not a damsel in any way. I can do this alone." Chad simply nodded his head dropping the conversation. He didn't want to upset Will.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Isobel and Manny continued to talk in her hospital room. "Have I lost you, Manuel? You need to protect Dario from Maddalena and the Dimera family."<p>

Manny was tired of everything happening to his family. "Before I promise you anything, I need answers," he demanded. "I remember before you were pregnant with Dario, you spent a lot of time away from the family. I even remember you telling one of your friends about Andres. I remember him well because he occasionally walked through town. How is he connected to the Dimera family?"

Isobel decided to appease Manny's demands because she needed him to promise her he would protect Dario. "He is a Dimera. He is EJ's cousin – Stefano's sister's son."

Manny shook his head still trying to figure out everything. He had always questioned if Dario was his full brother, but he didn't want to believe it. "What about my father? Does that mean Gabi has a different father, too?"

"You don't have to worry about Gabi. I need you to focus on Dario here," Isobel dismissed Manny's questions. "Now do you promise to keep Dario close, so he doesn't fall into Maddalena Dimera's hands?" Manny looked on unsure of what to say.

In Lexie's office, Celeste took a seat across from her daughter hoping to talk some sense into her daughter. Lexie had called her in to talk about André, but she had to convince her daughter to stay away. "Alexandra…"

Lexie had no intentions of letting this go. "Mom, why are you being so difficult? I need to know everything you know about Maddalena, André, and father. I need to know the history there."

Celeste gave her daughter a fretful look as she replayed what Maddalena said to her outside of the Carver home. "Darling, I cannot tell you this enough. You must stay out of this. Stay away from the danger. Maddalena is not as good as you think she is."

Lexie remained persistent. "I know my father brainwashed André into a monster, but I don't understand why André walked away from Maddalena to begin with. She has hinted she did something wrong, but I need you to tell me what that is. I know you know."

Stefano entered Lexie's office without knocking. "I hope I'm not intruding, but I only need a second of your time."

Lexie stood up from her desk. "Have you finally come to tell the truth?"

Stefano rolled his eyes and shared, "If you want the truth, come to the mansion tonight. I am holding a family meeting there, and it is imperative you come." Turning around he said, "I am heading to the mayor's office to talk to Elvis now. Hope to see you tonight."

Lexie took a seat after Stefano left and exhaled, "I doubt the truth will ever come from his mouth when it comes to this. I'm not going tonight."

Celeste gave Lexie a look of relief. "I am happy to hear you're staying away. This is one truth you need not uncover."

Lexie gave her mother a glance as she grabbed her pen to sign some forms. Dropping the pen, she changed her mind. "On second thought, I will go tonight to give him one last chance. The truth will come out whether it's from my father's mouth or not."

* * *

><p>Jennifer took Daniel's arm as Nathan led them to the others in the Horton Town Square. Jennifer thought about her conversation with Jack at the news station and decided she needed to give Daniel a heads up. "We will need to talk about something soon."<p>

Daniel nodded his head knowing that whatever Jen wanted to say to him was most likely something he didn't want to hear. When he saw his daughter with his godfather and Maggie, he made his way over and greeted them.

After getting his order, Brady walked out of Mandalay Café with Nicole still trying to get over the fact that she was in Salem. "Thanks for helping me with the drinks. You still haven't told me why you're here though."

"It's a long complicated story," Nicole warned Brady with a mischievous smile before adding, "but that's really the story of my life." After smelling the coffee in her hand, she asked, "Who's coffee am I holding?"

"That would be mine," Victor said before giving Brady a look of disappointment. "What are you doing with this harlot and why is she here?"

Nicole gave Victor a fake surprised look and tried to hand him his coffee. "Good to see you, too, Grandpa Vic."

"I'm not touching that," Victor exclaimed as the others from the group walked over.

Melanie shook her head in disbelief. "Well there goes my perfect day out the window. Did you come back to Salem to wreak havoc in Brady's life once again?"

Nicole started to regret volunteering to help Brady with the drinks. She hoped to ease back into Salem without any drama. "I guess I should have known this would have happened." Turning to the ones who weren't giving her hell, she greeted each one. "Daniel, Jennifer, Nathan, and Maggie! It's so great to see all of you!"

Melanie continued to glare at Nicole. "Why don't you go back to hell and leave us alone!"

Maggie and Daniel got in the middle of Victor, Melanie, and Nicole before Brady could release the disappointment written on his face. "I think we should all calm down and stop overreacting here. This is neither the time nor place to hash out the past. Please let's just enjoy our lunch."

"It's going to be difficult to keep food down with Nicole the skank stinking up the place," Victor shot out before Maggie gave him a stern look.

Brady shook his head deciding to be the martyr. "I have a solution then that will help everyone here. How about I go with Nicole somewhere else and let all of you enjoy your lunch."

Nicole felt extremely uncomfortable with that suggestion. "Brady... you don't..."

"Oh, don't you even pretend that's not what you want, Nicole," Melanie called her out.

Daniel put his arm around Melanie to calm her. "I think Brady's solution works. We are going to sit down and talk about the wedding. Brady can go have coffee or lunch with his friend. No harm. No foul."

Brady took a deep breath before placing his hand on Nicole's back to lead her away. Maggie tried to calm Victor down as he watched Brady and Nicole walk off. "Victor, how about we go get you a new coffee. A nice hot cup might do you some good."

As Daniel led Jennifer, Nathan, and Melanie back to the table, Maggie took Victor's hand and led him back to Mandalay Café. Victor was clearly not over the fact that Nicole was back in Salem. "I cannot believe the bitch is back. She must have done something to upset her mother and brother. She must need something."

"Victor," Maggie said in a calm yet cautioning tone. "You cannot get in the middle of this, or you'll make it worse. If you want Brady away from Nicole you can't keep pushing him towards her."

Victor grunted in frustration because he knew Maggie's assessment was correct. He pulled the door open for the café so Maggie could walk in, but before she could Ric walked up exasperated. "Signor. There you are. I am here at your request."

Maggie gave Victor a confused look. Victor was just as confused and asked, "Do I know you?"

Ric smiled inside hoping Victor would ask him that very question. He stepped back giving Maggie and Victor a look of convincing fear. He quickly apologized by bowing his head as if to hint that he needed to cover something. "I am sorry, sir. I thought you were someone else."

After Ric rushed off, Maggie finally walked into the café with Victor walking in behind her. She still had a puzzled look on her face as she asked, "Victor, what just happened?"

Baffled, Victor replied, "I am not sure."

* * *

><p>Arianna pulled her hair back outside of the Dimera mansion and made sure that her clothes were in order. Pulling a bag with some of her mother's things over her shoulder, she looked through the glass door that led straight to the living room and spotted Marco standing alone inside. She opened the door and walked in. "Marco, are you here by yourself?"<p>

Marco was surprised to see Arianna. He remembered their last private conversation and figured she would never give him time again. "Is there something you need? No one else is here, so I can get whatever you need."

Arianna gave Marco a hesitant look as she began to mess with her finger nails. "I don't need anything from the mansion. I want to talk to you... about us. I really like you Marco."

Marco grew skeptical as he asked, "Why the sudden turn around? You seemed so certain I had no interest in you."

Arianna thought of her mother's situation as she responded, "I overreacted with jealousy, and I'm sorry. There's so much going on in my life, and I think I took all the frustration out on you. I didn't even give you a chance to explain."

Marco's phone began to ring before he could reply. He took the call and headed towards the mini bar to talk to the person in a more private manner. "What happened?"

Arianna looked around the room as she continued to overhear Marco's conversation over the phone. She wondered if she would be able to look the place over and find any clues while Marco was preoccupied on the phone. Her eyes looked towards the baby grand in the room, but she quickly turned her gaze back to Marco when he ended the phone conversation. "Everything okay?"

Marco turned around and placed his phone back in his pocket. "It should be fine, but I need to check something out. Please stay here. It won't take me long, and I would like to finish this conversation. I want to tell you the truth about Azzura."

After Arianna agreed, Marco headed out of the mansion. She wondered what truth Marco had to share concerning Azzura, but she didn't have time to dwell on that. Arianna immediately went into snooping mode as she began to look through Stefano's desk. She found nothing in the unlocked drawers and wondered if she could find the key to go through the locked ones. Heading for the fireplace, she searched through the photo frames hoping a key would be hidden there. Unfortunately for her, she did not find one.

Arianna's search returned to the baby grand. She looked at the things that covered the top, but came up empty once again. She looked to the piano bench and noticed it had music hanging out from it. She opened the bench and immediately noticed there was something wrapped in a blue towel. She pulled it out and unwrapped it slowly and couldn't believe when she realized she had the weapon the cops were looking for in her hand. Wrapping the knife again, Arianna knew she had to get out of there. She felt bad for using Marco to snoop around. He seemed so hopeful they would work out.

Marco entered the mansion again, walked through the foyer, and found Arianna standing near the baby grand. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked suspiciously.

* * *

><p>Dario rushed into the guesthouse reeling over the revelation that his siblings were only his half siblings. He paced for a moment around the couch as questions continuously flooded his mind. He thought of the times his mother mentioned Andres. He had no idea who he was, and that seemed to only make things worse. Dario never dared to judge his mother for the life she lived because she always did well by him, but this new information tempted him to drop Isobel from the pedestal he once held her on. She was responsible for so many lies in the family.<p>

Dario noticed one of his mother's rosary beads hanging down on one of the end tables. Realizing they were the beads his mother gave him to pray his homosexuality away, he picked them up and remembered the lessons he learned from his mother as a child. She raised him in the proper and traditional way. She raised him to be a good religious man. Dario was fully aware of his faults, but she always helped him in not giving up. Through Isobel, he thought he knew who he was, but now that was shattered. Now that was gone. Maybe he was corrupt. Maybe his soul was dark.

Thoughts of Sonny entered Dario's mind to keep him from thinking so negatively about his mother. He wanted to blame Sonny for all his problems because he so desperately wanted to believe ignorance would have kept him from the torture he was experiencing at this moment. Sonny shook his core and opened a side of him that he had buried deep inside. He feared it and fought it with all his might, but his heart and love for Sonny showed him it was okay. It was good. He gave in, but he did so blindly because he betrayed his mother in the worst way possible in her eyes. Dario began to feel the guilt that plagued him for admitting he was gay, but in deep anguish he told himself, "Stop this!"

His mother told him he was not a real man. His mother told him he needed to get help. Isobel told him to talk to the priest, get therapy, and marry Chelsea. She wanted him to betray himself and be someone he knew he wasn't. She even went so far to let him believe he was the reason she was declining in health so quickly. How could she be so against him and then claim she loved him? He balled his right hand into a fist around his mother's rosary beads and then threw them against the wall. The love his mother had shown him his whole life now seemed false. She robbed him from the truth. She robbed him from the true love of a mother. His eyes began to water as it all felt like one big lie.

Dario couldn't blame this on Sonny, and he couldn't blame himself. He had done research to fix himself. He reached out to others online for a cure. He tried to get the help his mother recommended, but instead of getting the same messages his mother gave him, he found something else. He found a message of acceptance. He found there was no real cure to homosexuality. It wasn't a disease! It wasn't a cancer!

Dario began to sob uncontrollably as he fell to his knees. He remembered how much he wanted to save Isobel from her illness. He was a fool because, deep down, he now doubted his capability to save himself in this situation. Dario hated feeling so down, so he pulled himself up and tried to cut off his emotions. "Stop this," he repeated to himself. "You know, Dario. Lo sé."

Dario wiped his face and rushed over to the couch and grabbed his guitar because he remembered something Sonny said to him about scars. Reflecting on what Victor and Brady said at the pub earlier, he exclaimed to himself, "I am tired of all the lies. I will show her I am real man – imperfect and flawed." He knew he couldn't lie to himself or his mother anymore. He needed honesty to survive.

* * *

><p>At Java Café, Brady and Nicole continued to catch up over drinks. Nicole embraced her cup of green tea with both hands as she gave Brady a nervous look. "It's definitely weird being back in Salem. Seems things are going to hell. How the heck did EJ Dimera become mayor of this town?"<p>

Brady nodded his head and agreed. "I definitely think that was rigged," he said with a laugh.

Nicole joined in with the laughter for a moment before admitting, "Even though I am here for Brandon, I also jumped at the chance to come here because I wanted to check in on you."

Brady took a sip of his coffee before confirming he heard correctly, "Oh really?"

Nicole's eyes fell on and off of Brady as she confirmed it. "Yeah... I was afraid if I told you I was returning to Salem beforehand you would have avoided me."

"Well, here we are," Brady said tapping a beat on the table. Even though he seemed relaxed, he was wary to the fact that he was talking to Nicole again. There was so much history there, and he didn't want to be pulled back in. Changing the subject to put some distance between them, he asked for clarification. "You said you were here for your brother because of the Abe situation earlier. Why isn't he here?"

Nicole took a sip of her tea and placed the cup back on the table. "Brandon's coming to Salem soon enough, but he is waiting for Taylor to arrive to take care of our mom. He wants to come as soon as possible to help search for his dad."

Brady was still confused. "So he sent you in his place for the time being? Why couldn't he have come and left you with Faye?"

Nicole eyed her tea while raising her eyebrows. "I think you're forgetting how much my mom and I get along. Brandon doesn't really trust me alone with her because we can never sit in a room alone together without at least one of us yelling at the other. We really do suck the air out of each other when we're alone." Pulling up her cup of green tea to her mouth once again, she looked directly into Brady's eyes to give him a sheepish look.

Ignazio and Chad walked into the café together and ordered drinks. As they waited for them, Ignazio took a deep breath before thanking Chad. "I appreciate you meeting me here. I am in a tough situation, and I know I can count on you."

Chad patted Ignazio on the side worried about his second cousin. "Of course, Ignazio. I would do anything for you."

Ignazio thought about how trusting Chad was with him and continued to struggle with how he was betraying that trust in the same way Maddalena was betraying him. As much as he tried to avoid the fact, he really felt a kinship with Chad because they were family. He reflected on what EJ said about how similar their stories were before sharing, "I need a place to stay. It appears my nonna thinks it's time I live out on my own."

Chad didn't believe Ignazio at first but could see he was serious. "Aunt Maddalena is kicking you out? I would say you could stay in my apartment, but it's pretty much a full house – err, apartment right now. You'd have nowhere to sleep."

Ignazio remained silent and didn't want to beg Chad for his help. He was definitely above that. "I am sure I will find some place then."

Chad scratched the back of his neck as he thought about other options. "Wait. You could move in with my father. I am sure he would allow you to move in. You're family, and you're working for the family."

Ignazio wasn't as sure as Chad was on moving into the Dimera mansion. "I don't know if your father would go for that."

"It wouldn't help to ask," Chad started before grabbing their drinks from the barista. "Your name is Dimera, so you have every right to live there."

Ignazio reflected on what EJ and Chad said about the Dimera name. He thought about each of their journeys again and managed to turn off the guilt he was feeling for betraying Chad. He had chosen a disgraceful path. "We will see. How are things with Will?"

Chad noted the quick subject change but didn't mind talking about Will. "Things are going okay in that we are definitely committed to each other. There's nothing on the outside that can break us apart anymore." Reflecting on how Will closed off on him at lunch, he sighed and admitted, "I think Will is holding in a lot, and I want to help him through everything that happened. But my main priority is to keep him close and safe."

Ignazio gave Chad a small smile. "That is good. He needs you to do that for him, so it doesn't happen again," he claimed hoping to guide the direction of this conversation. He needed Chad's journey as a Dimera to end soon to prove to Maddalena he was capable of doing something right. "Are you still thinking you and Will should leave Salem to protect Will?"

"That's been put on hold for now unfortunately," Chad shared. He suddenly received a text message, and when he looked at it, he shook his head. "My father has called a meeting at the mansion. He probably wants to convince me to stay in Salem and with the family."

Ignazio studied Chad for a moment before asking, "You don't want anything to do with the family?"

Feeling awkward about having to answer Ignazio, Chad simply stated, "Will is my family now." After taking a deep breath, he got an idea. "After we are done here, you should come with me, so we can ask about you possibly staying at the mansion."

Ignazio gave Chad a reluctant look. "If you believe it is a possibility then I will go with you," he replied. In his thoughts, he realized this could be a blessing in disguise. If he moved into the mansion, he could retrieve vital information on Stefano and deliver it to his grandmother. Maddalena would realize her mistake for kicking him out.

* * *

><p>Down at the police department, Will walked into his grandfather's office finding Hope and Roman waiting for him. "So you wanted me to come in?" he asked naïvely even though he knew why they called him in.<p>

Hope welcomed Will with a big hug as she said, "It's really good to see you moving around and living your life. I hope you know that all of us are proud of you!"

"I concur," Roman said with a smile trying to lighten the mood for his grandson's sake. He also didn't know what else to say to his grandson because he wasn't sure how to connect with Will after his coming out. He hoped Will knew he supported him regardless. Moving on, he shared, "We want to talk to you about the night of the thirteenth – the night you were attacked on the pier."

Will quickly became uncomfortable. "I don't want to talk about it. I really don't."

Hope put her hand on Will's back and began to rub it to support him. "I know you said you don't remember anything from that night, but we want to show you a few things to see if it might jog your memory."

Roman looked through a manila folder and pulled out a sketch of the knife used on Will. Showing it to his grandson, he asked, "Does this look familiar at all?"

As soon as Will's eyes laid onto the sketch, he flashed back to the night he was attacked. He remembered sitting on the bench and being approached by men. One of them was holding the knife and managed to stab him with it. Will pulled himself out from the memory and gave his grandfather a fearful look. "I can't... I can't do this."

Hope and Roman could see the sketch had triggered something in Will. "I know that this is hard for you, Will, but we really need your help here. You could help us find Abe."

Roman pulled out another photo, but this one was a picture of Will's wounds when he was first brought into the hospital. "This is what those bastards did to you. Luckily, they left you behind. We have no idea what they've done to Abe."

Will looked at the wound and bruises on his body that were no longer there. There wasn't a scar or anything there now. He had no idea he looked so horrible and began to rub his stomach where the wound once was. Feeling guilty that Abe hadn't been found yet, he finally shared, "I only remember so much, so I am not sure if I can help."

"Just tell us what you remember, Will," Roman pleaded. "It is your responsibility to help us here. Man up, and don't be a victim."

Affected by what his grandfather said to him, Will looked at the sketch of the knife once again and remembered the face of the man who held it and stabbed him with it. He remembered feeling another sharp pain in his leg when he was attacked. He looked up at his grandpa and aunt and asked, "Was I stabbed in the leg, too?"

Hope and Roman looked at each other confused. Looking through the file to make sure she didn't miss anything, Hope replied, "No, you weren't Will. Why do you ask?"

Will shook off the thought figuring it might be a fake memory then. "I recognized the guy holding the knife, but I don't remember from where. I don't know his name or anything. Just his face."

Roman was happy with some information, but he still wanted more. "Can you remember anything about him specifically?"

"It's still very blurry, but I remember seeing him and recognizing him from before. It's weird," Will let out with a tad of frustration. Focusing on the picture of the knife again, he saw Ignazio's face. Confused, Will didn't understand why he would see Chad's cousin's face. "I promise that's all I can tell you."

Roman was disappointed that Will was clearly keeping something to himself. "Will, I need you to work with us here. You are our only hope!"

Will struggled as he tried to make sense of seeing Ignazio's face and wanted to make sure he understood why before saying anything to Roman and Hope about him. "I am trying my hardest here. You may not believe me, but this is really difficult."

Hope gave Roman a look of concern because she knew he wanted to push Will further. "Maybe we should take a break for now," she suggested.

Roman looked to his grandson and finally saw the anguish written all over his grandson's eyes. He didn't want Will to take more than he could handle and backed off. He put his hand on Will's shoulder and lowered his head to look into Will's eyes. "I'm proud of you, Will. If you remember anything else do not hesitate to call or come down to see us."

Will nodded his head as he tried to calm his breathing. "I will. Don't worry. I should go."

Hope could see Will was still unnerved by having to remember. "If you need anything, please let us know."

"I'm okay," Will said wanting to protect his pride. As he turned around to leave, a memory suddenly came to him of sitting in the Horton Town Square with Ignazio. Keeping his back to Roman and Hope, so they couldn't pull him back in, he shared, "I know where I first saw the guy who stabbed me. I was sitting with Ignazio Dimera at the square and saw the guy walking around. He seemed to be looking at Ignazio and me. That's all I can tell you for now. I will call you if anything else comes back to me." On his way out, Will received a text message.

Hope stopped Roman from following Will out deciding Will needed this break. After a moment of silence, she asked, "So where do we go from here?"

"Hopefully, my grandson will remember more and be able to give us information about how this guy looks," Roman replied. "We do know he's familiar to Will, so I guess we do have a lead in that regard. We should probably look into the possible Ignazio Dimera connection as well."

Arianna rushed in and pulled out the folded blue towel from her mother's bag. "I think I found what you're looking for. I found it in the Dimera mansion."

Roman took the towel and placed it on his desk, so he could unwrap it. "What is it?"

"It's the knife," Arianna answered as Roman finished uncovering the actual knife while making sure not to put his own hands on it. "I found it hidden in the Dimera mansion."

As Roman looked it over, Hope wanted to check on Arianna. "Did anyone see you take this?" she asked with concern.

Arianna shook her head. "No, I managed to sneak it into my mother's bag before anyone knew I took it." Recollecting on how Marco came up on her after she found it, she remembered slipping it into her mother's bag just before he asked her what she was doing. She managed to convince him she really liked pianos and then used her mother as an excuse to get out of there fast. She felt bad for leaving Marco like that. "I also have another bit of information, I should have told you before. Stefano has been tailing his children for some reason. It could be for protection, but with what I know about Stefano, he could have other reasons."

Roman looked up from the knife and exclaimed, "I think you may have a future here at the police department, Arianna. You have shown you're more than capable! We have our first real break on this case!"

* * *

><p>At Salem U, Abigail and Sonny caught up with each other and decided to head to the parking lot together before heading in different directions. "I'm so glad Monday is almost over!" Before stepping onto the parking lot, a car pulled up on the side containing Josh and T. When Josh jumped out and rushed over to Abigail, she stepped back and inquired, "Josh, what are you doing here? I thought you were leaving."<p>

Josh looked back to T's car with his luggage. "Yeah, I'm leaving. My things are packed and ready to go for Georgia." Turning back to Abigail and Sonny, he said, "Abby, I really want to talk to you alone one last time before I go."

Abigail turned to Sonny. Once Sonny gave them some space, she returned to Josh and instructed, "You can say whatever it is that you need to say." She thought about how much she wanted to be with Josh and hoped he would stay.

Josh placed his hands in his pocket and began to fiddle with the engagement ring he had used to propose to Abigail in New Zealand. He studied Abigail for a moment before saying, "I was thinking about New Zealand today as I finished packing, and I remembered how once a week you would go through your luggage to take inventory."

Abigail smiled feeling somewhat like a dork. "I couldn't help it. I didn't want to leave anything behind."

"I don't want to leave anything behind either," Josh quickly became serious. "I want you to know that you're still important to me. I know you're not ready for this, and maybe I rushed things when I proposed to you in New Zealand, but I think you will always be important to me. I will always want to wait for you."

Abigail's eyes began to water, so she looked away to avoid losing it completely. She slyly wiped her eyes with her index finger as she remembered what Chelsea said to her concerning her situation with Josh. Chelsea told her that Josh could choose to wait for her, but she also had the choice to let Josh go so he could move on. Recalling how she realized she was treating Josh in a similar way as Jack treated Jennifer, she knew she needed to break the cycle before things got worse. After a deep sigh, she finally spoke, "Josh, you will always be important to me, too, but I want you to live your life. I want you to be happy, and I don't want to stand in the way anymore."

Josh stepped back and stopped messing with the engagement ring in his pocket. "What does that mean?"

"Josh, if you hold onto this," Abigail started referring to their relationship, "you will never be happy. You're moving to Georgia to be with your family. You'll have better luck moving on there if you just forget about me."

"How could I forget about you, Abby?" Josh asked feeling hurt that this wasn't going the way he wanted. He finally removed his hand from his pocket realizing he was making the same mistake again. He began to tell himself mentally he was being selfish because he wanted to use Abigail as a way to escape his family situation. "You're right," he said looking away from her.

Abigail was surprised with Josh's quick acceptance of what she had to say. "I am?"

Josh only nodded his head before glancing back to T's car. "I've got a flight to catch. Please take care of yourself and live a good life, Abby." Even though he wanted to hug her, he decided against it and headed for T's car.

"Josh, wait!" Abigail called out to him.

Josh only turned his body slightly, so he could look at Abigail without having to look directly at her. "What?"

Abigail began to wring her fingers. "Take care of yourself, too. I hope everything works out for your dad."

"Thanks, Abby," Josh let out with a defeated nod before returning to T's car.

Sonny walked over to his cousin and put his arm around her. "Why didn't you tell Josh the truth?" he whispered.

"I did," Abigail replied. "I will always hurt him even though I do love him."

Sonny pulled Abigail closer and thought about his own situation with Dario. "I'm sorry."

Josh got back in the car and turned to T. "I guess we should head for the airport now."

T drove off and noted aloud, "You don't look as hopeful as you did before you talked to Abigail."

Josh looked out the window and saw Abigail and Sonny walking through the parking lot. He turned his head forward deciding he needed to look forward from this point on. "Yeah. I need to just focus on what's ahead of me now. I tried so hard to do what I wanted to accomplish while fighting off what my parents wanted me to do with my life. As an only child they had my life planned out before I was even born. I tried to do what I wanted and almost succeeded, but my family needs me. What kind of son would I be if I didn't go to them and help? That's all I can think about now. I feel bad for disowning them the way I did, but I am going to make it up to them now."

"I guess I can relate in some ways," T mentioned. "It's the opposite for me though. My parents disowned me."

Josh turned to T hoping to help his friend one last time before he left Salem. "I know things look shitty for you, T. I think what you need to do is find a way to make something of yourself without your parents and their money. They might realize their mistake at some point, but right now you don't need them. You're a smart guy, and I know you'll land on your feet one way or another."

T thought about what Josh had to say. "Thanks Josh. I hope I do." As T focused on driving to the airport, Josh looked out the window again. This would be the last time he saw Salem and wanted to take it all in.

* * *

><p>Stefano watched from his chair as everyone arrived for the family meeting he scheduled. When he spotted Ignazio walk in with Chad and Will, he wasn't exactly pleased. Once everyone greeted each other, he pulled himself up from his chair and got their attention. "I don't want to waste your time, so I will make this as short as possible. This family is very important to me, and I love each of you dearly. I will always want what is best for you, but that does not mean I will purposely do something that will hurt you. I know I have made mistakes in the past, but please be aware I have grown in wisdom as I have aged. You are my legacy and there's no way I will take any chance to ruin any one of you in any shape or form. Our family is falling apart, and I hope we can repair what has been damaged. We stick together no matter what happens or comes our way. We must brace ourselves."<p>

Lexie stepped up from the corner and asked, "Is that all you wanted to say?"

Stefano tried his best to remain patient and calm with his daughter. "Yes. Alexandra, do you have anything you would like to say in response?"

Kate rolled her eyes and warned, "Don't give her the opportunity please."

"I have nothing to say in response," Lexie said ignoring Kate's rude comment. "I won't waste any of your time by repeating the things I have already said to you father. We all know the truth comes out eventually. Goodnight to everyone."

Everyone watched as Lexie left. Ignazio thought about what Lexie said about the truth and turned to Chad and Will, who were holding hands. He thought about the things he did to them, and wondered if they would ever know what he did to them. Catching Will's gaze, he noted Will looked at him differently. He wondered what that was about.

EJ walked over to his father and blew out some air. "I am sure Lexie will come around eventually."

Stefano nodded his head and claimed, "It is out of my hands now. There is nothing I can say or do to convince her."

Chad glanced over to Will unsure of what to think of his father's speech. "I know Lexie still thinks he's responsible, but I am not sure anymore. Why would he do this?"

"Anything is possible," Sami retained having overheard Chad. She couldn't dismiss the idea that Stefano could be guilty because of the things he did in the past and how he still seemed to manipulate everyone around him. Moving closer to Chad, Will, and Ignazio, she shared, "Chad, if you really want to be your own man and be with my son, I suggest you get from under Stefano's hold like EJ did. Stefano doesn't need a reason to do anything."

Lucas joined them shaking his head. "I've known Stefano for a long time. I've known the Dimera family for a long time. They're all selfish. They all lie and cheat."

Will gave his parents an annoyed look. "Can you guys please stop? Chad can make his own decisions and has shown he is more than capable. I can do the same!" Pushing Chad and Ignazio towards Stefano, Will shook his head at his parents as he walked off.

EJ made his way over to Sami and Lucas and asked, "What just happened?"

As Sami crossed her arms, Lucas smirked at EJ and said, "It's none of your concern."

As the guys headed to Stefano to talk about Ignazio needing a place to stay, Kate pulled Will from Chad and Ignazio to check in with him after seeing him tell off Sami and Lucas. "I know from experience that my son and Sami can be really hard to get through on certain things. I know they are on your side, but I want you to know I am on your side no matter what."

Will sighed in relief. "I appreciate your support. Everyone keeps looking at me like I'm some fragile person who can't do anything. I know Chad messed up, but that's not important to me. I want to move on from it all."

Kate gave her grandson a warm smile. "I know where you're coming from. I've had a rough past that I have had to fight through. I had to forget what everyone else was saying, patch things up personally, and move forward in life to become a stronger person. I know you're more than capable of doing the same."

"I hope so," Will replied thinking about his grandmother's life. He knew she seemed like a strong person who could face anything, but he also noted how she seemed to put up walls to protect herself. He questioned if he should continue to do the same. His grandmother Marlena had always taught him about boundaries. Boundaries were healthy.

Chad and Ignazio approached Stefano cautiously. Even though he had no plans of being a part of the family business anymore, he needed to put that away so he could help Ignazio. "Father, Ignazio and I need to ask you something."

Stefano nodded his head to his youngest son and great-nephew questioning if Chad had changed his mind on being a part of the family again. He also wondered if Chad decided to bring Ignazio along or if Ignazio convinced Chad to have him over. "What can I do for you two?"

Ignazio decided to take charge of the conversation since he was the one with the problem. "Prozio, I am currently in the process of finding my own place to live. If it is not an inconvenience to you, I would like to stay here in the mansion during this transition."

"He's family and we stick together," Chad added hoping his father would remember what he said about family just moments ago.

Stefano knew he needed to provide Ignazio what he needed to make Chad see that he still cared, but he wanted to do it on his own terms. "I can do even better. The guesthouse will be free soon, and you can move into it after the Hernandez family moves out. That won't be for some time, so when it is available, it is yours."

Chad patted Ignazio on the side feeling good about helping. "I told you he would agree," he shared wondering if there would be ramifications for asking his father for help. Turning to his father, he stated, "We should go now. I need to take Will home."

Stefano nodded his head and allowed Chad some distance. Ignazio stopped Chad before they interrupted Will and Kate's conversation. "So I now have a place to live when the guesthouse has opened, but I do not have a place to stay for the time being. I would rather not return to my nonna's mansion after what she did."

Chad scratched the back of his neck for a moment before suggesting, "Well, we can figure something at my place for the night. I've got your back, Ignazio. There's no way I'm going to let you stay out in the cold."

Ignazio patted Chad on the back and took a deep breath because this was getting more difficult. "Thank you, Chad."

Chad smiled as he wondered what exactly happened between Ignazio and Maddalena. Turning back to Will, he questioned how things went for him at the police station. Will didn't seem to want to talk about it on their way to the mansion.

* * *

><p>Back in Isobel's room, Dario walked in with his guitar in his hand. He saw his mother's eyes light up some when she saw him, and he hoped she would be open to what he had to share with her. "Mama, I want to play something for you. It's something that's from the heart."<p>

Isobel smiled through a cough. She felt safe. "I want to hear it, mijo."

Dario stretched his arms down for a moment to ease his nerves. He pulled his guitar up and got ready to play, but before he did, he needed to say one last thing. "I know you don't understand it, but you need to know I am tired of the lies. I am tired of the secrets. You need to know I have tried my best to be the good man you raised me to be, but I cannot be a good man if I live with lies or secrets in my heart. No one can." He swallowed hard as he shared the next part, "I love Sonny Kiriakis, and he is who I want to spend the rest of my days with. He is mine, and I am his."

Dario didn't bother looking at his mother long enough to see her reaction because he began to play his guitar and sing Scars by Allison Iraheta:

_Did I say something stupid?_  
><em>There goes one more mistake.<em>  
><em>Do I bore you with my problems?<em>  
><em>Is that why you turn away?<em>  
><em>Do you know how hard I've tried<em>  
><em>To become what you want me to be?<em>

_Take me – this is all that I've got_  
><em>This is all that I'm not – all that I'll ever be<em>  
><em>I've got flaws; I've got faults.<em>  
><em>Keep searching for your perfect heart.<em>  
><em>It doesn't matter who you are.<em>  
><em>We all have our scars.<em>  
><em>We all have our scars.<em>

_You say don't act like a child,_  
><em>But what if it's a father I need?<em>  
><em>It's not like you don't know<em>  
><em>What you got yourself into.<em>  
><em>Don't tell me I'm the one who's naïve.<em>  
><em>Do you know how hard I've tried<em>  
><em>To become what you want me to be?<em>

_Take me – this is all that I've got_  
><em>This is all that I'm not – all that I'll ever be<em>  
><em>I've got flaws; I've got faults.<em>  
><em>Keep searching for your perfect heart.<em>  
><em>It doesn't matter who you are.<em>  
><em>We all have our scars.<em>  
><em>We all have our scars.<em>

_Come on, just let it go._  
><em>These are things you can't control.<em>  
><em>Your expectations – your explanations –<em>  
><em>Don't make sense to me.<em>  
><em>You and your alternatives –<em>  
><em>Don't send me to your therapist.<em>  
><em>Deep down I know what you mean,<em>  
><em>And I'm not sure that's what I wanna be.<em>  
><em>Oh oh, oh oh oh, no oh.<em>

_Take me – this is all that I've got_  
><em>This is all that I'm not – all that I'll ever be<em>  
><em>I've got flaws; I've got faults.<em>  
><em>Keep searching for your perfect heart.<em>  
><em>It doesn't matter who you are.<em>  
><em>We all have our scars.<em>  
><em>We all have our scars.<em>  
><em>Oh oh, oh oh, no no no, oh oh, ooh oh oh<em>

_Did I say something stupid?_  
><em>There goes one more mistake.<em>

After Dario finished, he opened his eyes and finally looked to his mother. Isobel remained silent and immediately turned her head away in shame. Seeing the gesture as his mother dismissing him, Dario dropped the guitar to his side, hung his head, and walked out of the room leaving his mother in tears of sorrow, anger, and uncertainty.


	66. Chapter 66 Can't Take It

**Chapter 66: Can't Take It – Tuesday, January 24th, 2012**

The next morning, Chad, Will, Sonny, and Ignazio all sat around the dining room table eating breakfast. Everyone had some truth they wanted to avoid, and even though they enjoyed each other's company, spending time with each other made that task difficult. Chad turned to Ignazio and leaned in on him somewhat asking, "How did you sleep on the couch?"

Ignazio chewed his food as he nodded his head. He couldn't help but notice how comfortable he and Chad were with each other. "I slept well. I guess it is good T never arrived last night."

Will had his phone close, so he could keep checking it. When he realized T never made it back the night before, he called and sent T several text messages but never heard back. He didn't know what else to do. "I am really worried about him. He's been weird and distant," he vaguely shared knowing T wouldn't want him to tell the others that he had been kicked out of school.

"I saw him yesterday on campus. He was taking Josh to the airport," Sonny informed Will. He replayed the whole scene between Josh and Abigail in his mind and remembered the sacrifice his cousin made to make sure she did not get in the way of Josh's happiness.

Chad stopped eating and gave Sonny a confused look. "Why was he taking Josh to the airport?"

Sonny snapped out of his thoughts and began to play with his eggs as he answered, "Josh moved to Georgia last night. Abigail told me he left for some family emergency."

Chad couldn't believe Josh was gone and wondered how Abigail was dealing with it. "Is he coming back?"

Sonny shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat. He hated what Abigail was going through and couldn't move past what she said to him as they watched T and Josh drive off on campus. Love truly was complicated.

Will felt a tension come over him hearing about how Abigail lost Josh. He looked over to Chad who seemed affected by it as well. His insecurities couldn't take the depressing conversation any longer, so he looked over to Ignazio and suggested, "You may be able to stay at my great-grandmother's pub for a short time before you move into the guesthouse at the Dimera mansion. Chelsea or I could put in a good word for you."

"Thanks Will. I would greatly appreciate your help," Ignazio let out before taking a huge drink of orange juice. His guilt for what he did to Will took over once again. He thought he felt a shift in his interactions with Will the day before, but he questioned if he only felt the difference because of his guilt. Will still wanted to help him while his grandmother turned her back on him. What did this mean?

Chad took Will's hand from under the table. "You never told me how things went at the police station yesterday. Did you finally open up about what happened that night on the pier?"

Will's body tensed up thinking about what happened the day before at the station. Looking away from everyone, he said, "I would rather not talk about it."

Sonny eyed Chad and Will and replied, "Why not? Chad and I are worried about you. Don't you remember how you kept on with me about what happened with Dario and Kai until I finally talked to you? Will, you need to talk about this."

Chad could see how uncomfortable Will was and put his arm on Will's shoulder to help him relax. "Will, we don't have to talk about this now if you don't want to. It's okay," he gave in.

Will took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, I don't need to talk about it. Everything is fine – believe me."

Ignazio looked at everyone in the room and found it strangely endearing how each one seemed to care for the other. It was as if they were their own family unit. Noticing how affected Will seemed from his attack by his body language alone, Ignazio felt even worse. "I'm sorry, Will," he let out without thinking. He quickly realized he had slipped and swiftly added, "It's horrible you had to go through that."

"I'll be okay," Will maintained with as little affect as he could. He tried to focus on his breakfast, so he could relax again, but his thoughts remained on the night of his attack. Everything was a nightmare for him that night.

Everyone turned towards the living room, when they heard the front door open and close in haste. T appeared in the living room and made his way into the dining room and kitchen. "Hey," he said casually as Will stood up from the table.

"Where have you been?" Will asked with understandable concern.

T remained casual about everything. "I had some thinking to do last night. I watched the airplanes fly out all night and accidentally fell asleep in my car," he said simply before adding, "I can't stay long. I need to shower and head right back out."

Everyone watched as T headed out of the room for the bathroom. Once he heard the bathroom door close, Sonny turned to Will and asked, "Is he okay?"

"I'm sure he's fine," Will said wanting to respect T's privacy. He didn't want to be a hypocrite in allowing others to focus on T's problems when he wanted everyone to leave him alone about his. "Everyone has a reason to do what they do. We should just let them do it."

Chad remained focused on Will. Getting flashes of his nightmare where he found Will in the Dimera mansion basement, he worried that Will would always keep him at bay for the mistakes he made. He wanted to trust what Will wanted, but he knew by now things like this never made things easier. He questioned if he had broken Will.

Will could see Chad's thoughts just by looking in his eyes. Patting Chad on the leg, he whispered with more emotion, "We're okay, Chad. You don't have to worry about anything."

Chad took a breath and allowed Will's words put him at ease.

* * *

><p>EJ sat in the living room reading the Salem Spectator when Stefano entered the room. Folding the paper, he stood up from the couch and placed it on the table. "Father, I hoped I would see you before I headed to the office this morning."<p>

"What do you need?" Stefano asked as he poured himself a glass of water so he could take his medication.

EJ walked over and poured himself a glass of water as well. "I keep thinking about the family meeting last night. There's something you said in your little speech that has stuck with me. You mentioned we needed to stick together through anything that was coming, and then you warned we should brace ourselves. Is something afoot?"

Stefano took his medication before giving EJ his full attention. Placing his glass of water on the mini bar, he said, "I am not certain, but I wanted to prepare the family in case something does occur."

EJ grew in concern as he noted, "I feel as though I don't know what's going on in this family anymore. You have been distant since I became mayor. What secrets are you keeping?"

Stefano raised his eyebrows as he pointed out, "You have become distant as well, my son."

EJ knew this was true as well. "Yes, I am feeling somewhat conflicted at the moment on my role now." he admitted. "Johnny seems to perceive me differently now that I am mayor, and I don't want to let him down. I melted the moment I held Johnny for the first time. Things are different, and I have changed. I want what is best for my son and daughter."

"That's understandable," Stefano placated EJ. He was glad he distracted EJ from demanding more answers from him. "No one ever wants to let down their children. Do what you must do, and I will do what I need. You choose your own journey at this point remember? That's what you told me when you decided you wanted to be with Samantha. There are no more vendettas to follow through on."

Sami walked into the room and greeted EJ with a kiss. She noted EJ seemed distracted and moved his head to catch his gaze. "Are you hear with me?" she asked softly.

"Yes," EJ answered regaining his focus.

Ignoring Stefano, Sami shared, "I have a few errands to run, and then I am taking Johnny and Sydney to the pub to meet up with Lucas and Allie. I want to make sure the kids feel connected and safe."

EJ gave Sami another kiss. "I wish I could join you at the pub."

Sami grabbed EJ's hand and gave him a smile. "I know you have a full day, so I understand."

EJ looked deep into Sami's blue eyes and cautioned, "Please be careful."

Not thinking much of EJ's caution, Sami continued to smile while giving him a wink. "I'll try my hardest. You know I don't like to play anything safe."

Out in the foyer, Marco pulled out his phone to send a text to Azzura. He typed: "Are you available to meet? There are some things I would like to explore with you." After sending it, he looked into the living room and watched as Stefano talked to Sami and EJ. He looked back to his phone when he received a response. Azzura told him she was busy. He quickly responded with: "You seem to be done with me now."

Sami walked out into the foyer to head upstairs for the kids. When she saw Marco, she walked over and requested, "Please keep my husband safe today."

After tilting his head to Sami, he headed into the living room. He gave his phone one more gander before putting it up. It seemed Azzura had no interest in responding. "Mr. Dimera," Marco directed to EJ. "I am now certain Azzura was only interested in me for other reasons. You and Sami may have been right."

"We will have to keep a closer watch on Azzura then," EJ instructed as he thought about what Stefano said earlier.

Oblivious to what EJ and Marco were discussing, Stefano grabbed the Salem Spectator from the coffee table and headed for the dining room. "I have things to do, so I will let you two finish your conversation."

"Father," EJ called out. After Stefano stopped leaving, he continued, "How do you plan to repair the family and keep us closer if you're distancing yourself?"

Stefano shook his head because he thought he had avoided EJ's questions for the time being. "As I said, I have thinks that require my attention. I will discuss this with you at another time." Turning to Marco, he said, "I have another package for you to deliver. Meet me in my private office after you're done with my son."

Marco nodded his head and watched as Stefano walked out. Turning to EJ, he asked, "Are we done here?"

"For now," EJ answered still questioning what Stefano was keeping from him. He wondered what was coming their way.

* * *

><p>In her bedroom, Abigail went through her drawers looking for a shirt to wear for school. As she rummaged through her drawers, she found the gift she had planned on giving Josh at the cabin. She fell onto her bed as she held it in her hands. Throwing the gift across the room, she dropped her hands into her lap and shook her head. She felt like a fool for the way she treated Josh and for letting him go. She reflected on how her father must have felt every time he walked out on the family and then returned. She wondered if he felt the same way she did now.<p>

Jennifer walked out of the kitchen with a bottle of water for JJ. "I put money for lunch in the side pocket of your backpack. I think you have everything you need for school."

As JJ pulled the money out of his bag, Abigail walked down the stairs dressed and ready for school. She still had Josh on the brain, and it was written all over her face. "Do we have any fruit for breakfast?"

After handing JJ the water bottle in her hand, Jennifer put her things in her purse as she answered, "Yes. There are bananas, oranges, grapefruits, blueberries, kiwis, and apples in the kitchen. I just stocked up yesterday." Finally looking up, she noticed a sadness in Abigail's eyes. "Abigail, are you okay? You don't look happy to be awake right now."

Abigail's eyes began to get teary as she whimpered, "I am trying to get through the day now that Josh has moved away."

Jennifer's heart sank for her daughter. She let go of her purse to give Abigail a hug. "I'm so sorry, sweetie."

Even though he warned Josh to stay away from his sister, JJ felt bad for Abigail and didn't like seeing her so miserable. He wanted to say something to cheer her up, but his warning to Josh kept him from doing so. When the doorbell rang, he rushed to the door to allow Jen and his sister to have a moment. "I've got it."

Daniel stood on the other side. "Morning."

JJ became excited when he saw Daniel. "Hey, Daniel. I think mom is almost ready, so we can go."

Daniel looked to Jennifer and noted the worried look on her face as she separated from Abigail. "Everything okay?"

Jennifer nodded her head as Abigail headed into the kitchen. "Let me just get the rest of my stuff from my desk."

JJ and Daniel began to goof around while Jennifer grabbed a few files from the desk. They stopped when the doorbell rang again. This time it was Jack. "Hey, dad! Come in!" JJ exclaimed.

Daniel nodded his head to Jack as he entered. He noted JJ seemed different towards him because when he tried to continue their conversation, JJ ignored him. JJ was all about Jack now and was clearly stonewalling Daniel.

Jack took note that something must have shifted in his son because of how things suddenly seemed awkward. "Where's your mother?" he asked his son.

Jennifer walked over with her things and was surprised to see Jack. "Jack, what are you doing here?" She hoped Jack wasn't there to continue their conversation when they were at the news station.

Jack took in Jennifer for a moment before explaining, "I wanted to offer JJ a ride to school."

Without thinking, JJ shared, "But I'm supposed to ride with mom and Daniel."

"Oh," Jack said noting how JJ seemed to really want to ride with Daniel.

"I would rather ride with you though," JJ covered. He didn't want to upset his dad, so he turned to his mom and asked, "Is that okay mom?"

Jennifer smiled and agreed. "You don't have to ask me. You can go with your dad if you want."

"Thanks," Jack said as he led JJ outside.

After Jack and JJ were gone, Daniel asked Jen if she was ready. Jen nodded her head when Abigail walked out from the kitchen eating some blueberries. Adjusting her purse over her shoulder, she asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

"I have to be," Abigail answered before heading out the door.

Stretching out his hand to Jennifer so she would grab his hand, Daniel pulled her close when she did. "You told me you needed to talk to me. I saw we talk during our lunch break."

Jennifer thought about what she needed to tell Daniel and grew nervous. "Sure. That works."

* * *

><p>Lucas greeted Kate, who brought some breakfast for him and Allie, and closed the door behind her. "Allie and I weren't expecting you."<p>

"I brought a late breakfast," Kate shared while looking the room over. "Do you request the same room every time you visit?"

Lucas looked into the bathroom where Allie was brushing her teeth. Placing his hands in his pockets, he eyed the breakfast before giving his mother an annoyed look. "Why don't you tell me why you're really here? What's going on?"

Kate took the hint that Lucas didn't want the breakfast. She placed it on the table in the corner and wiped her hands together. "Okay. I want to know what you're going to do about Chad and Will."

Lucas tilted his head trying to read his mother. He couldn't tell if she wanted Chad and Will to break up as well. "I am hoping I can help Will see any involvement with Chad is a huge mistake. His heart will continue to be broken if he stays with Chad. Do you have plans for Chad and Will?"

Kate placed her hands on her hips while biting her lip. She wondered how she should approach her son on his plans for Will and Chad. "Lucas, I think you should consider what Will wants in this situation. You should back down and leave things alone."

Lucas immediately dismissed his mother as he shook his head. "That's rich coming from you. You are the queen of not leaving things alone." Moving his hands to his hips, he shared, "Allie and I are meeting Sami and the other kids at the pub later."

Kate didn't like Lucas spending so much time with Sami. "Everything is fine here, Lucas. I think you should head back to Hong Kong and get back to work – and Sophie."

Allie walked out of the bathroom and announced she was finished as Lucas continued to give Kate an annoyed look. She rushed over to Kate and gave her a hug. "Hi, grandma."

Kate smiled at Allie and grabbed the breakfast on the table. "Are you two going to the pub now or do you have some time for some shopping?"

Allie turned to Lucas. "Can we go shopping, daddy?"

"That's my granddaughter," Kate said with a smile.

Lucas grabbed his keys and coat. "We can go shopping," he decided. He grabbed Allie's coat and helped her put it on.

Downstairs, Nicole, who had just picked up a cup of green tea from across the street, grabbed the Salem Spectator to catch up more on the happenings in Salem. "It is definitely too early for me to be awake right now, but I have a lot to do today," she told herself. She began to read the front-page story as she made her way to the elevator to head back to her room. When the elevator opened, she dropped the newspaper from the front of her face and scowled. "Oh great."

Once Nicole dropped the paper to her side, Kate rolled her eyes as she exited the elevator with Lucas and Allie. "Lucas, I think you might want to call the manager and let him know this place is infested."

Nicole smirked at Kate and Lucas and commented, "Well. Some things never change. Even though one of you lives out of the country 'supposedly', you're still attached at the hip."

Looking around, Lucas asked Nicole, "So where is he?"

Nicole looked around confused. "Who?"

Lucas stopped gazing around the room and looked directly at Nicole. "Your latest victim. Where is the poor guy you've managed to scam into giving you his money while you give him STDs in return? You obviously can't be here alone."

Nicole cringed inside, but she did not let it show on her face. Giving Lucas a smirk, she asked, "Where is Allie's father?"

Believing Nicole was hinting to EJ, Lucas took her bait and became aggravated. "I am standing right here."

Nicole placed the newspaper under her arm as she explained, "I'm talking about her other father – your lover or whatever. They're more welcoming of that lifestyle where you're at now, right? We all know your mom paid me all those years ago to be your beard."

Before Lucas and Kate could respond, Allie pulled on Lucas's arm and asked, "Dad, what's she talking about and what is an STD?"

Lucas looked down to his daughter and realized he had forgotten she was with him. "We're going shopping now, so let's go," he replied. Lucas pulled Allie away as he glared at Nicole.

Kate remained for a moment to talk to Nicole alone. "I don't know what you think you're doing. You know I paid you to keep Will away from Sami when I asked you to marry Lucas."

Nicole wanted to be left alone but decided she had time for one more zinger. "We all know how that ended. Will is in a gay relationship with a Dimera. Lucas must hate himself!"

Kate scoffed and warned, "You better watch yourself."

Nicole watched as Kate left and turned around to push the elevator button. As she waited, she wondered if she could survive Salem without her brother. Looking at the time, she figured she should get ready so she could head to Lexie's house to talk to her and Celeste about Abe.

* * *

><p>As Mrs. Knope, the Pre-Medical Professional Physics II professor, ended class, Kai traded a glance with Sonny from across the room. It was a bit awkward because they hadn't really talked since Kai's drunk confession outside of the Cheatin' Heart. The class disbursed into the hall once the teacher dismissed everyone. Catching up with Sonny to talk about what happened that night, Kai gave Sonny a nervous look. "Hey, Sonny. I know we want to avoid each other, but there's something I want to clear up with you."<p>

Sonny decided not to make this harder for Kai than it already was. "Okay."

Kai thought about how he kissed Sonny and came on to him in a drunken stupor. "First, I'm sorry for coming into your mom's bar drunk. I know that if I had been caught there, she could have gotten in a lot of trouble. I am also sorry you had to take care of the mess I was that night. You put up with a lot of things – a lot. I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Yeah," Sonny agreed. He didn't know what else to say.

Kai let that sink in for a bit before continuing, "Yeah, my parents know about me, and I thought it was the end of the world, but it's not. I'm staying put, and it's thanks to your great-uncle and cousin, Brady."

Sonny remembered how messed up Kai was about his parents finding out. He wondered if their reaction was as bad as Kai anticipated beforehand. "So have you talked to your parents about staying?"

Kai nodded his head. "I did. They're furious and have threatened to cut ties with me, but I can't go back to Canada. I can't go back there and stop living. I need to be here for now. Maybe things will change in the future."

"Maybe they will," Sonny started. "I hope they do change for you and your parents' sakes. Nothing should ever get in the way of family."

Kai physically agreed with his head because he didn't know what else to say to Sonny. "Thanks for letting me clear that up. I guess that's all I wanted to say. Take care, Sonny."

"You, too, Kai," Sonny replied before turning around to head out. Walking down the hall, Sonny thought about how so much had happened between him and Kai. He was glad that they had reached a point where they could be civil towards each other. Suddenly, someone pulled Sonny into a different hall. "Whoa."

"Sonny. Sorry," Dario let out. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Sonny looked Dario over and noted his appearance. "Dario, you look like you haven't slept in days. What's going on with you?"

Dario's voice was filled with desperation. "Sonny, can we go away somewhere – anywhere. I don't care."

Sonny couldn't respond at first because he thought about school. Even though he wanted to help Dario, he couldn't afford getting behind in any of his classes. "Can you wait until the weekend? We can go somewhere then."

Dario grabbed Sonny's hand and held it close to his chest. "I can try. I just need you so much right now."

Sonny gave Dario a concerned look because he didn't like the tone he heard in Dario's voice. He could feel himself empathizing with Dario even though he had no idea why Dario was so distraught. "Dario, what happened? Why are you upset like this?"

Dario continued to hold Sonny's hand close as he thought about his song dedication to his mother. He still felt sick to his stomach about it all. "She... I... I should go. I can't do this here," he said before letting Sonny's hand go to leave.

Sonny tried to grab him to stop leaving, but Dario rushed out. "Dario..." Scratching the side of his head, he started to berate himself internally for putting some distance between him and Dario. He hoped Dario would be okay and would return if he needed him.

Will walked up with Brett. "Did I just see Dario?"

Sonny nodded his head with concern in his eyes. "Yeah. I'm not sure exactly why though."

Brett saw Kai talking to a professor down the other hall. "I'm supposed to catch up with Kai for lunch. I'll see you guys later."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess," Will told Brett. After Brett was gone, Will put his hand on Sonny's shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

Sonny looked out in space as he rubbed under his bottom lip with his thumb. "Dario has been through so much, and I think his being alone is really hurting him. I think it's all catching up to him, and he doesn't know what to do anymore. I don't know what to do anymore."

Will felt the sadness of the world even more. He didn't understand the misery that seemed to surround him and his friends. "Maybe that's why Dario was here. Dario was reaching out."

"Are you guys talking about my brother?" Gabi asked as she walked by. "Have you guys seen him? He never came home last night."

Seeing Gabi caused Sonny to remember the argument they had at Melanie and Nathan's meeting. Even though his parents had helped him think things through afterwards, he still didn't want to talk to her. At the same time, he didn't want to stand in the way of Dario and his family even if he questioned what Gabi might do if she found Dario. "I just saw him. He headed in that direction."

Gabi looked in the direction Sonny pointed. She wondered if she should check on her brother, but decided against it when she remembered her decision to stay out of everyone's life because she only seemed to make things worse. "Dario and I aren't really talking anymore, so I'll just leave him be. He can live his life how he wants. Too many sacrifices have been made for the sake and sanity of our family, and now that has left me with nothing."

Will gave Gabi a curious and worried look. It was weird for him that he hadn't seen her in so long when she had started coming over more recently to bring him food. "Gabi, is everything okay?"

"That question doesn't really matter anymore," Gabi answered. "I am done with it all, and I will live my life however I want now. People will talk about you and accuse you of things, and you just have to wake up and realize they have no real say in who you are."

Will grabbed the back of his neck feeling somewhat uneasy with what Gabi was saying. "Gabi, it is important to me."

Ignoring what Will just said while looking away as if she were in a daze, Gabi continued, "You of all people should know what I'm talking about. Those rumors spread around campus saying you were a prostitute, Will. It was kind of like how Kinsey spread that rumor about me being a slut for sleeping with T to gain experience to satisfy you." Shaking her head, she remembered that was the same day she caught Will and Sonny together on the pier. "That's all in the past, and I assumed the worst of everyone that day – T included. I guess I didn't feel safe anymore at that point because nothing seemed stable. Everything I thought was true came crashing down around me, but that was just the beginning of the end for me. What's worse is I really miss him." Gabi stopped herself from saying anymore as discomfort came over her.

Will stepped forward and asked Gabi, "You miss who? T?"

Gabi ignored Will again and eyed Sonny for a moment before saying, "Sorry to just ramble on. I clearly lost myself for a moment. I forgot it doesn't matter how I am." She walked off realizing she had allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of someone she didn't trust and needed to forget about.

Sonny and Will traded a glance. "That was weird," Sonny said first.

"I think something big has happened for that family, and I think it may have to do with Isobel," Will suggested before his phone beeped. Will pulled out his cell and saw Hope had sent him a message asking him to come back to the station.

Sonny noticed Will seemed annoyed by the text message. "What is it?"

"My aunt wants me to come to the police station today," Will answered. "I am so over this. I want to move on with my life."

Sonny noted how Will still didn't want to talk about his attack, and that concerned him. He decided to tread lightly. "Maybe they have more information. One way you can move on with your life is by solving what happened to you that night."

Putting his phone into his pocket, Will shook his head. "I doubt that. The only reason I am talking about what happened to the cops is because I want to help Abe, Lexie, and Theo. If they weren't involved in this and I only had myself to think about, I wouldn't talk to anyone about it."

"Why not?" Sonny asked confused.

Will continued to shake his head. "Because it would unleash something in me that I don't ever want to let go. Can we just drop this now?"

Sonny grew a tad frustrated with Will and argued, "Will, you are being a hypocrite here. I reminded you this morning how you pushed me to talk about my problems, so I could move forward. You were trying to help me just now with Dario. Why can't I help you? This isn't fair – to you or anyone who cares about you and wants to help you."

Will's body tensed and couldn't take it anymore. "Just drop this, Sonny, or fuck off!"

Sonny watched as Will walked off. His concern for his friend only grew because he had never seen Will like this before.

* * *

><p>"So when are you going to find a new job in Salem, Chelsea?" Caroline asked taking a seat at the bar in the Brady Pub.<p>

Chelsea wiped down the bar and answered, "I don't really want to think about it."

Caroline crossed her arms onto the bar to lean forward. "Are you just going to stay here at the pub then? I am doing much better now, so you might get bored here."

Chelsea continued to wipe down the bar choosing to ignore her grandmother. She wanted to avoid thinking about her future in Salem, especially since Billie and Max were coming for a visit after getting engaged.

Sami and Lucas walked in with the kids and when the kids spotted Caroline they immediately made their way to their great-grandmother. Caroline got down from the stool and gave them all a hug. "It's so good to see you kiddos. That includes you, Sami."

Sami smiled at her grandmother as she rummaged through the kids' bag to pull out three coloring books and some crayons. Placing them on the table, she instructed, "Okay, kids. You can color. I also brought some toys if you want to play with them together."

After the kids began to color, Caroline smiled at Lucas and Sami. "I'll get your usual on the burner."

After Caroline headed into the back, Lucas and Sami crowded Chelsea. "Hey, Chelsea. Do you have time to talk?"

Chelsea stopped what she was doing and gave Lucas and Sami an apprehensive look. "Sure. What do you need?"

Sami put her purse and the kids' toy bag on the bar as she settled in. "You really helped me a lot with Johnny, and he's now doing better. I wonder if you could help us with Will now."

Chelsea felt uneasy about helping Sami and Lucas because of what she did to Dario. She didn't want to put herself in another situation where she hurt someone for treating them like a client. "I'm not sure how I can help you two with Will."

"You're a therapist or a psychiatrist or whatever," Lucas tried to point out. "What do you think Will should do after experiencing what happened to him on the pier?"

Chelsea still felt uncomfortable and Sami sensed it. "Lucas and I are worried because Will refuses to talk about what happened on the pier. We think he may be trying to hold it all in."

Trying to remain as neutral as possible, she stated, "Have you talked to him about therapy? I think therapy is beneficial for everyone, so it wouldn't hurt."

"Do you think you can talk to him about that?" Lucas asked with his eyes slightly closed. "Will really isn't listening to a word we're saying."

"If you're asking me if I can be Will's therapist, then I cannot do that," Chelsea quickly quipped to clarify that she would never do such a thing. "I can talk to him about finding a therapist if that's what he wants to do, but I would prefer if he came to me and asked for a referral."

Sami was not satisfied with Chelsea's answer. "He's never going to seek you out to talk about therapy. There has to be something we can do to give him a push."

"Maybe we can convince Chad it's the best option," Lucas suggested. "He can be the bad guy again, and then Will can push him away more. Two birds, one stone."

Sami rolled her eyes at Lucas as Azzura walked into the pub. She then spotted Azzura, who made her way to the kids. "Azzura, I completely forgot you wanted to meet for lunch here."

"Should I leave?" Azzura asked even though she had every intention of staying. "Your kids become more beautiful by the day."

Sami knew she had to keep Azzura close to find out more about her. "No, I told you we would do this, so I'm not going to cancel on you. Besides, the kids have been asking about you."

Azzura played with Allie's hair. "I love spending time with you and the family," she shared with excitement in her voice.

Lucas didn't particularly like how Azzura was spending so much time with the kids because he only knew her as a Dimera employee. Even so, he mentioned, "Allie talks about you all the time. You must be really good with kids."

"I want to have lots of kids one day," Azzura professed.

Caroline walked out from the back with a tray of food. Placing it on the bar, she turned to Chelsea first. "Will you please make sure everything is fully stocked behind the bar?" She then turned to Sami and Lucas, "I'm stronger now, but I can only take this tray so far. Is it okay if you take the food to the table you want?"

Sami and Lucas agreed and began to pass plates to the kids with Azzura's help. Caroline headed back again as Chelsea started to look through the bar to make sure everything was stocked up. Ignazio walked in and gave Azzura an annoyed look as he walked past her. At the bar, he lightly tapped it to get Chelsea's attention. "Chelsea, sorry to bother you."

Chelsea pulled herself up and leaned on the bar. Giving Ignazio a smile, she replied, "No apology necessary. I could use an escape from the mundane."

Ignazio really enjoyed talking to Chelsea and almost forgot why he came to the pub in the first place. "I am currently searching for a place to stay for a short time, and Will informed me that I could possibly stay here. He claimed he already phoned his bisnonna."

Chelsea knew there were empty rooms upstairs and questioned if they would live up to what Ignazio was most likely used to since he was a Dimera. "Well, we could go back and ask my grandma if you can stay here. Do you know for how long?"

"I am not exactly sure," Ignazio started. "I am waiting for a more permanent place to open up, and then I will be out."

Without thinking Chelsea grabbed Ignazio's hand. "Well, we should head back and talk to her then." Looking down, she realized what she had done and quickly removed her hand from Ignazio's. Giving him a nervous smile, she led him to the back.

Johnny stopped eating his food, got off the chair, and rushed to Sami's side. "Mom, do you have my Tonka truck? I want to play with it while I eat my food."

Sami gave Johnny a weird look but decided not to question his decision to eat with his truck because he had asked for it a lot recently. She picked up the toy bag and searched through it, but she didn't see the toy truck anywhere. "I know I packed it. It must have fallen out in the car. How about I get it after we're done eating?"

Johnny gave his mother a fearful look. "What if someone steals it? What if it drives away?"

Sami gave Azzura and Lucas an uneasy look before turning her attention back to her youngest son. She remembered his therapist had talked to her about how he kept talking about things or people running away from him. "Johnny, I'll go get it. Don't worry. You're not going to lose anything."

"I'll keep an eye out for the kids," Lucas volunteered.

Sami got up and headed out to her car. When she was close enough, she pushed the key remote to unlock the door. Opening the back door, she peered in assuming she would find Johnny's Tonka truck on the floor, but it was not there.

"Looking for this?" a male voice said behind Sami.

Sami turned around quickly and stepped back when she saw a masked man holding Johnny's toy. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing with my son's truck?"

The masked man stuck his hand out towards Sami as if to tease her to try to grab the toy from him. Sami didn't budge, so the man moved closer to her slowly taking one step at a time. He continued to tease her with the toy until he suddenly rushed over to grab her.

Sami tried to yell for help as he dropped the toy to cover her mouth. She then began to struggle and threw her right hand back to grab the guy's neck, but he managed to keep his distance. Trying again, she managed to scratch his neck, but he was too strong for her to break free.

Azzura, who wanted to talk to Sami privately, rushed over when she saw Sami struggling with the man. She grabbed Johnny's big toy truck and hit the attacker over the head with it. The attacker lost his balance for a bit letting go of Sami. As Sami rushed back to her car, the attacker ran off. Sami and Azzura traded glances as both were shocked at what just happened.

Back inside the pub, Ignazio and Chelsea walked out from the back. "Your nonna seems like a very nice woman. Is everyone in your family so trusting?"

Chelsea was clearly surprised as well. "Not going to lie. I thought she would have answered with a definite no when she discovered Dimera is your last name. I guess since Will and I vouched for you, she decided to let you stay."

Before Chelsea could say anymore, Azzura rushed in helping Sami to the nearest seat in the pub. Lucas got up and rushed over. "Sami, what happened?"

Chelsea noted that Johnny, Allie, and Sydney began to freak out, so she grabbed Ignazio's hand and said, "Help me with the kids. We should take them in the back."

As Chelsea and Ignazio led the kids to the back, Lucas noted Sami had some bruises on her face and kept grabbing her side. Sami tried to tell Lucas what happened, but she was still having issues with her breathing due to the shock of what just happened. Azzura stepped in, "When I walked out there, Sami was being attacked by a man in a mask."

Lucas continued to look Sami over. "We should get you checked out at the hospital."

Sami calmed down enough to protest. "I'm ...fine. I don't need ... to go... to the hospital."

Azzura teamed up with Lucas. "I think your ex-husband is correct. You should make sure he did nothing to you. Why did this even happen?"

Sami finally caved and agreed to go. As Lucas helped her up, Sami turned to Azzura. "Thank you for coming out when you did. I don't know what would have happened to me." Azzura nodded her head and gladly accepted Sami's appreciation.

* * *

><p>In Daniel's office, Jen sat side by side with Daniel on the other side of his desk. They had just finished lunch and decided now was the perfect time to talk. Jen thought about her last conversation with Jack and her feelings. "Daniel, I want to be upfront with you about what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling."<p>

Daniel grabbed Jennifer's hand to let her know he'd support her no matter what she had to share. "That's something I'll always want from you. No games or hiding."

Jennifer looked down at their hands and then at the engagement ring on her finger. Returning her eyes on Daniel, she admitted, "I'm feeling terribly guilty about how things happened after Jack disappeared. Jack was taken from us. He never actually left us. I feel so horrible for believing the worst of him, and now that I know the truth..." Jen paused to choose her words carefully. "I put myself in this situation. I still love you so much Daniel, but I cannot marry you like this."

Daniel tried to read Jennifer because he was confused and upset to hear what happened to Jack. He could see Jen's feelings for Jack had returned and remembered when Lucas warned him it would happen. "What exactly are you saying here, Jen?"

Jen continued to hold Daniel's hand as she tried to explain everything. "I need time to sort through my feelings. That's why I can't marry you like this. I want to be able to give you everything."

"I can respect that," Daniel decided still hurt.

Jen let go of Daniel's hand for a moment. "I don't want this to be a complete break-up Daniel. I still want you around."

Daniel nodded his head and softly admitted, "I want what you want, Jen."

Jennifer took the ring off her finger and tried to hand it to Daniel. With tears in her eyes, she said, "You should hold this for now."

Daniel wouldn't take the ring. "It's yours, Jennifer. I can't take that back." Looking into Jennifer's eyes, he wiped the tears from her face and said, "Everything will work itself out the way it's supposed to."

At the nurse's station, Nathan walked up and overheard Nurse Maxine telling Kai about the surgeons on staff at the hospital. "What's going on here?" he asked inquisitively.

Nurse Maxine answered, "Kai Kwan has started a special internship here at the hospital. He has plans to be a brain surgeon one day."

Nathan remembered hearing about the internship Victor set up for Kai. "Right. Are you going to have time to do this and school?" he directed to Kai.

Kai nodded his head. "Yeah, I don't have to do a lot here while I'm taking classes. I'm pretty much just shadowing different surgeons and taking notes. I guess things will intensify when summer hits."

"And Victor Kiriakis set this up for you?" Nathan questioned as Maxine returned to her work at the station. "This isn't awkward for you in any way?"

Kai blew some air and nodded his head. "If I told you it wasn't awkward, I would be lying. Even so, Victor and Brady have helped me a lot. I'm glad they can look past the things I did to hurt Sonny for the way he hurt me."

"Brady is a good guy," Nathan commented before asking, "So what's going on with you and Sonny now?"

"Nothing," Kai immediately stated. "Sonny and I are through. There's nothing there anymore after everything that's happened. He loves Dario, and I'll find someone else to fall in love with."

Maxine decided to step in because she could tell Kai was uncomfortable talking about his personal life at his internship. "Dr. Horton, Kai and I need to finish his official tour of the place if you're done with him."

Nathan looked Kai over and felt bad for making him talk about Sonny. "I should apologize for being unprofessional here. I hope you know that my friendship with Sonny won't get in the way of anything. If you need my help for any reason, let me know."

Kai gave Nathan an appreciative smile. "Thanks."

In Isobel's room, Arianna and Manny gathered around their mother hoping to mend things between her and Dario. "I have tried calling Dario, but he's not answering his phone."

"I don't understand how he could go missing like this," Manny started. "Why didn't he come home last night?" He remembered promising his mother that he would look out for Dario, but he hadn't seen him since his mother revealed that Dario's real father was Andres.

Isobel remained mum. Her thoughts flashed back to what happened when Dario performed that song for her. She felt disappointed in herself for pushing Dario to a point where he had to do that. She saw no way she could fully make up for the misery she put him through.

"Mama, are you okay?" Arianna asked noting she seemed to be elsewhere.

Isobel snapped out of her thoughts and raised her eyes. "You must promise me you're going to look after Dario when I'm gone," she requested in an extremely desperate tone. Isobel's emotions only became heavier as she repeated her request in Spanish.

Manny took Isobel's hand to try to calm her. "Mama, please relax and rest. I told you I would watch out for Dario already."

Isobel was too worked up to calm down and only got worse. Tears began to run down her face until it was an ongoing stream. She tried to continue to talk, but her mouth was taken over by moans and sobs. Manny let go of his mother's hand and pushed the button to get the nurses in the room.

Arianna took over in trying to calm Isobel down. "Mama! Please just breathe. This isn't good for you. ¡Calma!"

Maxine rushed into the room and took over in trying to calm Isobel, but Isobel only felt even more overwhelmed. Nathan rushed in as well and didn't bother closing the door behind him. He turned to Maxine and suggested they sedate her because she was having a panic attack. Kai, who had followed Nathan to the room, stood out in the hall as Isobel began to fight off Maxine and Nathan. He couldn't believe this was happening to Dario and Gabi's mom.

* * *

><p>Lexie arrived outside of the prison infirmary at Salem State Penitentiary and found Roman waiting as well. "Roman, what are you doing here?"<p>

"I'm guessing the same reason you're here," Roman said before fleshing out, "I heard Ben Walters has been reacting more and may be coming out of his coma, so I had to come out. I also heard you're to thank for that."

Lexie nodded her head as she remembered what she did for Ben. "I looked at his charts and noticed that his induced coma went on longer than it should have been after his attack. I'm assuming he was brutally attacked and then kept in a coma with someone's pocketbook," she shared knowing her father was the one responsible.

Roman was pleased that Lexie caught on to that. "We had planned on questioning him to see if he could help us find Abe after he went missing, but then the attack occurred. Hopefully when he wakes up, he will have the answers we need to find your husband."

"Me, too," Lexie said remaining hopeful. She felt it was so close.

A doctor came out and immediately recognized Lexie and Roman. "Dr. Carver… Commissioner Brady, we believe Ben Walters is waking up. His eyes are opening."

Roman stood up with Lexie and looked towards the door of the infirmary. "Shall we go in?"

Lexie nodded her head and agreed in anxious haste. "Hopefully, he will be able to help us connect the dots."

Once inside the infirmary, the doctor, Roman, and Lexie surrounded Ben to see he was now fully awake. To check if he was fully aware of his surroundings, the prison doctor asked him, "Walters, do you know where you are?"

Ben looked around for a moment as he remembered being attacked in the showers. With a bit of uncertain fear in his eyes, he nodded his head. "Y… yes. I was attacked. What's the date?"

"January 24th," Lexie answered. "I don't know if you remember me, Ben, but…"

"I know who you are, Dr. Carver," Ben interrupted realizing he must have been in a coma. "What are you doing here?" he asked before turning to Roman to ask the same question. "Why are you two here in the prison infirmary?"

Roman looked to Lexie to take the lead on this. "I am the one who brought you out of your coma. The commissioner and I want to talk about your attack because of the timing of it all."

Ben remembered someone threatening him in the showers to keep his mouth shut before he was jumped. "There's nothing to say. I must have slipped while I was in the shower."

"You don't have to lie to us about what happened," Roman stepped in sensing fear in Ben's voice. "The guards came in and broke up the attack on your life, so we know what happened. We just want to know if someone said anything to you before it happened."

Concerned for his life, Ben didn't want to say much. He figured it was Stefano who set up the attack to keep him quiet even though he didn't have any intention of telling anyone Stefano headed the black market deal at the women's penitentiary. "I don't know if there's anything to say. Yes, I was attacked, but I have no idea why. I must have pissed someone off in here. It happens all the time."

Lexie looked to Roman to do something to make Ben talk after she said, "You don't have to be scared. I'm sure the police force can offer you protection or something."

Roman nodded his head. "I've talked to the D.A. and we can do better than protection. We can get you transferred to an unknown facility where no one can find you. You won't have to deal with any of this."

"What exactly do I have to do in return?" Ben asked cautiously.

Roman eyed everyone in the room before sharing, "We need information. Are you sure you can't remember anything that may have happened while you've been incarcerated that could have caused this attack?"

Ben tried his best to look around the room before answering, "Nothing has happened. I've stayed to myself. Is that the information you're looking for?"

Lexie looked to Roman and commented, "That means someone ordered if from the outside because of something that happened prior to the arrests of Ben and Jane Smith."

Roman nodded his head to Lexie before turning his attention back to Ben. "We need you to come clean about everything you know about the organ trafficking at the women's penitentiary, and how exactly you were able to get the organs to the hospital. We know Jane Smith claimed she headed it all up, but we want to know who the real mastermind is."

Ben remained cautious as he thought about his conversations with Stefano. "Why is this so important? Jane already came clean about everything."

Lexie's patience was reaching its limit. "Dr. Walters, we need you to tell us the truth. My husband is missing and others have been attacked. We need to know everything, so we can put this entire situation to an end! You are only hope here. Tell us everything – tell us the truth."

Ben looked to the prison doctor wanting this to end because he knew there was no way he could truly escape Stefano. At the same time, he figured Stefano would always see him as a threat and would make his life even more miserable than it already was. Looking towards Lexie and Roman, he knew he needed to make a decision quick.

* * *

><p>Will arrived at the police station and tried to be calm about having to be there again. He felt bad for going off on Sonny and wanted to make sure he didn't lose his temper again. When he found Bo and Hope, he was led into his grandpa's office. "So what do you two have for me this time?"<p>

Bo could see Will did not want to be there. "Will, I know this is frustrating for you, but we really need your help here. Hope can explain what she has for you."

Hope stepped forward with a file in her hand. "My mind kept replaying what you said about how you saw the guy who stabbed you at the square when you were with Ignazio. You said you thought the guy was looking at you and Ignazio, and it made me wonder if he knew the both of you. There was a guy who was arrested recently, but it appeared he was falsely accused. I saw this same guy talking to Ignazio, and I think he may be the one who stabbed you."

Will lowered his gaze and questioned if he really wanted to know who attacked him. He wasn't sure what to think of the Ignazio connection. "I'm presuming you have a picture for me to look at in that manila folder in your hands."

Hope took Ric's mug shot from when he was arrested for burying his cat in the woods and handed it to Will. "Is this the guy who had the knife and stabbed you?"

As soon as Will saw Ric's face, he dropped the photo on the floor and freaked. Pointing to the photo on the ground, he exclaimed, "Yeah, that's the guy who stabbed me. I can remember it so clearly."

Bo made a ticking sound with his mouth. He thought about how Ignazio seemed chummy with his oldest daughter. "This definitely complicates things," he shared with Hope.

As Hope picked up the mug shot, Will wanted a better explanation. "What does that mean and why do you have this guy's mug shot again?"

Hope placed the picture into the manila folder. "Ricardo is from Italy and came to the U.S. recently – I believe some time before Maddalena and Ignazio arrived. Someone called in and tried to connect him to your friend Kinsey's disappearance."

"So what's his connection to Chad's aunt and cousin then?" Will asked as a weird vibe came over him. He didn't want to believe Ignazio could have any part in this.

Hope looked over to Bo and raised her eyebrows before sharing, "I mentioned earlier I saw Ricardo with Ignazio. They seem to know each other well because they were talking in Maddalena's mansion."

Will turned his back on Bo and Hope as he thought about what Stefano had said about his sister. He was so confused, and denial seemed to want to take over. Even so, a lot of questions entered his mind. Will wondered what all of this meant.

Hope moved behind Will and placed her right hand on Will's left shoulder causing him to jump. "I'm sorry, Will. I didn't mean to startle you. Are you going to be okay? Maybe you should sit down for a moment and process this with us. What are you thinking right now?"

Will turned around and shook his head. "I don't know. I don't understand what is going on anymore."

Bo's phone started ringing interrupting the conversation. Answering it, he talked to Lucas who was on the other side. "Lucas. What happened? Sami's at the hospital now?"

Will's face grew white as he thought the worst from what he heard on Bo's side of the conversation. "My mom's at the hospital? What's going on?"

Hope placed her hands on Will's shoulder to calm him down as Bo got off the phone. "What is it Brady?"

Bo looked at Will and Hope with shock and concern. "Sami was attacked outside of the pub. She's at the hospital now."

Will almost fell over as it felt like he was reliving his attack again, but Hope managed to hold him up. "Mom was the next victim?" he let out with deep fear in his voice.

* * *

><p>At the town square, Ignazio and Ric finally met up. "Ric, there you are. I was beginning to think you were not going to show."<p>

Ric felt extremely uncomfortable with how things were playing out because Maddalena had truly put him in an unpleasant situation. "I am sorry, 'Nazio. Your nonna has kept me busy, and this is why I haven't been available to talk to you until now."

Ignazio grew in frustration. "It seems she has kept you busy without my knowledge before. You were involved with what happened to Lexie's husband, and I cannot help but wonder if there is more you have done for her in which I am not aware!"

Ric looked down as he grabbed his neck because it hurt. "Ignazio, I did what your nonna asked of me. I am in no position to question what she wants, and she asked for my discretion." He hoped Ignazio didn't ask any more questions because there was so much his onetime friend didn't know about what he had done.

Ignazio looked to Ric realizing it did not matter now and digressed, "I do not understand why Maddalena is doing this to me. She is shutting me out of her plans and is now forcing me out of her home."

Ric shook his head hoping to appease Ignazio by agreeing with him. "She is clearly making a mistake by cutting you out. You should be there with her through this all. You are her nipote – her blood." In reality, Ric didn't really care whether Ignazio and Maddalena worked things out. He just needed to play his cards right for a little longer before he could make his final move. As he flashed back to when he approached Victor at the square, he knew things were complicated enough.

Chad walked around the corner and came upon Ignazio and Ric. "Ignazio, who is this?"

Ignazio stepped back surprised to see Chad while Ric glared at Chad ready to attack him.


	67. Chapter 67 Make This Go On Forever

**Chapter 67: Make This Go On Forever – Tuesday, January 24th, 2012**

Chad looked Ignazio and Ric over at the Horton Town Square and asked, "What are you two doing here?"

Ignazio managed to hold Ric at bay without making it obvious to Chad. "Chad, this is a surprise. Should you not be on campus?"

Chad questioned if he had interrupted a private conversation and suddenly felt intrusive. "I am done for the day. It's almost five o'clock. Is everything okay?"

Ric stepped forward and with attitude stated, "I believe Ignazio asked what you're doing here." He wished Ignazio would allow him to get rid of Chad for him. Chad had caused too many complications, and Ric wanted him completely out of the picture. If Chad was out of the picture, Ric could move onto the life he wanted – the life he had set in motion for himself.

Ignazio gave Ric a look to cool it. He didn't understand why Ric seemed so hostile. Turning to Chad, he stated calmly, "I didn't ask that necessarily. I'm sorry, but you caught me at a bad time."

Chad looked Ric over and sensed his hostility as well. Figuring he only surprised Ignazio's friend, he didn't think much about it at first. He clarified, "I'm sorry if I intruded on something. I didn't hear anything or mean to run into you. I only wanted to check in with you since I did."

"Of course," Ignazio relaxed his shoulders. "I am talking to Ricardo here. He works for my nonna."

Chad shook Ric's hand carefully. He sensed Ric was still on edge and began to wonder if Ric was the friend Ignazio mentioned at the Kiriakis cabin. "I figured as much. Your accents stick out and sound similar. Did you two grow up together in Italy?"

Before Ric could respond, Ignazio shared, "Not exactly. He's been in my nonna's service for years and the only time we talk is for business purposes." He wanted to make sure to downplay his friendship with Ric, so Chad didn't figure anything out.

Rubbing his neck because it stung, Ric questioned why Ignazio would lie but then figured he most likely had his reasons. Ignazio seemed to have reasons for everything and it pissed Ric off at times. Even if he had hoped things could be different, he made plans to get out from under Ignazio and Maddalena. Ignazio was very important to Ric at one time in his life, but that wasn't the case anymore.

Chad wondered if Ignazio was being honest with him because he continued to replay what he and Ignazio talked about at the Kiriakis cabin. He remembered Ignazio sharing he had a friend who did something illegal – something against the family. Ric seemed to fit Ignazio's description, but he didn't want to assume anything in case he was wrong. "I'll get out of your hair and let you two get back to whatever business you need to discuss. Hit me up later Ignazio." Turning to Ric before he left, Chad said, "It was good meeting you Ricardo."

With Chad gone, Ric looked around to make sure no one else was around to interrupt his conversation with Ignazio. "'Nazio, I can get rid of Chad for you. We should finish this. Chad should already be gone. He should have left after the attack on William!"

"You have become extremely overzealous with this," Ignazio cautioned Ric. "We will do this the correct way. Leave Chad alone for now, and I will tell you what our next move is."

Ric shook his head at Ignazio and struggled with holding in his impatience. "I have things I need to do for now. Let me know what you want me to do when you have decided." Ric stalked off wondering if Ignazio had gone soft on him.

* * *

><p>Daniel walked Sami out of one of the emergency rooms and shared, "Everything looks fine. You have some bruising around your stomach, which should go away soon enough."<p>

"Thanks, Daniel," Sami said rubbing her stomach. "I should go find my husband."

Daniel gave Sami a nod. "Let me know if something comes up," he requested before heading down the hall. As he entered the hall, he found Colin eavesdropping on his conversation with Sami. "What do you think you're doing?"

Colin attempted to play off his spying by claiming, "I am taking a break. Even though I have been back to work for more than a month, I am still getting used to being surrounded by a lot of people."

Daniel squinted his eyes to show he didn't believe Colin. "I have a hard time trusting or believing you because of your past with Jen and the Dimera family."

Colin crossed his arms over his chest and simply asked, "Did Jen talk to you about Jack?" Seeing Daniel's body stiffen, he continued, "I'm guessing he's getting close to Jen again. It's the same song and dance when he returns to her side. He'll do whatever it takes to get her back only to leave her again."

"I don't have time for this," Daniel said clearly aggravated. He walked off giving Colin the chance to catch up to spy on Sami.

Sami arrived at the nurse's station and found Bo, EJ, and Lucas waiting for her. Before they could say anything to her, she asked with concern, "Where are the kids?"

"The little ones are with your grandmother and Chelsea at the pub, and Will is around here somewhere. I don't think he's taking this so well and is trying to hide," Lucas informed Sami as EJ looked her over to make sure she was okay.

Bo wanted to get answers fast since Roman and Hope were out questioning others elsewhere. "Sami, can you talk to me about what happened outside of the pub?"

Sami allowed herself to lean into EJ as he put his arm around her. She shook her head still confused by it all. "I don't know. I went out to grab one of Johnny's toys from the car, and this man with a mask had it in his hand. It's all suspicious because it almost seemed like he knew me personally. I didn't recognize his voice though, but he definitely had an accent. If it wasn't for Azzura knocking the guy over his head with Johnny's toy, I don't know what would have happened."

EJ thought about Bo and Hope's theory that Sami would be the next victim. After giving his wife a kiss on the forehead, he declared, "I need to keep you safe."

"We all do," Bo refined. "Do you remember any specific features about your attacker? You said 'he' so I am assuming you were attacked by a male."

Sami looked down as she tried to remember every moment of her attack. "I told you he had a mask on, so I never saw his face. He was a little taller than me, but he definitely had some strength and agility on him. I tried to push him off, hit his neck, or kick his feet, but he managed to keep his hold on me." Remembering how she continued to do whatever she could to fight the man off, Sami looked up to her uncle because she thought of something. "I scratched his neck! I managed to do that."

Bo scratched his head. "I'm not sure that's enough to go on. Did he say anything specific to you?"

"He didn't say much," Sami stated. "He taunted me with the truck, but he said nothing else. What exactly are you looking for here?"

Bo glanced over to EJ remembering their conversation in his office, too. "We think you were the next victim in connection to the recent attacks on Abe and Will. Who knows what would have happened if Azzura hadn't stepped in?"

Sami picked up on the traded looks between Bo and EJ and asked, "Why would I be the next victim?"

EJ decided to answer, "Abraham was attacked first, and afterwards, it was William. If you were indeed the third attack, then the connection is clear. Someone is attacking the significant others of my father's children."

Sami's eyes widened as she questioned what would have happened to her if Azzura hadn't come out. "I guess it's a good thing whoever is responsible is getting sloppy. I managed to get out of there with only bruises."

"Which is why we need to keep you safe," EJ maintained. "The attacker could look for another opportunity to do more damage. He has Abe and put William in the hospital."

Lucas finally broke his silence and suggested, "Looks like it's a safe house for you again, Sami."

Sami immediately shot down the idea. "Hell no! Over my dead body! I am so done with those!" Turning to EJ, she remained stern as she commanded, "Don't even think about saying the 'R' word."

Bo wasn't sure they had any other option. "Sami, you're not safe here or with EJ because as he pointed out, someone is clearly going after the significant others of the Dimera family."

EJ turned his body to face Sami and gave her a look filled with sadness. "I hate this as much as you do, but it might be our only option to make sure nothing happens to you."

"Wait. What about my mom?" Lucas asked coming out of his thoughts. "Could she be a possible victim since she's married to Stefano?"

Bo shook his head. "I doubt it. We considered the option and even talked about the body she found in the park last summer, but I don't think Stefano would hurt his own wife in that way."

EJ, Sami, and Lucas caught on that Bo implied Stefano could be the one responsible for the attacks. EJ remained focused on Sami though. "I will keep you out of harm's way, Samantha. No matter what."

Colin decided he heard enough and headed off to his office. Brady and Nicole walked off the elevator and headed to the others by the nurses' station. "Sami, I heard about your attack. Are you okay?" Brady shared with concern.

Before anyone could say anything about her presence, Nicole clarified, "I am here to visit with Lexie because her mom told me she should be here. Brady and I bumped into each other in the parking garage."

Sami grabbed EJ's hand with disappointment. "Oh great, the 'N' word is here."

"Excuse me?" Nicole gave Sami attitude. "What's that supposed to mean?"

EJ quickly stepped in to explain, "Your name is Nikki, and it begins with an 'N'.

Sami gave Nicole a pleased look. She loved how EJ, the true love of her life, called her Samantha, and called Nicole "Nikki". EJ calling her Samantha always showed her that EJ saw Sami as a real woman unlike the other men in her life. He didn't show the same respect to Nicole, and she knew Nicole noticed the same thing. To egg her on, Sami pondered aloud, "I think it's interesting you should show your face in Salem the same day I was attacked. Hmm..."

"I'm not going to stand here and take your crap, Sami," Nicole informed her one-time nemesis. "I would have stapled your mouth shut if I had attacked you. Bugger off!"

Brady took a deep breath after Nicole walked off. He decided to stay out of the feud between Nicole and his step-sister. "So what exactly happened?" he asked Sami.

While Sami explained to Brady what happened, Nicole walked down the hall towards the doctors' offices. She began to look at the name plates on the doors hoping Lexie would be in her office just as Celeste had told her earlier when she arrived at the Carver home. The next door opened before she could read the name. She stepped back when she saw Colin standing in front of her. "Colin Murphy?"

Colin's eyes widened when he saw Nicole standing in front of him. "Why if it isn't the illustrious Nicole Walker. What do I owe the pleasure?"

A tear of fear fell down Nicole's eyes. She needed to get out of there. "This isn't happening. You should be dead."

"Here I am darling – in the flesh," Colin said with a grin. He was enjoying this moment with Nicole. "Do you remember how you found me in Melaswen all those years ago? Well, I ended up there again and managed to escape the island once more. Maybe we could catch up with tea sometime soon."

Freaked out, Nicole decided to duck into a different hall to avoid having to say anything else to Colin. She never thought she would see the man again. The times he tormented her replayed in her mind causing her to feel sick to her stomach. Wanting to get out of there as fast as possible, she looked behind her to make sure Colin didn't follow her and accidentally ran into someone else in the hall. "Excuse me," she said before turning around. "Arianna..."

Arianna looked Nicole over dumbfounded for a moment. Wiping tears from her eyes, she asked, "Nicole, what are you doing here – in Salem?"

Nicole quickly got over seeing Colin again because running into Arianna was another unexpected surprise. "I'm not really sure you want to know – considering our past and all."

Arianna thought about what Nicole said and agreed. "You're right. I don't want to know. I have more important things to deal with."

"Like you and Brady?" Nicole asked digging for info on Brady's love life.

Arianna wiped a tear from her face and shook her head. "You can have Brady. Brady was always yours to begin with."

Nicole stopped Arianna from walking away. "Why are you crying?"

"Leave me alone, Nicole. If you're staying in Salem, just leave me alone." Arianna walked off to be alone.

Nicole on the other hand decided to find the nearest exit, so she could leave the hospital. She would have to talk to Lexie another time. Walking by Nathan, she gave him a soft smile and left.

Nathan didn't think much about seeing Nicole because he was looking for Melanie. Eventually, he found Melanie in her dad's office. "There you are. What are you doing in here?"

Melanie pulled Nathan closer by grabbing his hand. "I need to talk to my dad about something. What's going on with Isobel? Maxine told me there were some complications earlier."

Nathan nodded his head and took a seat next to Melanie. "She had an anxiety attack and slipped into a coma. It really sucks for her family because I'm not sure if she's going to wake up."

Melanie lowered her head in sadness. "I cannot imagine what they're going through. They're really going to need to support each other. Arianna told me earlier that Dario never came home last night and has been MIA since."

Nathan had heard the same thing when Manny and Arianna were trying to figure out what to do after Isobel slipped into a coma. "Maybe Chelsea or Sonny knows where he is. I know he and Chelsea are really close now."

Melanie became distracted by Nathan's mentioning Chelsea. "Do you still talk to Chelsea?" Nathan gave his fiancé a curious look. "I talk to her some. Why?"

Melanie repositioned herself in her chair, so she could look into Nathan's eyes. "You should tell me the secret she told you at Sonny's family cabin."

Nathan scratched his head above his ear feeling uncomfortable with Melanie's request. "I told her I would keep my mouth shut."

Melanie tried to keep her jealousy and irritation in check, but it seeped through the tone of her voice. "Why is this so different? I am your fiancé, Nathan. You told me Will's secret. Why is Chelsea so special?"

"You already knew Will's secret," Nathan reminded Melanie. He wondered why she was getting so worked up about this. "Why is this a big deal to you?"

Melanie couldn't believe Nathan was the one becoming defensive. "I know you and Chelsea used to have a thing back in the day. Do you still have feelings for Chelsea?"

Having overheard his daughter and Nathan as he entered, Daniel announced himself: "Things don't sound so good in here."

Embarrassed, Melanie and Nathan stood up. "Dad, we were just talking about some stuff."

Daniel gave Nathan a look of disappointment. "So you and Chelsea?" he asked rhetorically first. He then asked questions he wanted an answer to. "Are you two sure you're ready to get married when there may be unresolved feelings for others?"

Nathan didn't know what to make of Daniel's unfounded doubts. "I only love your daughter, Daniel. She's the one I want to marry and spend the rest of my life with."

Daniel shook his head and commented, "That's what you say now, but history has a way of consuming those with the best intentions."

Melanie grew concerned for her dad. "Is everything okay?"

Daniel headed to his desk and began to mess with some files. "I don't know. You two tell me. Are we going to have to cancel your wedding? I mean, Nathan should have known it wouldn't have worked out from the beginning."

Offended, Nathan stood his ground. "With all due respect, I have no idea what you mean by that."

Daniel thought about how Nathan didn't ask for his permission to marry Melanie. "I did the right thing when I proposed to Jennifer. I talked to her dad and laid it all out for him. I guess chivalry is dead in your generation."

Even though she didn't understand it, Melanie could see things had quickly escalated between her father and fiancé. She got in the middle to stop them from saying anything else. "I don't know what's going on here, but we all just need to step back. No one has anything to prove here."

Seeing the disappointment in his daughter's eyes brought Daniel back to reality. He realized he had taken the stress from his own situation out on Nathan and Melanie. Ashamed of what he had done, he dismissed them. "I need to get back to work. You two should as well."

"I think that's a good idea," Melanie replied pushing Nathan out. She looked at Nathan and could see he was still upset by what Daniel said to him. "We can talk later."

Sami peered into a waiting room and found Will sitting by himself. She could see the torment in his face and it broke her heart to see him like that. "Will," she said softly as she entered the room. "Everything is going to be fine. I'm okay."

Will stood up and immediately rushed to his mother to give her a tight hug. "I don't know... I don't..." He was having an extremely difficult time with getting his words out because he was trying his hardest to keep in control of his feelings.

Sami pulled Will tighter and rubbed his back. "We are going to be okay, Will. I told Uncle Bo everything, and I think that may help us find whoever is responsible. Have you talked to him about what happened to you?"

Will nodded his head. "I did. Why is this happening? Why can't we live normal lives? I have tried so hard to live a normal life – a life I didn't have growing up because of..."

"All the things your father and I did," Sami finished Will's thoughts. "I am so sorry, Will. You have always deserved so much better, and I am sorry that life seems so difficult for you. We can work through this though. We can heal from it."

Will shook his head feeling out of control. "I just want to forget it and heal that way. I just want to live my life how I want."

"Then live," Sami said hoping to empower her son. "Keep going, but if it continues to get in the way, Will, then maybe you should talk about it. Talk about it to me, your dad, any other family member, or a therapist. It can help."

Will didn't want to hear the last part. "I'm going to live," he announced as he remembered something. "I have the perfect way to move on from this. I have to go. There's something I need to get ready for tonight. I'm glad you're fine, and I promise I am okay. I will talk to you later."

Sami watched Will rush out and questioned the shift in him. He seemed to be opening up to her when she first walked in, but when he left, he completely shut her out again. Placing her hand on her forehead, she wondered how she could help her son when he seemed to not want it.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for helping me find all of these sources and taking them to my car," Abigail said to Sonny as they walked out of the library. "I can't believe my professor is making us use only non-online sources on this assignment."<p>

Sonny gave Abigail a smile. I'm sure you'll write your paper in no time."

Abigail raised her eyes unsure if that would happen. "I'll buy you dinner tonight as payback."

"Rain check?" Sonny requested. "I have homework I want to get started on." Abigail nodded and agreed. After a moment of silence, Sonny inquired, "Have you talked to Josh since he left?"

Abigail shook her head. "No. I guess he's busy with his family and settling in Georgia. I told him to move on, so maybe he's doing that."

Sonny frowned. "I still don't understand why you had to push him away. He clearly loves you, and you love him."

Abigail began to dig for her keys since they were close to the parking lot now. "If I've learned anything from my parents, it's that love isn't always enough. Things get in the way, and you have to realize if you truly love someone you can't hurt them repeatedly. I love Josh too much to cause him pain or heartache again."

Sonny continued to frown even though he understood what Abigail meant. "Life does suck in that way."

"How are things with Dario?" Abigail asked quickly changing the subject.

Sonny thought about his run-in with Dario on campus earlier. He felt bad because he had kept himself distracted with Will's sudden outburst and school. "I'm not sure. I think he's not in a good place. I really should check in on him."

Abigail was about to respond, but she heard someone calling her last name out. Turning around she saw Ezra running over to them. "Wait. Ezra is calling after me."

Ezra arrived and caught his breath. "I'm sorry to keep you like this, but I wondered if you two have talked to Will about tonight."

Sonny had no idea what Ezra was talking about. "What's tonight?" He didn't think Will would be up for anything tonight with the mood he seemed to be in.

"Rush starts tonight. I gave Will an invitation to the Kappa Sig event tonight, and I haven't had a chance to confirm whether he's going to be there," Ezra informed them feeling stupid for stopping them to talk about Will.

Abigail turned to Sonny who shrugged his shoulders. "We haven't seen Will or talked to him about it. Sorry."

"No problem," Ezra said exhaling. "I'm sorry for interrupting whatever you were doing to talk to you about Will."

Abigail gave Ezra a smile. "It's okay. I hope everything goes well with your rush event."

Ezra stopped Abigail from leaving by grabbing her hand. "I heard what happened with Josh. I'm sorry he left like that."

Abigail gave Ezra a hopeful smile. "It will all work out in the end."

Ezra returned the hopeful smile and let go of Abigail's hand. "Good luck with Muldoon's paper. I'll see you around, Deveraux."

Abigail and Sonny said goodbye to Ezra and made their way to Abigail's car. After helping her put the library books in her car, Sonny gave his cousin a hug. Abigail pointed her finger at Sonny and reminded him, "I'm holding you to that rain check. We need to hang out more."

Sonny nodded his head. "Agreed. I'll see you tomorrow I guess."

"Yeah. See you later, Sonny."

Sonny walked backwards and then turned around to head to his car. On his way, he pulled out his phone and dialed Dario's number. It went straight to voicemail, so he left a message. "Hey Dario. I wanted to see if we could meet up at my place tonight. Let me know. I'll be there all night." Sonny hung up his phone and looked at it for a moment before unlocking his door. He hoped Dario was okay.

* * *

><p>Maddalena headed to the front door of her mansion when she heard the doorbell ring. She was really surprised to see Hope on the other side. "Detective Brady. What can I do for you?"<p>

"May I come in?"

Maddalena nodded her head and motioned Hope inside. After closing the door, she said, "I hope you are here with answers on Abraham's disappearance."

"Well, I'm hoping you can help me with finding answers," Hope quipped before pulling out the picture of Ric. "Do you know this man? I believe I've seen him here in your home."

Azzura walked out from the dining room and joined Maddalena and Hope. "Signora, what is happening?"

Maddalena decided to be truthful about knowing Ric. "Detective Brady is asking about Ricardo, but I am not sure why," she informed Azzura. Turning back to Hope she shared, "Yes. He lives here and works for me, but do you need to talk to him? I do not believe he is here at this time."

After talking to Bo about the possibility of Maddalena being responsible for the attacks on Abe and Will, Hope was surprised by Maddalena's full cooperation. "Could you check in case he is here?"

Maddalena turned to Azzura and requested, "Please check and see if you can find Ricardo. Tell him his services are needed at this time. Tell him nothing about Detective Brady being here for him."

"Yes, Signora," Azzura bowed before heading up the stairs.

Maddalena turned to Hope when Hope thanked her. Giving Hope a serious look, she shared, "I want to do whatever I can to help you find what happened to poor Alexandra's husband. Am I assuming too much here on why you need to talk to my servant?"

Hope didn't want to reveal her suspicions just yet. "I hope we do find Abe, but I need to talk to Ricardo about something." Thinking about how Ric buried a cat, she asked Maddalena, "Do you have any more pets in the house?"

Maddalena gave Hope a confused look. "My home has no pets since I am allergic," she shared.

Upstairs in Maddalena's office, Azzura decided to call Colin first. Once he picked up, Azzura moved past the greetings and exclaimed, "We may be in trouble, Colin. Detective Hope Brady is here and is asking questions about Ric. The cops know something is up thanks to the idiocy of Ignazio and Ric."

On the other side, Colin thought about the missing bodies' case and what he overheard between Sami, Bo, EJ, and Lucas. He decided to use his knowledge to get Maddalena away from trouble. "There's no need to worry, Azzura. I know what to do. Sacrifices will need to be rushed. I will call Ric now and set things in motion. Continue your mission."

Azzura knew Colin would take care of things. "I will call Ric first and tell him to come home and to expect a call from you as well." After hanging up her phone, she dialed Ric's number. She needed this all to come together fast for Maddalena's sake.

* * *

><p>Back on campus, Chad and Will arrived outside of the Kappa Sigma house after Chad picked Will up at their place. Chad swiftly got out of the car to open Will's door hoping to bring warmth to Will since they hadn't seen each other since breakfast. "Here we are."<p>

Will gave Chad a silly look as he pulled himself out of the car. After his blowup at Sonny and with what happened to his mother, Will really needed an escape from all the frustration and negativity. He felt bad for keeping Chad in the dark about what happened to his mom, but it was a necessary step to flee the darkness that seemed to surround his life. "You don't have to keep doing that for me, Chad. I can open the door myself."

Chad pulled Will into a kiss. After, he kept his arms around Will and shared, "I want you to always feel special, Horton."

Will pulled away from Chad feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Chad calling him 'Horton' had become more noticeable and Will wondered why Chad decided to start calling him by his last name. "Chad, are you sure you're okay with me rushing?" Will wasn't completely sure about rushing either, but he decided to rush to build a better future.

Chad didn't want to stand in the way even though he still wanted to leave Salem eventually. "Yeah, you clearly want to do this, so I'm not going to stand in your way."

"You should rush with me," Will suggested pulling Chad closer. "We could experience this together."

Chad remembered how he had been approached by Ezra to rush his freshman year, but then when everyone found out he was a Dimera, Ezra backed off. "No, this is your thing. I guess it's okay if we have our own thing." After spotting Ezra walking up towards them, Chad pulled Will into another kiss.

Ezra looked on impressed with how comfortable Chad was with Will now. "Hey guys. The event is starting in a few minutes. I'm glad you could make it, Horton."

Will smiled and moved closer to Ezra. "Well, we should head in then."

Chad hated leaving Will's side, and even though he really didn't care for Ezra, he asked, "Hey Ezra, please keep an eye on my boyfriend for me."

Will quickly snapped, "I can take care of myself. I'll be fine."

"I'll keep him safe," Ezra said with a smile before putting his hand on Will's back to lead him to the Kappa house.

"Wait," Chad called out to the guys. He tossed his keys to Will. "You will need these when you're done."

Will caught the keys confused. "Wait. You need them to get home."

"I figured you don't need a baby sitter to pick you up," Chad shared hoping to appease Will for his extreme hovering. "I can call Ignazio or something to pick me up. Have fun."

Will smiled widely and felt bad for snapping at his boyfriend. Giving Chad a small wave, he turned around to walk with Ezra into the Kappa house.

Chad remained outside for a moment hoping Will would be able to have fun. He knew Will needed it and wondered if his want to leave Salem needed to be put away permanently. Will seemed to be settling back in fine. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted when his phone began to ring. "Lexie," he answered. "What's going on?"

"Hey Chad. I'm headed to the Dimera Mansion to talk to father about something," Lexie shared. "You may want to be there for this."

Chad wondered what Lexie needed to say to Stefano. Pondering the possibility that Lexie was finally going to stop blaming their father for Abe's disappearance, he shared, "Well, I am actually stranded on campus. If you pick me up, I can go with you."

"I'm on my way."

* * *

><p>Back at Maddalena's mansion, Azzura already informed Hope that Ric was on his way from running an errand before returning to her work. Alone with Maddalena again, Hope continued to make small talk with her as they waited. "So is everything in this house from Italy?"<p>

Maddalena answered Hope's question by simply nodding. She wanted to know more on what Hope hoped to find on Ric. "Has Ricardo done something illegal?"

Outside, Ric arrived hanging up his phone after talking to Colin. He couldn't believe everything was about to go down. He entered interrupting Hope and Maddalena's conversation. When he saw Hope, he pretended to get nervous. "Signora, you called for me?"

Maddalena gave Ric a firm look as she commanded, "This is Detective Brady. She is here to talk to you, and you will talk to her."

"I can handle things from here," Hope shared. "Ricardo, we have a warrant to bring you in for questioning."

Ric knew he couldn't go to the police station. "I would rather remain here," he said crossing his arms.

Hope studied Ric before asking, "Where have you been today?" Ric eyed Hope for a moment as he contemplated how to answer her question. Hope studied him and noted, "I see you have a scratch on your neck."

Ric grew nervous as he covered the scratch with his hand. "I was attacked by a stray cat. I have been running errands for my signora."

Hope took a mental note of Ric mentioning a cat again. She wondered if that was his go-to excuse whenever he was confronted with something he didn't have an answer to. "I want to talk to you about the night of the masquerade as well as the evening of Mayor Carver's attack. Can you tell me where you were on both of those nights?"

Ric avoided contact with Maddalena, but he wondered what she was thinking. "I have nothing to share with you about those nights," he claimed.

"You can tell me where you were," Hope countered. "I have this warrant, and we could take you down to the station if necessary."

Ric showed no affect as he answered, "I was busy."

Maddalena grew impatient and believed Hope felt the same way. She wondered what Ric was doing and hoped Azzura managed to talk to him before he arrived. Even though she was nervous, she stood firm as she ordered, "Answer her questions, Ricardo! If you do not answer her questions honestly and completely, I will send you back to Italia!"

Ric wanted to vomit because of what he was doing. He remembered Ignazio promising him he would never throw him under the bus again, but now Maddalena was doing it to save herself. Colin told him this would lead to his freedom. He grabbed his stomach as he lied, "I was here in the mansion."

Maddalena glared at Ric and set things straight. "You were not here! I keep a log on where everyone is at all times in this house, and I know you were not here on either of those evenings."

Hope gave Maddalena a nod to thank her for sharing that, but she knew she needed to take control of the conversation again. "Can you talk to me about your relationship with Ignazio?"

Ric became frustrated with Hope's questions. He was beginning to show he was unstable. "Ignazio Dimera is an àsino I take orders from."

Maddalena could see Ric appeared to be coming unhinged and panicked. "Watch your mouth, Ricardo. Do not talk about my nipote in that way."

Ric threw his hands at Maddalena. He was no longer showing respect for her because she was so willing to throw him under the bus. "That is rich coming from you. You are the one who kicked Ignazio out of the house. He's upset now."

Maddalena's concerns grew as Hope brought herself back into the conversation. "What is going on here?"

"Do not trust this bitch," Ric let out pointing to Maddalena. "She is a horrible person and does not care about anyone. She kicked her own grandson out of the house because he was not good enough for her. She is hateful and evil!"

Maddalena grew in anger and fear and tried to attack Ric, but Hope held her back. Both wondered if Ric was about to implicate Maddalena in the attacks on Abe, Will, and Sami. "You are saying these things because you fell in love with my nipote, and you know you cannot have him!" Maddalena let out trying to distract Hope from Ric.

"Has she done something else?" Hope asked unaffected by Maddalena's claim.

Ric ignored Hope's question and only continued from what he was saying before. "I now know why Stefano hates her so much and wants to destroy her life."

Hope and Maddalena caught on to what he had just stated. Maddalena stopped trying to attack Ric as Hope asked, "What do you mean?"

Ric began to laugh methodically. He truly felt mad for what he was about to do. He hated Maddalena and wished his mother never pledged their lives to her service, but he needed to finish his duties with honor. He wanted to survive this ordeal with that intact, so he could live past this. Colin had promised him he would have a life after all of this. "Maddalena is as stupid as her nipote. I work for Stefano and have been here undercover to cause friction between them so she would leave Salem." Turning to Maddalena, he shared, "I made you think Ignazio and I were in a homosexual relationship to purposely get under your skin."

Maddalena stepped back and leaned against the wall playing up the shock of Ric's confession. "I cannot believe my brother would do this to me. Is that why you came to work for me before we came to the US? My brother set this up?"

Hope really struggled with what Ric was saying because it told her nothing about Abe's whereabouts. She decided to ask him again, "Where were you on the evenings of December 30th, January 13th, and in the afternoon today?"

Figuring the jig was up, Ric held his hands up as he confessed, "On December 30th, I was at the mayor's office attacking the Negro mayor. The night of the masquerade I was at the pier attacking the faggot, and today I was outside of the pub attacking the big mouthed bitch."

Maddalena only increased with anger and showed fury in her eyes at Ric's confession. Coming towards him, she bellowed, "How could you do this in my home? I provided so much for you, and you do all of this while living under my roof?"

Hope couldn't believe this was all coming out like this. She noticed Maddalena began to cough uncontrollably as she continued to lay into Ric. She tried to calm Maddalena down, so she could control the situation again, but Maddalena almost collapsed. Fortunately for Maddalena, Hope caught her. Having a feeling of familiarity come over her, Hope cautioned, "Maddalena, you must not let your anger get the best of you in this situation. I can take care of things from here."

Azzura rushed into the room due to the yelling. She hurried over and helped take Maddalena to a chair. "Signora, what is happening here? Why are you yelling so much?"

Maddalena continued to cough as she explained, "Ric has just revealed he has been working for Stefano from the beginning and is responsible for the attacks on Abraham, Will, and Sami."

Azzura rushed over to Ric and gave him a hard slap. "You have brought shame to this home!"

Ric only smiled as he added to his confession, "I am not the lone person working for Stefano behind your back. Colin has also been working with Stefano. Stefano hired him to make you sick. Haven't you noticed your doctor visits have increased? Have you not realized your health is only getting worse?"

Hope quickly stepped in pulling her handcuffs out before things became worse. After reading Ric the Miranda Rights, she hauled Ric to her car to take him down to the station to corroborate his story. Maddalena kept a scowl on her face until Hope had left the premises.

Azzura went to Maddalena's side and shared, "Things are in place, signora."

Relieved, Maddalena gave Azzura a menacing smile. She couldn't believe Colin sacrificed himself, but she was glad Ric delivered in what she had planned for him. "Our work for the better is not finished yet."

* * *

><p>Abigail sat alone in the living room of the Horton house with books everywhere. She was trying to focus on her paper, but she kept picking up her phone only to look at it. She wondered if she should call Josh to see how he was settling in. After unlocking her phone, she began to look at Facebook pictures of their trip together in New Zealand. Her eyes began to water as she questioned what her life would be like now if she had accepted his marriage proposal. Wiping her face, she tossed her phone on the couch and cried, "I need to stop doing this to myself!"<p>

Abigail had to wipe her face more when she heard the front door open. She turned around to see her brother walk in with their dad. After turning her head away, she wiped her face one more time before standing up to greet them. "Where have you two been?"

Jack placed his hand on JJ's back. "I picked JJ up from school, and we've been hanging out everywhere around town since then."

Abigail could see JJ had a lot of fun and decided not to rain on his parade. "I'm glad you guys had fun today."

JJ was surprised by his sister's positive reception. Deciding not to test his luck, he asked, "Where are mom and Daniel? I want to show them my new bike. I think Daniel will really like it!"

Abigail traded a glance with her dad wondering if he was okay with the fact that JJ was lax around Daniel now. "I believe they're still at the hospital. Mom said they had a long day today."

JJ turned to his dad. "I need to plug in my new cell phone, so it's charged! I'll be back!"

After JJ headed up the stairs, Abigail turned to Jack. "So you got him a brand-new bike and a cell phone. I guess the new job pays well. I hope you're saving up to buy him a car soon."

Jack gave Abigail a cautious smile. "Yeah, did you want me to buy you something?"

"Dad, you don't have to do that," Abigail cleared up before adding, "I think I understand how hard this is for you."

Jack remained cautious as he asked, "You do?" Abigail only nodded her head to confirm he heard correctly. "Is this about Josh? Your mom told me he left Salem. He made a big mistake leaving you behind. You're..."

"Dad..." Abigail interrupted. "You don't have to do this." After a deep breath, she continued, "Yes, Josh is gone, but I am the one who pushed him away, so he could live his life – kind of like how you're doing with mom now. We're saying no to hurting the people we love. Enough is enough."

Jack could now see Abigail had cried earlier. "Do you need to talk about anything?" he checked in with her slowly placing his hand on his daughter's shoulder. He wanted to pull her into a hug if she allowed it.

JJ called out to Jack to come upstairs before Abigail could respond. Abigail stopped herself from tearing up again and kept her distance from Jack. "I'm fine. I know you have to play catch up for the time you were gone. JJ's a good kid."

"So are you, Abby," Jack said with a smile before correcting himself, "I mean Abigail."

Abigail slipped her dad a smile as she said, "Thanks."

Jack looked up the stairs but wanted to say one more thing to Abigail. "As much as I wish time could have stood still while I was gone, I know a lot has happened. Life and people change when they're apart. I hope we can one-day recapture what we used to have, but if that's impossible, being able to see you smile will do just fine." Jack gave his daughter one last nod before heading up the stairs. Abigail took one last breath before returning to her paper.

* * *

><p>Sonny headed out of his room after he heard a knock at the door. Opening it up, he was pleasantly surprised to see Dario standing on the other side. Noting the misery in Dario's eyes, he said, "Dario, you got my message."<p>

Dario entered the apartment and pulled Sonny close. He held Sonny as tight as he could as he shared, "I have stayed to myself since I saw you at Salem U, and it's been torture."

Sonny wrapped his arms around Dario and pulled him close. Wanting to be more receptive to Dario, he invited Dario to be more open with him. "Tell me what's going on."

"I have been completely rejected by my mother and sister, Gabi," he shared. He couldn't say much more because it only depressed him. He just wanted to feel the warmth from holding Sonny close.

Remembering the scene when Gabi yelled at Dario at the square, Sonny understood why Dario would believe Gabi had completely rejected him, but he was confused as to how Isobel had rejected Dario completely. Pulling away from Dario for a moment, Sonny requested, "Help me understand you. What did your mom do? How did she reject you?"

In his head, Dario replayed the moment his mother turned away from him after he played the song for her. "She's never going to accept me. She's never going to accept this," he answered ambiguously.

Sonny looked directly into Dario's eyes, but Dario was clearly somewhere else. He seemed so broken and talking about it appeared to only make it worse. "Do you need a place to stay? Gabi told me you never went home last night."

Dario completely separated from Sonny and shook his head. "Is that a good idea – for me to stay with you?" he asked more to himself as he thought about the things Gabi warned him about. Remembering all the hurt he and Sonny experienced, he decided, "I will talk to you later."

Sonny stopped Dario from leaving. "It's late. Where are you going to go at this time? Just stay here."

"I'll call you," Dario shared. "Don't worry about me."

Sonny didn't let up. "How can I not worry about you, Dario? You're... I don't know what's going on here. Just stay here with me."

Dario wanted nothing more than to stay with Sonny, but he didn't want to rush into anything like he did the last time. "We... I don't want to play games with you Sonny. I want to make sure this is right. It has to be right before I can do anything. I thought I had it all figured out yesterday, but I was wrong. I think I was extremely wrong."

"Dario..." Sonny whimpered.

"I'll come back when I have the strength again," Dario declared.

Sonny gave Dario a defeated look and distanced himself emotionally from Dario once again fearing the possibility that he was making things worse for Dario. "Be careful – please."

"I will." Dario went to grab Sonny's hand, but stopped himself.

After Dario left, Sonny sat on the couch trying to figure out how he could be there for Dario without being invasive or making things worse. He liked that Dario wanted to hold him, but he feared things wouldn't work out between them in the end. Sonny hated how much not knowing hurt him.

Will walked into the apartment and didn't really pay attention to Sonny's mood. "Are T and Chad here?"

Sonny made sure to keep his thoughts and emotions in check. He felt rejected in some ways by Dario and Will. He was a little stunned with how Will seemed unfazed by the fact that this was the first time they saw each other since Will cussed him out. "They're not here. How was the party?"

"It was great actually," Will shared before returning to the reason he was home. "I didn't get to stay for the whole thing, but I think all the guys want me to rush. I had to come back because T asked me to meet him here. He said it was an emergency."

T walked in and didn't waste time making an announcement. "I'm leaving for basic training."

Will had to do a double take to make sure he heard properly. "What? What are you talking about?"

"It's not official yet," T clarified. "I made a decision though. I need to live my life, and so I have decided I am moving out of state to live with my cousin, who is in the army. He can get me the hook up there."

As Sonny remained quiet on the couch, Will moved closer to T. "You are choosing to be in the army because you can't find work here? What about finishing school and..."

"And what?" T asked dropping his hands to his sides. Clearly frustrated with the current state of his life, he said, "The army can help me finish school. I know I have your friendship, but other than that I have nothing else here."

Will didn't want to see T do this, so he thought of anything he could say to make his friend reconsider. "So does that mean you're giving up on finding Kinsey and your baby?"

T shrugged his shoulders sharing, "I am not even sure if Kinsey is still out there. No one has heard from her."

Sonny became confused and reminded T, "But the cops said her parents called them to let them know she and the baby were fine. She skipped town because my great-uncle found out her secret."

T shrugged his shoulders again. "I'm not sure I buy that because the cops also said Kinsey never opened the email your great-uncle sent her claiming he had the evidence." T turned back to Will and digressed, "I need to do this for myself. I messed up big time here, so I need a new start. I pissed off my parents for eternity, and then I really screwed up with Gabi, too."

"Your parents are the ones who really screwed up," Will acknowledged. "Gabi didn't make things easy for you either." Will gave his friend a look as if to plead for him to reconsider, and then remembered how Gabi admitted she missed T.

T got pushy with Will. "Stop doing this, Will. Remember what you said to me in your room before the masquerade ball? You reminded me that Gabi was going through a lot. I was dealing with so much, I forgot she was going through hell, too. Do you remember how hard I went off on Gabi outside of the pub?"

Will didn't want to play dumb, so he answered honestly, "How could I forget? You said some nasty things."

As Sonny fought off saying anything negative about Gabi, T admitted, "I was so hard on her because I couldn't get back at my parents. I believed I hated Gabi, but now I know better. I really regret what happened there."

"Maybe you can fix that," Will suggested still hoping he could convince T to think this decision through.

T rolled his eyes partially before stating, "It's too late for that. I need to make something of myself, and the only answer I have now is the army. I'm starting my life in a new context."

Will was not ready to let this go. "I'm sorry, T. I can't stand here and let you make this big mistake."

Sonny couldn't watch Will do this anymore. Will wanted to run away from his own problems, but he didn't want T to do something similar. "Will, I think T knows what is best for his life and can make his own decisions. T seems set on this choice, and it's unfair of you to tell him it's the wrong one."

As Will became silent to think about what Sonny said, T looked over to Sonny with a surprised look. "Thanks for the support, Sonny." Turning back to Will, he asked, "Is there any way I can get your support on this as well?"

Will was annoyed with his situation and felt he had no choice because he would want the same from his friends. "Yes," he reluctantly gave in. "You have my support. I just wish you could stay in Salem."

T gave Will a hug. "I know, man. I do, too, but I have to do this. I'm going to miss you, too."

Will held onto T even tighter.

* * *

><p>Colin sat in his office at the hospital as he began to delete some files after securing them in an undisclosed location for Maddalena. He knew it was only a matter of time before the police showed up to arrest him. He deleted the last necessary file and closed his laptop when Bo entered the room. "I have been expecting you," he said to his cousin.<p>

"Apparently, news travels fast then," Bo replied pulling out his handcuffs. "Are you going to put up a fight?"

Colin stood up from his desk and placed his hands in the air. "There's no need. I know the jig is up now. I am ready to confess my sins, cugino."

Bo gave Colin a confused look as he put his handcuffs back. "Have you been brushing up on your Italian?"

"That's not really what you want to know, is it?" Colin replied. "You want to know what I did. You want to know how and why."

Bo became suspicious of Colin. "Why are you so willing to talk about this?"

Colin knew he needed to be careful not to oversell his lies. Deciding to intertwine his lie with half-truths, he started, "I feel like I owe you an explanation since you are family. Your mother, Caroline, has been nothing but kind to me, and it made me second guess my decisions. You are aware of my predicament with André when he asked me to fake the deaths years ago. I said no because believe it or not there is some moral compass within me."

Bo remained skeptical. "Ma helped you find your morality?"

Colin lightly nodded his head. "In some ways, yes, you see – You, Roman, and Hope approached me to look out for anything involving the missing bodies around the hospital. I used our family tie and your request to get inside information for my secret employer."

"Who do you work for?"

Colin paused for a moment before revealing who his boss was. "Stefano Dimera. Stefano was jealous of the attention Will, Sami, and Abe were taking from him. He wanted Chad, EJ, and Lexie to be his – completely. He needed to get their significant others out of the way, and he needed my help to accomplish it. He needed to do something drastic and stole André's research to use for his own gain."

Bo pondered what Colin had to share for a moment before telling Colin his thoughts on everything. "This makes no sense!" he declared causing Colin to become nervous. "You said you wouldn't do it when André asked, but why do it for Stefano? André screwed you over, and you ended up on the island for years!"

Colin eased up a bit and answered, "It does make sense. First, the price was right. As you know, green is my weakness, and he offered me a lot. Second, he is Stefano Dimera. He's scarier than André, and I feared what he would do to me if I said no."

"Which brings us back to my original question," Bo said shaking his head. "Why come clean now?"

Colin shook his head at Bo. "There's so much you don't know. Just as Stefano has a complicated history with our family, Stefano and I have a very complicated history, and I am simply tired of it all. I am tired of working with an evil man who has done nothing but engineer ways to prop himself up at the expense of others. He's a user, and I don't want him to use me anymore. He's done enough damage to our family"

Bo could see truth in what Colin was saying to him. He could see the hatred he had for Stefano and wondered what Stefano did to his cousin to cause this betrayal. Bo decided to save the rest of his questions for the station. He pulled out his handcuffs and began to read Colin his Miranda Rights as he put them on. Colin smirked because things were going as planned.

* * *

><p>EJ, Sami, and Stefano met together in the main room of the Dimera mansion to discuss security in lieu of Sami's attack. "Father, I am not sure our men are doing their jobs when it comes to protecting the family. I do not understand why no one was there to make sure Samantha and the kids were safe."<p>

Stefano tried to keep things calm. "I talked to Marco earlier, and he informed me the men who were following Samantha and the kids left after she entered the pub. They have been reprimanded for their mistake."

Thinking about what Bo said to her earlier, Sami rolled her eyes. "I find it very convenient they made this mistake."

EJ realized Sami wanted to straight-out push Stefano for answers on whether he was responsible for the attack, when he was trying to do it in a more subtle way. "Samantha, we will remain cautious and make sure nothing else happens. I will stay at your side all the time if needed."

"What about your job as mayor?" Stefano questioned as Sami gave EJ a flirtatious look.

Sami broke from flirting with her husband and saw her father-in-law's question as a threat. She wondered if he hoped to isolate her from EJ to attack her once more. "It doesn't matter because there's no way I am going into hiding. I won't stop living my life because someone wants to get rid of me." Sami made sure to give Stefano a look to imply she believed he was the threat in her life.

Marco entered the room before Stefano could call Sami out on her assumption. "Mr. Dimera. I apologize. The delivery took longer than expected due to its lateness. I have news to report."

Stefano turned to Marco and impatiently responded, "Well. What is it?"

"Lexie was at the prison, and it appears she was talking to Dr. Ben Walters," he shared.

Stefano gave Marco a confused look because he didn't understand how Lexie could talk to someone in a coma. "Dr. Benjamin Walters?"

EJ was confused as well. "Why would Lexie need to talk to Walters at all?"

Stefano threw his hands in the air to dismiss the conversation. "That is not important at this moment in time. Where is my daughter now?"

"I'm right here, father," Lexie proclaimed as she entered the room with Chad.

Stefano, Sami, and EJ were surprised to see Lexie and Chad there. "Alexandra..."

Lexie interrupted her father before he could greet her with his fake kindness and love. "This is it, father. The moment of truth has finally arrived!"

EJ tried to cut in before anything got out of hand. "Lexie, what are you talking about?

Lexie ignored her brother and continued to tear into Stefano. "You had this whole time to come clean about what you did to my husband. You lied to me over and over again – your own daughter – but now the truth is out. Dr. Walters confirmed you were responsible for the organ trafficking business in the women's penitentiary. Where is Abe? Where are you keeping him? Is he alive? Let me have him!"

As Sami grabbed EJ's arm in shock over what Lexie had to say, Stefano remained quiet for a moment because he did not understand what was happening. "Alexandra," he said softly. "What have you done? I do not have Abraham. I do not have your husband because I am not responsible."

Suddenly, the doorbell began to ring fervently. Harold answered the door to find Roman standing on the other side with a group of police officers. Roman showed Harold a warrant in his hand and announced, "We have a warrant to search the house."

Harold tried to stand in the way, but the officers barged in and joined the others in the living room. Stefano became irritated as he shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Roman instructed his officers to begin their search and then replied to Stefano. "We have a warrant to search your mansion for Abe Carver. There's nothing you can do to stop us now."

EJ took the warrant from Roman to look it over while Sami and Chad stepped back to watch from the fireplace. Marco decided to leave to make sure they had their bases covered on everything being hidden after Stefano motioned his head to him.

Lexie walked over to Roman. "Let me help you find my husband."

Roman held Lexie at bay. "Let us do our job. We will find him."

Bo arrived next with another warrant. "Stefano Dimera, we have a warrant for your arrest."

Stefano did not feel like he needed to worry. "I have done nothing wrong. You have nothing on me."

EJ looked at Bo's warrant and could see his was legit as well. Turning to his father, he offered, "Don't fret over this. Things will be fixed and sorted out. I will get you released before midnight."

Sami freaked out when Bo began to read Stefano the Miranda Rights and said to EJ, "I am going to check on the kids before anyone goes upstairs to scare them."

After Sami headed up the stairs, Chad went over to Lexie in shock. He hoped all of this was a bad dream. "Lexie, how can you be so sure that father is responsible?"

"It makes perfect sense," Lexie answered.

An officer walked up to Roman and informed him they couldn't find the entrance into the basement. Roman turned to Stefano and asked, "Will you please tell us how we can get to your basement?" Roman figured it was a long shot getting answers from Stefano, so he called Hope in through a receiver.

Hope walked into the mansion with Ric in cuffs. She asked him, "How do we get into the basement?"

Stefano looked at Ricardo and wondered how he would be able to answer Hope's question. "This is ludicrous," he commented feeling like a victim. He was not worried about the police searching through his basement because he had it cleared out and Rolf moved a long time ago.

"I can show you," Ric answered. He had been told how to enter the basement from Colin.

EJ became frustrated by everything that was happening. In anger, he turned towards his sister because she was hurting the family. "Do you really hate us all this much to make us go through this scrutiny? You should have come to me or someone else! Why didn't you share any of this information with me? Why are you doing this?"

Lexie gave her brother an unbothered look. "I had to keep everything surface level with you for a while because I knew if I had come to you about this, you would have tried to talk me out of it. Then we never would find Abe."

EJ glanced at Chad and wondered if he felt the same way. "I thought things were getting better between us. Father told us last night he was not responsible."

Chad felt lost. "I don't know what to believe anymore," he admitted.

Lexie stood between EJ and Chad, so EJ could focus on her again. "Stop blinding yourself! You claim to be your own man, but father has pulled one over you and is only using you! Abe is here in this house! I know it!"

EJ shook his head at his sister. "I know you are hurting, but Abe is not here because father had nothing to do with what happened to Abe, William, or Samantha!"

As Chad shot EJ a questioning look, an officer rushed in and declared, "We've found something!"

Roman, who stood next to Stefano and his brother, turned towards the officer and asked, "What did you find?"

"We found Abe's body in the basement," he shared causing everyone to go into distress.

EJ stepped back feeling as though he had been shot through the chest. He couldn't even look at his father in the eyes. He turned to look at his sister and closed his eyes in anguish. How could he have missed all of this?

Lexie tried to head for the basement, but Chad held her back. He thought about how the officer said 'body', and that made him think of the worse. He held Lexie close and realized he shouldn't be surprised by this at all. He remembered Maddalena telling him that Stefano held Marlena, Will's grandmother, hostage many times. He looked to his father and glared at him with sadness and disappointment. His father had betrayed them all.


	68. Chapter 68 Away From Here, Pt 1

**Chapter 68: Away From Here, Part 1 – Wednesday, January 25th, 2012**

Life had altered. Morning came, and everything was quiet. EJ sat alone at his father's desk in the living room of the Dimera mansion. He poured himself another glass of whiskey to ease his thoughts and to relieve the pain he felt in his heart. His cell phone began to ring loudly – at least to him – but he chose to ignore it. He had ignored it all morning because he didn't have the energy to pick up or do anything.

The shock from the night before hadn't completely settled within him. What happened still seemed so unclear to EJ because he truly believed his father was innocent. A part of him continued to believe it even with the evidence found in the basement. He remembered a moment when he overheard his father talking to someone in prison. When he confronted his father about the call, Stefano dismissed his question and changed the subject. EJ realized Stefano must have called someone to make sure Dr. Walters remained in a coma to cover his bases. The signs were really pointing to Stefano's guilt in everything.

EJ turned to the daily calendar on the desk and noted it was still on yesterday's date. Feeling like he needed to accomplish one thing, he decided to change it to the real date. It was Wednesday, January 25th, 2012. "The twenty-fifth," he said in a quiet whisper. Lowering his glass onto the desk, and wiping his face with his left hand, he realized, "Sydney's birthday is in three days. This will ruin everything for her."

EJ turned his head when he heard heels entering the room. He quickly turned his face away when he saw it was his Samantha. He felt foolish and knew his current state was not what his family needed at the moment.

Sami hated seeing EJ so distraught and disheartened. Keeping some distance, she clasped her hands in front of her and shared, "The kids are with Lucas and Celeste. Theo is still unaware that Abe has been found."

EJ remained quiet.

Sami moved in closer to her husband. "EJ, you need to say something because I want to help you with whatever you're thinking and feeling."

"I'm shocked and disappointed," he shared somberly. That is all he wanted to say, but once he opened his mouth, he found he could not stop. "I feel blind and stupid for not seeing what my sister saw. When I found Lexie outside of the mayor's office, she hypothesized Abe could be in the basement. I mentally laughed off the thought, but she was right this entire time. It all makes sense now when I reflect on it all. He put guards on every one of us – guards he could control. As you mentioned last night, it was very convenient for him. He could attack you and William when he needed."

Innocence came back to EJ's mind only confusing his feelings and thoughts. He continued, "I should be at the station trying to get my father out, but I also should be at the hospital supporting my sister. I feel so trapped because I am also the mayor of Salem."

Sami interjected, "When Abe wakes up, you won't be tied to the office of mayor anymore."

"That's not certain," EJ opposed. "Abe looked horrible last night when they brought him out of the basement. I'm not even sure he will wake up or what father has done to him."

Sami wondered if talking about something else would help EJ get out of his thoughts. "I guess our mission to fool Azzura into thinking she was coming between us is pointless now."

EJ finally turned his body to Sami wondering why she felt the need to talk about Azzura. "I suppose you're right. She saved your life from my father's double agent. I can't believe he is responsible for everything. He was making his own sister sick. He told me she was the threat. He lied to my face and told me I needed to watch out for her."

Realizing her plan backfired, she decided to encourage EJ instead. "I know you will do the right thing regardless. You have a perfectly grey heart, EJ. I believe in you and will stand by you no matter what."

EJ took Sami's hand and kissed it. "It's possible because of you, Samantha. It truly is."

Sami helped EJ stand up from the chair and suggested, "We should do something besides just sitting here."

EJ nodded his head gaining strength from touching Sami as Marco entered the room. "Mr. Dimera, something needs to be done swiftly to get your father out of jail. I know he had nothing to do with what happened. Azzura..."

EJ grabbed his head with his left hand and stretched out his right hand to make Marco stop talking. "No more, please. I don't want to hear it. There's nothing I can do to help my father. I want you to continue your focus on security and leave Azzura alone. Enough damage has been done to the family due to the secrecy, spying, and slander."

Marco slightly bowed his head to EJ and walked out. He knew he would have to do something to help Stefano due to Stefano's situation.

Sami took EJ's right hand and lowered it. "We will be okay, EJ. We have each other."

EJ looked into Sami's eyes hoping she was right.

* * *

><p>Lexie sat on one side of her husband's hospital bed while Daniel supervised Colin to make sure he did not do anything harmful to Abe. Lexie tried to keep her eyes on Abe, but she glanced at Colin a few times to make sure he knew she would hold him responsible if Abe didn't come through. She could not believe Colin was their only option to bring Abe back to consciousness.<p>

Maxine and Melanie entered the room to help with Colin's instructions. Maxine made sure her gloves were on correctly as she commented disapprovingly, "Dr. Murphy, I once found you extremely attractive, but I take it all back now – even with your accent."

Daniel remembered questioning whether Colin worked for the Dimeras after what Brady said at the Cheatin' Heart. He felt bad for Lexie because she actually vouched for him when he and Jennifer asked about Colin. He wished he never befriended him.

Outside of the room, Jen crossed her arms tightly around her stomach as she moved closer to Nathan. She felt a chill come over her as she reflected on what was revealed the night before. "I cannot believe Colin is in there because he may be the only person who can help Abe. Can we really trust him to do the right thing?"

Nathan knew they had no other choice. "Daniel will make sure he doesn't cause more harm to Abe. After Abe is better, Colin will be gone. He's on borrowed time."

Jennifer shook her head. "I knew he was up to no good. He should have never been rescued from that island. He pretty much replaced Ben Walters with the organ trafficking business for Stefano and was running tests on Abe and Will." Jennifer turned her attention towards the room the others were in wishing she had investigated Colin more when she found out he was alive and back at the hospital. She then reminded herself that was part of her old life – the part she had to leave behind. "I wonder what other secrets he's keeping."

Lexie walked out for a moment for some air and to give Daniel, Maxine, and Melanie some space to help Abe. Spotting Jennifer and Nathan, she walked over. "I am so happy I have my husband back, but a part of me feels guilty for turning a blind eye to Colin. He and my father had Abe this entire time."

Jen placed her hand on Lexie's shoulder. "Colin only pretended to be clueless about life in Salem when he arrived to work here again. He fooled us all."

Lexie shook her head as she thought about everything that Colin did at the hospital. She had vouched for Colin to Azzura and told her Maddalena was in good hands. She felt responsible for allowing Colin to make her aunt's health even worse. "I can't stand out here and leave my husband alone with that monster even if Daniel, Maxine, and Melanie are in there. Please say a prayer for Abe." After Jen nodded her head, Lexie walked past the guard outside of Abe's hospital room and walked in.

Jack rushed out of the elevator to Jennifer. Noting the cop outside of the hospital room, he asked, "Jen, is he in there? I'm hoping for an exclusive."

Jennifer assumed Jack was asking about Abe. "The media is not allowed into that room to see Abe at all. If you're here for work and don't have anything to say pertaining to the family, you may as well leave."

Nathan stood back as Jack spoke with desperation, "I want to talk to Colin. I want answers because I believe Colin may be connected to the reason I was stuck in Italy. He may be responsible for keeping me away from you."

Daniel walked out of the room with Colin. The cop guarding the door quickly put Colin into cuffs. Daniel informed the officer, "He claims he has done what he can for now. You can take him back to his office for holding until we need him again." Looking around, Daniel noted Jennifer and Jack standing next to each other.

Colin noticed a look in Daniel's eyes and smiled when he was closer to Jack and Jennifer. "Well if it isn't the disastrous super couple, Jack and Jen. Fancy seeing you two together. I know it's a rare sight."

Before the cop could take Colin away, Jack rushed up to Colin to ask him a question. "I need to talk to you!" he demanded.

The cop held Jack back. "Get out of my way, sir. You don't want to get into trouble, do you?"

Jen rushed over and pulled Jack back. "You will get your answers, Jack. It won't help anyone if you're arrested."

Daniel watched Jen and Jack together before stepping in as well. "Jen's right. I know Colin is not a good guy, but the hospital can't afford to add more to the problems we're already having. You don't want to give Jen more paperwork to do, do you?"

Jack backed off and sneered at Colin. "I will get my answers."

"So will everyone else," Colin stated giving Jack a menacing smile as the cop hauled him back to his office.

With Colin gone, Jennifer quickly turned to Jack. "Just so you know, everything that you hear or see here is off the record!"

Nathan joined them and asked Daniel, "How is Abe?"

"It's really hard to tell at this point," Daniel answered trying to remain professional with Nathan. "Colin has explained some of what he is doing to get Abe to wake up, but I am not exactly sure what Stefano hired him to do in the first place. Lexie, of course, is a mess, but she has managed to explain some things as well. She's done her research."

Jennifer took Daniel's hand and gave him a hopeful smile. "I am sure Abe will wake up with your help."

Daniel felt awkward about Jen holding his hand. He replied, "If Abe wakes up, it will be all him. I don't know how he's holding on through all of this."

Nathan thought about how Daniel accused him of not loving Melanie. He saw this as an opportunity to set things straight. "He's holding on because of his love for Lexie. If you love someone, you never want to let them go."

Unfortunately, Nathan's words only made things more awkward for Daniel, Jen, and Jack. Daniel let go of Jen's hand and said, "I should get back in there. I'll keep you all updated at a later time. We should all get back to work."

Since most of the hospital staff was focused on Abe's situation, Dario was able to sneak past a few nurses to enter his mother's room, which was closed to all visitors. It was the first time he had entered the room since he poured his heart to her only to be rejected. The feeling from that moment still weighed him down, and he felt somewhat relieved when he saw Isobel's eyes were closed.

Slowly walking towards her, Dario noticed there was a pad of paper and a pen on the table next to her bed. He didn't give it much thought because he had seen it before and wanted to say a few things to his mother while he had the chance. Grabbing the chair in the corner, he pulled it next to his mother's side so he could sit down.

Dario ran his hands through his hair debating how he should say what he needed his mother to hear. Placing his hand on his mother's arm, he began to shake it to wake her up, but she didn't budge. "Mama," he let out softly hoping she would react to his voice. Nothing. Removing his hand, he leaned back in the chair to think for a moment. Maybe he heard the nurses correctly. His mother had slipped into a coma.

At first, this seemed to be a roadblock for Dario. He needed Isobel to hear him out and accept him, but he then figured he needed to make most of the situation they were in. Burying his face in his hands for a moment, he let out a sigh of frustration. He didn't want his mother to steal his heart away when she died. He couldn't have that. Lifting his head, he finally began to speak. "Mama, I am so unsatisfied with life – with us! They say a mother's love is never ending, but now I see your love is conditional. This is not how it's supposed to be!"

Tears fell down Dario's face as he began to fall apart in front of a woman he loved so dearly. "You are standing in my way, Mama! You claim you want to see me happy, but you're standing in my way! I must be foolish or something because I still want to make you proud. I want you to love me because you are important to me! I just want your love in return. I only need your love to survive this life."

Dario became mute for a moment as his eyes studied Isobel's face. He desperately wanted a response from her. He wanted to see her loving eyes. He needed to hear the soothing voice he grew up hearing anytime something went wrong. Recognizing he would not get it, he retained, "When I approached you in Enchanted almost two weeks ago, I wanted to be completely honest with you before you died. I lost my way for a while after, and maybe you didn't want to hear a song about it, but you need to know me, Mama. You need to know I'm not perfect. I'm screwed up. I'm gay… and I'm still your son."

* * *

><p>After hearing a knock, Nicole opened the door of her room at Salem Inn to let Brady in but didn't bother greeting him because she needed to return to her packing. Brady noticed the urgency Nicole was in commenting, "It looks like you're leaving Salem. Is Brandon here?"<p>

Nicole didn't bother looking at Brady as she placed her final pair of shoes into a bag. "Brandon won't be here for some time. I'm leaving because I ran into Colin yesterday at the hospital, and there's no way I am staying here another day if he's working at the hospital. Brandon can talk to Lexie personally."

Brady stopped Nicole from packing anymore by grabbing her arms to hold her still. "Have you not turned on your TV or heard the news?"

"I don't have time for that," Nicole shared trying to wiggle her body from Brady's grasp. "I woke up this morning after a horrible nightmare featuring Dr. Lowlife. Colin is a cockroach that will never die. He got under my skin, and I don't want to allow that to happen again."

Brady pulled Nicole closer so she would stop fighting him. "You seemed fine with him when we escaped Melaswen, but that doesn't matter now anyway. Colin is not going to be a problem because he has been arrested. He's in trouble."

Nicole stopped struggling finally and relaxed her body. "Trouble? What kind of trouble?"

"According to what my grandfather found out, he helped Stefano Dimera hold Abe Carver hostage," Brady answered. "It's all out in the open, so now you have no reason to leave Salem."

Nicole managed to pull herself from Brady since he relaxed as well. "I should probably set the record straight Brady. I'm leaving Salem at some point anyway. My return here was never meant to be a permanent one, and if it's true that they have found Abe, my reasons for even being here cease to exist."

Brady placed his hands on his hips as he argued, "I thought one of the reasons you came back was to check on me. Have you gotten enough entail on me to satisfy your curiosity?"

"What are we doing here, Brady?" Nicole asked frantically. "We are not lovers. We aren't even really friends. Why is it so important to you that I stay in Salem?"

"I don't want you to leave," Brady professed.

Nicole looked at Brady like he had lost his mind. She headed for the closet and began to pack her things once again. "I don't even know what to do with that, Brady. What does that mean? What do you want from me?"

Brady remained calm as he tried to explain himself. "Honestly, I'm not sure what that means, but seeing you again has been a pleasant surprise. After what happened with Arianna, I thought seeing you again would infuriate me, but instead I want to be around you."

Nicole stopped packing again and turned to Brady to make sure she heard him clearly. Taking caution, she kept her distance from him. "A pleasant surprise? You want to be around me?" Brady nodded his head causing Nicole to move closer to him. She remembered Arianna stating that Brady was always hers, but she continued to doubt that. "You miss the sex. Is that what's got you all hot and bothered?"

Brady began to distance himself now. "I am not sure it would be wise for me to answer that question because it could lead to things happening that probably would not benefit either of us — at least not in the long run. If we got together, it would be due to loneliness."

Nicole was suddenly in the mood. "We've done it before. Why let that bother us now?"

Brady shook his head feeling guilty for pulling Nicole back in. "I don't want that in my life anymore. I want something that actually means something. We both deserve something like that."

Nicole turned away slightly embarrassed by how she threw herself at Brady. "Yeah, maybe you deserve that, but I don't. I've done too much."

Brady dropped his hands to his side wanting to rescue Nicole from herself, but he refrained. "I'm willing to offer my friendship if you want it."

Nicole smiled but made sure she stopped before turning to Brady. "We'll see what happens."

Wanting to ease the uncomfortable vibe in the room by moving on, Brady suggested, "How about we start by grabbing coffee or tea."

Nicole looked at her suitcase and realized how much of a mess all of her clothes were. "I'm game. I could use a nice hot cup of green tea to help me completely relax from the stress I've felt since yesterday."

* * *

><p>Outside of the Dimera guesthouse, Sonny arrived and knocked on the door. He reflected on his interaction with Dario the night before and hoped Dario returned there to stay the night. When Arianna answered the door, Sonny greeted her and asked, "Is Dario here? I have a break between classes, and I want to talk to him."<p>

"Dario isn't here," Arianna answered as Manny joined her.

Sonny eyed Manny before asking, "Do you know where he is? I haven't seen him since last night."

Manny leaned against the door post and answered this time. "We have no idea where Dario is. We haven't seen him for the past two days."

"You saw him yesterday? How did he seem to you?" Arianna asked with concern for her brother. She didn't know what to think since she hadn't seen Dario for so long. Her fears got the best of her over the last few days.

Sonny looked down and kicked the doormat with his right foot. "He doesn't seem too good. He said something about being rejected by your mother and Gabi."

Arianna shook her head in disappointment. Manny pulled himself from the doorpost and gave Sonny a serious look. "My sister and I have been trying to fix this, but it's been more difficult than it should be. Dario really needs you right now because of it. You need to get him away from everything because his judgment is clouded. His life is being weighed down by all the negative, and I think you may be the only positive in his life right now. Arianna and I are not enough for him."

Sonny felt an overwhelming pressure come over him. "I'm not sure if I can do that for him," he admitted. "Dario has tried to come to me, but he keeps running away. It's like you said – he can't trust his judgment, and I am not sure I can trust mine. Don't misunderstand. I want to help him, but I don't know if I can."

"You might be the only one who can help him," Arianna shared. "You are the one who saw him last. Obviously, you are important enough for him to approach you because Dario has avoided us completely. I am begging you to not push him away or keep him at a distance. I don't want to lose Dario, and I don't think you want to lose him either."

Sonny knew he couldn't say no because he noted the desperation in Arianna's and Manny's voices. "I'll try to find him and do whatever I can to help him – if he wants it."

"Thanks," Manny exclaimed after a deep breath. Arianna echoed Manny's sentiments. "If you need anything or if something comes up, please call. We don't expect you to save our brother alone."

Sonny nodded his head and walked off.

Arianna closed the door wondering if she and Manny put too much pressure on Sonny. "I know Dario and Sonny really care for each other, but I wonder if now's the time to push them together. Dario is going through so much, and it looks like Sonny is as well."

"We're all going through a lot," Manny argued before calling his sister out on her own situation. "Are you pushing Marco away because of what is happening to Mama?"

Arianna decided to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Manny shook his head at his sister. "I know you have a thing for Marco. I remember the looks you traded with him when I went to the mansion to thank EJ for pulling strings to get me out to see Mama at the end of December."

"Honestly, Manuel. I'd rather not talk about it," Arianna stated. She thought about how Marco said he wanted to come clean about Azzura. She wondered what that truth was, but she didn't want to give her brother the opportunity to continue talking about him. "We should focus on us as a family since Mama will be gone soon."

Manny gave Arianna a look of annoyance. "That is exactly what I am doing. Your life is a part of our family. I want to make sure you're not keeping yourself from happiness the same way Gabi and Dario are."

"Manuel," Arianna started. "It's sweet you want us to be happy, but I hope you are keeping a close eye on yourself. You should be happy as well." Arianna walked off and began to clean the table.

Manny watched her unsure of what to do.

* * *

><p>In one of the interrogation rooms at the Police Station, Roman sat across from Ric to see if he could get more information from him on his involvement in the missing bodies' case. "I know you said a lot to Detective Hope Brady at Maddalena Dimera's home, but I wanted to make sure we covered all of our bases with what you know. You have been cooperative so far, so it's my hope you can continue this trend."<p>

Ric remained silent and watched Roman intently.

Roman continued, "You told Detective Brady that you were working for Stefano and fooled his sister into thinking you worked for her. How did you get involved with all of this? Did Stefano approach you?"

Ric remained stationary for a moment before moving his hands onto the table. "Stefano is an evil man, and he forced my hand," he finally let out. That is all he planned on saying for the moment because he knew Maddalena and Azzura had truly screwed him over because they allowed the cops to find his knife. He needed to take care of himself and even though Colin promised he would get him out of this mess once they framed Stefano, he knew at this point he couldn't count on that either.

Roman waited for a moment to see if Ric would say anymore. "He forced your hand? How did he do so? Does he have some sort of leverage on you?"

Ric kept his mouth shut and moved his eyes to the bottom left corner of the table.

Roman left his frustration within himself so he wouldn't seem out of control in front of Ric. "Mr. Fattore. I thought you were going to cooperate. You said Stefano forced your hand. Don't you want to get back at him for what he's done to you?"

Ric remained in place wishing he could get back at Maddalena and Azzura for the games they played on him. Things looked bleak and he feared he wouldn't get to escape Salem to live the future he had planned for since Ignazio betrayed him. Raising his eyes to Roman, he removed his hands from the table and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't going to say anymore.

As Roman continued to question Ric, Bo and Hope crossed each other looking across the table to where Stefano sat alone in a different interrogation room. "We have enough information on you to put you away, so you should just be upfront about everything," Bo warned. Even though he was happy they finally had a reason to lock Stefano up, he hated that Stefano continued to play the clueless card. "I know how you work, Stefano. You usually like to reveal your mastermind through some big spectacle and make a big exit, but that's not going to happen this time. Just give in and come clean."

Stefano simply shook his head and stated, "You think you have something, but the truth is you have nothing. I am innocent, and this is a joke."

Hope decided to take a seat across from Stefano. Folding her arms on the table, she shared, "We have more than one source that's telling us you did this. We know you are the real boss of the organ trafficking business that occurred in the women's penitentiary. It's only a matter of time until we find out how you orchestrated Dr. Walter's attack and how you managed to keep him in a comatose state. You should just make this easier on yourself."

Stefano shook his head knowing he was guilty of the organ trafficking business and for putting Ben in a coma to make sure he didn't talk. He was disappointed in himself for making such a monumental mistake. He never expected Lexie to step in and help the doctor wake up from his coma. Even though he knew something was coming his way, he was not prepared for everything to fall on him. He had been too distracted with other things. Wanting to hide his guilt, he threw an accusation back to Bo and Hope. "No. You want me to do your job and make things easier for you, but that is not going to happen because as I have informed you thousands of times before: I am innocent."

Bo struggled with patience and traded a glance with his wife. "We found Abe in your basement. How do you explain that?"

"I want to know the answer to that question as well," Stefano stated in an arrogant tone. He didn't know how Abe ended up in his basement and questioned how long Abe had been in there. He knew the odds were stacked against him, but he knew he couldn't give real answers to Bo and Hope. "I know you think I am guilty detectives, so you don't need me to answer your questions. In your eyes, I am already guilty of everything that is wrong in your world."

Hope noted how restless Bo was because Stefano wasn't cooperating at all. She knew Stefano had a point because of all the history between them. She couldn't ignore all the years Stefano stole from her life when he took her from Ernesto after Ernesto faked her death. "You are innocent until proven guilty," she maintained. "There is a lot of evidence stacked against you, so if you're innocent you need to talk and tell us what is going on. If there is someone else who is responsible, you might know who would frame you." After taking a deep breath, Hope turned to her husband to see if he was with her on her direction of the conversation. She and Bo had talked prior about how it was possible that Stefano could only be guilty for certain aspects of the case they were working on.

Bo tried one last time to get Stefano to open up about everything by giving him the benefit of the doubt – as hard as it was. "When we started investigating Abe's disappearance we contemplated many angles on why Abe was attacked. We wondered if his attack and kidnapping were connected to the missing bodies' case first. We wondered if someone attacked Abe to rob him, but when they realized who he was, they took Abe to get rid of all the evidence. Then we wondered if Abe's attack and kidnapping was a message to us, the police force, to stop our investigation into the missing bodies' case. We found Abe in your basement, and you are the only one who can tell us why he was in there."

Tired of the conversation going in circles, Stefano announced, "I won't say anything more until I have representation. You might as well take me back to my cell until then."

Hope turned to Bo and sighed. Pulling him from the table to talk quietly in the corner, she shared, "It doesn't matter at this point. We have too much here for him to be able to get bail. We can wait another day."

Bo gave in and escorted Stefano out with his wife. On their way to the holding cells, they ran into Kate, who was waiting for them. He informed her, "Kate, you know you're not supposed to be back here."

Kate ignored Bo and quickly informed her husband, "I have tried to contact EJ. He should have been here by now, but he's not picking up my calls."

Hope and Bo tried to push Stefano by to stop his conversation with Kate. "Keep moving."

Stefano kept his face forward but still managed to respond to Kate. "If you cannot get through to EJ, call my personal lawyer and tell him to send me his best team."

Kate watched as Stefano disappeared with Bo and Hope into the area where the holding cells were. She couldn't believe this was happening and wished she had been there when it all went down. She decided to head back to the mansion hoping she would be able to get through to EJ there. Someone needed to get Stefano out of this mess.

* * *

><p>Chad and Will sat at a table in the Brady Pub trying to escape the media circus revolving around Stefano's arrest. Will could see it had taken a toll on Chad and wanted to do his best to help him focus on something else. "I haven't heard back from Kappa yet, but then again, I don't think it would be a good idea to step foot on campus to find out."<p>

Chad nodded his head feeling frustrated about the situation he was in. "Yeah, my professors understand I had to skip today even though I have skipped so much already. They know I am good at catching up and putting in the work, but I think with all my absences I will have to do some independent study to catch up in all my classes now. I hope I can pull this off."

Will could see the conversation about school seemed to distract Chad from what happened to his father somewhat. "I will be here to help you. We are in this together, Chad."

Chad watched as Will grabbed his hand and grew concerned. "Will, I really messed up with putting my trust in my dad at all. He has this way of getting to me and making me believe things about him, when I know better."

Will hated that Chad returned to feeling bad about what Stefano was responsible for. "Chad, I am okay now, so we don't have to worry about it. If your dad is responsible for the attacks, then we don't have to worry about being safe anymore. I know this is hard for you because your dad – even if you haven't known him that long – is still important to you. You want to make him proud."

Chad reflected on his Strength dream and thought about how he believed the beast represented Stefano. With the truth coming out about his father's guilt, he doubted he would ever have a real relationship with him. The fact discouraged him more than he thought it would previously when he planned on leaving Salem with Will. "I'm glad you weren't there with me last night. It's good you were at the Kappa house all night. Things at my father's mansion were intense."

Will gave Chad a sad look as he remembered where he was instead. "I wish I was there with you, Chad."

Ignazio walked down the stairs when Chelsea came out of the back. Spotting Chad and Will he asked, "How long have they been here?"

Chelsea could feel the darkness that seemed to surround Chad. "They've been here for a while. They were here before I even came in for work. I don't think Chad has gotten much sleep since last night."

Ignazio couldn't believe Stefano had been arrested, but the fact that he didn't know how it all went down and if his grandmother was involved bothered him more. He wondered how Colin and Ric got thrown into the mix because he didn't believe for a second that Colin and Ric worked for Stefano. "Maybe we should go say hi."

Chelsea noted Ignazio seemed to want her to tag along. She wondered if he felt uncomfortable having to talk to Chad about his situation alone and wanted to use her as a buffer. "Sure."

Ignazio and Chelsea walked up in time to hear Chad say, "My father truly is an evil man."

"My father was an evil man, too," Ignazio shared wanting to relate with Chad in this. Noting he had startled Chad, he said in a calm tone, "Do not worry, Chad. It is your cugino."

Chad had a weird feeling come over him due to what Ignazio had just said. It sounded so familiar, but he couldn't place it. "Are you two going to join us?"

Ignazio moved a chair, so Chelsea could take a seat next to him. Chelsea gladly took the seat, but wondered if she should get back to work. "Did you ever know your dad?" she asked Ignazio.

Ignazio felt uncomfortable opening up about André. "I never got to meet the man, so I only know what others have told me. He lived a horrible life from what I understand and toyed with a lot of people." Eyeing Chad, he added, "My nonna told me he was not like that as a kid, but things did not work in his favor."

Chad remembered talking to Maddalena about Stefano and André. "I remember Maddalena saying she regretted how she handled André." Chad decided not to share what his father told him about how Maddalena rejected André for being gay because he wasn't sure if it was true. He questioned if his father only told him that story to cause tension between him and Will.

Ignazio nodded his head wondering what Chad knew of the situation involving Maddalena, André, and André's lover. "We all make decisions in life that define who we are. It seems both of our fathers made very poor decisions, and now they are paying for it."

Chelsea looked down as her thoughts went to her little brother Zack. She commented, "But there is such a thing as redemption. Not everyone chooses it, but I think it is possible for anyone to come back from an evil life."

"It is too late for my father," Ignazio commented, "but maybe it is not too late for me."

Will gave Ignazio a suspicious look as he remembered what Hope told him about Ric and Ignazio at the police station the day before. Knowing now that Ric was responsible, he wondered if Ignazio was connected to the attacks as well. "What have you done?"

Chad stepped in and claimed, "I think I know what this is about. You knew about what happened to Abe because of your tie with Ricardo, didn't you?"

Ignazio could see the disappointment in Chad's and Will's eyes. He could also sense the shock from Chelsea. He shook his head as he admitted, "I did not know everything exactly, but I knew something happened. I feel like a fool because I did not know Ricardo was working for Stefano the entire time. I knew his loyalties did not lie completely with my family. He betrayed us, and I tried my best to fix things. I approached him about it yesterday when you found us together, Chad. That is why Ricardo was on edge. I told him to come clean with whatever he had done. I am sorry I tried to do this on my own. Maybe Abe would have been found sooner, and the attacks on Will and Sami would have never occurred. I suppose I wanted to prove myself."

Chelsea grabbed Ignazio's attention by giving him an empathic look. "We all make mistakes, Ignazio. The truth is out now, and Abe has been found so maybe it worked."

Will felt bad for thinking Ignazio could be involved in what happened to him, his mother, and Abe. "Ignazio, you have been a true friend, and you did what you thought was best. I hope you know I don't blame you for what happened to me." Will wanted to say more, but his body tensed up from the mere mention of his attack.

"Chelsea and Will are right," Chad followed up. "I knew something was happening with you during our time in Colorado. You struggled with big decisions like all of us. I hope you know you are not your father. You are a better man."

Ignazio looked away from everyone due to the guilt that filled him. Although he would never compare himself to André for reasons that were obvious to him, he did feel like a hypocrite. To collect himself, he reminded himself that Will and Chad decided to be homosexuals, and their life choice only brought destruction. "Thanks. I hope you all know how much I appreciate you."

Will spotted Gabi walking out from the back and reflected on the things T said to him the night before. He excused himself from the table and met up with her next to the bar. "Hey Gabi. Do you have a moment?"

Gabi placed her hand on the bar. Even though she had decided to push everyone away again, she gave Will a nod and said, "Yeah. What's up?"

Will grabbed the back of his neck feeling somewhat guilty about what he was about to do. "I told T I wouldn't say anything to you, but I thought you should know anyway."

Gabi's curiosity peaked. "Tell me what?"

Will truly believed Gabi could be the one to stop T from making one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He knew T would be upset with him for talking to Gabi, but he figured T would thank him in the end. "There's so much you don't know. T had a falling out with his parents because of the Kinsey situation. They pretty much disowned him after we returned from Colorado when he told them he got Kinsey pregnant. That's why he was so stressed when you broke up with him."

"They disowned him?" Gabi questioned as she reflected on her break up with T outside of the pub.

Will nodded his head. "Yeah, they kicked him out of the house. That's why he's been at my place since we got back. He thought he would be able to attend school, but his father pulled some strings as the dean to make sure all of his financial aid was taken away. T can't go to Salem U and can't find a job anywhere."

Gabi shook her head as she processed T's situation. "He could work here," she suggested.

"Not really," Will countered. "You work here, and even though I'm pretty sure he still has feelings for you, he would rather avoid you because of how screwed up his life is."

Gabi took a deep breath understanding now why T was so hateful towards her. "Well, that might all change anyway. Tell T I will be okay if he works here."

Will dropped his arm from his neck sharing, "I would, but he's not listening to me. You have to do it – today!"

"Today?" Gabi said feeling rushed. She had this sick feeling come over her as she thought about how she messed up with T. "Why does it need to happen today, and what makes you think that I should be the one to tell him?"

Will began to doubt telling Gabi would give him the desired outcome, but he decided to give Gabi one more push. "T is flying out tonight for good. He's going to join the army, and he's set on going. Don't you still care about him? You said you missed him the last time we talked."

Will's question rushed through Gabi's whole body as she took a step back. She didn't even have to think about it. "I do," she admitted. "I still have feelings for T, but I don't know if I want to go there again. I messed up the first time when I told him I couldn't be his girlfriend because I did that to focus on my family. I wanted to help him deal with the Kinsey situation, but Mama needed my complete focus. That's why I broke up with him. I hurt him when he needed me most, but I couldn't be with him. I couldn't be what he needed. He won't take me back – I hurt him too much."

"You have to try before he throws his life away," Will pleaded.

Gabi no longer wanted to have this conversation because she didn't like the feeling of being pushed into something. Looking over to the table where Chad and Chelsea were, she said, "I don't know, Will. I told your great-grandma I would grab Chelsea for her, and she's probably wondering what's taking me so long. I'll think about it."

Will followed Gabi to the table figuring there was nothing else he could say. It frustrated him that Gabi was able to turn off her emotions so quickly. She wasn't the same person he used to know. While Gabi told Chelsea that Caroline needed her in the back, he noticed Ignazio was now gone. After Gabi and Chelsea left, Will took a seat again and asked, "Where did Ignazio go?"

Chad gave Will a weird look. "You didn't see him walk past you to head upstairs? What were you and Gabi talking about?"

"Nothing," Will said, but then shared, "T's leaving today. I can't believe he's leaving Salem."

Chad couldn't respond to Will because a realization crossed his mind. "What's today's date?" he asked suddenly as he grabbed his cell phone. Seeing it was the 25th of January, he exclaimed, "Grace's birthday is coming up. I cannot believe I forgot. I need to do something special for her."

Will grabbed Chad's hand wondering why Chad was freaking out when Grace's birthday was on Saturday. "I forgot, too. Do you want to head to the cemetery?"

Chad nodded his head and stood up from the table after putting a tip down. "I want to stop by and get flowers on the way. I'm not going to be a bad dad like my father. I'm going to visit her more and tell her about my day."

As Chad and Will headed for the door, Ezra walked in. "Horton, I thought you would be here."

Will was surprised to see Ezra. "You're looking for me?"

Ignoring Chad, Ezra pulled out an envelope from his back pocket. "Yeah, I wanted to give this to you personally. You are now officially a Kappa Sigma rusher."

Will took the envelope and opened it. He gave Chad and Ezra a surprised look as he questioned, "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Ezra laughed. "I know you have family matters to attend to, but you will do your rush later on a more personal level."

Chad's left eyebrow raised as Will continued to look over the invitation. "Personal level?"

Will didn't give Ezra a chance to explain as he thanked Ezra. "This really means a lot. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't," Ezra said through a smile. "I'll see you around, Horton."

* * *

><p>Maddalena and Azzura sat across from each other in Maddalena's office. Both were deep in thought about the sacrifices made for the sake of their plan to bring veracity and integrity back into the Dimera name. Azzura placed her pointing finger on her cheek and broke the silence. "We have lost Colin and Ric thanks to some unplanned complications. What is our next move?"<p>

Maddalena turned her head to the curtains. She questioned if she should open them to bring some light into the darkness in her office. "Ricardo was always a sacrifice we intended on when we changed our plans, but Colin was not. He took that sacrifice for our cause. We will have to discover a way to get Colin out eventually, but in the meantime we should be glad because we have Stefano, EJ, and Lexie where we want them."

Azzura read Maddalena's mind, stood up, and opened the curtains. "We do not have EJ exactly where we need him," she confessed. "He is still with Sami, but the aftermath of Sami's attack made me realize another way to separate them."

"There is no rush at the moment," Maddalena said as her eyes adjusted to the light coming through the windows. She then instructed, "We need to remain careful since we know now the cops were looking at us as possible suspects. We have EJ suspicious of his father, and that is all that matters at the moment."

Azzura crossed back over to Maddalena. "Signora, what do you want to do about Chad? He is still in Salem."

"We have more important things to deal with," Maddalena identified. "I think everything will fall into place where Chad is concerned, so there's no need to worry about him."

Azzura wondered how Maddalena could be so confident that Chad would not get in their way, but she knew she needed to trust her signora. "And what about Colin? I have planned a secret rendezvous with him at the hospital."

Maddalena pulled out a pen and paper and began to write. "As I instructed before, you must be very careful no one discovers we have orchestrated all of this. When you talk to him see if he has any instructions and tell him I will find a way for him to be released. Tell him to be vague in everything he shares from this day forward."

Azzura nodded her head and asked, "Do you need anything else before I leave? After I meet with Colin, I have been asked to report to the police station to give a statement on Sami's attack." She wondered what Maddalena was writing on the piece of paper.

Maddalena stopped writing to motion Azzura out. "No. I need to make a call." She didn't seem bothered at all that Azzura had to report to the police station. After Azzura was gone, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "My dear Anthony. I hope you have a moment for your favorite zia."

"Of course," Tony responded from the other side. "Word has spread and I heard father is now in police custody for what he did to Abe."

Maddalena picked up the pen and scratched out what she wrote earlier. "Colin had to make a sacrifice for the truth to come to light, but do not worry because the Dimera name can be rectified with mio caro fratello out of the picture. Colin has proved he is dedicated to progressing this family in the right direction more so than Stefano and mio figlio, André. He is family as far as I am concerned. Tell me how things are on your end."

"I have traveled quite a bit since we last spoke. Things are becoming clearer by the day," Tony shared.

Maddalena thought about how she was happy to have Tony on her side even if he was not a true Dimera by blood. He reminded her of Colin. "Please be cautious, Anthony. Take care of yourself and make sure you do not overextend yourself. When you are finished with your tasks, I want you to return to Salem. I believe you can be a good influence on EJ as he takes over the family empire."

"Do not worry too much, Zia Maddalena. I believe EJ is already better off with Stefano out of the picture."

* * *

><p>Chad and Will arrived at the cemetery and walked to Grace's headstone. Placing the flowers next to her headstone, Chad moved back and grabbed Will's hand. Noting the fresh headstone, he shared, "It looks like they were able to add Grace's new middle name before her birthday."<p>

"Grace Madeline Dimera," Will read the name out loud. "I really like it. When did you do that?"

Chad wondered if Will really wanted to know the answer to his question considering it involved Mia. "It happened recently," he shared realizing he should not lie to Will about this. "While she was here, Mia and I met to discuss changing her middle name since we both hated Rafaela."

Will decided not to make a big deal out of hearing Mia's name even though it annoyed him. "Yeah, anything with Rafe in it has been ruined for me. I like that she is named after your mother."

Chad beamed at Will, but that was interrupted when Chad's phone began to ring. Will let go of his hand, so he could answer it. Chad looked at his phone and saw Mia's name appear on the screen. He gave Will a look and said, "It's Mia, but I don't want to talk to her. She'll probably try to use Grace again to make me feel sorry for her."

Will didn't respond.

Chad ignored the call and put the phone back in his pocket. "I'm done with her – completely. I just wanted to be honest with you."

Will didn't say anything on the subject of Mia and simply took Chad's hand again. "We are a family now, right?"

Chad felt a bit uncomfortable with how Will didn't respond about Mia at all. He squeezed Will's hand just to make sure it was all real. "That's what I want Will. I want us to build a family together. Start over."

Will smiled and pulled Chad close. "And one day we can have kids of our own."

Chad lit up as his heart warmed hearing Will say that. "Are you for real?"

Will nodded his head and let out a chuckle. "It's what I want, Chad. You still want that, right?"

"Of course," Chad said feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the joy he felt hearing Will talk about having kids. A part of him doubted it still. "Will, you have been so supportive of me today, and I really appreciate it. I wish I could return the favor."

Will gave Chad a questioning look. "What do you mean? You have been so great to me. You're not treating me like some fragile person anymore."

Chad didn't know what to think or how to feel about what Will just said to him. "I don't understand you sometimes, Will. I am not trying to start a fight here, but I feel like there's so much you keep from me."

Will felt uneasy with the direction of this conversation. "There's nothing to keep from you, Chad. I am fine. I told you I want to have kids with you. That's something, isn't it?"

Chad felt a doubt come over him. "I threw my car keys to you outside of the Kappa house because I wanted to give you some space. I wanted to make sure I didn't put you off with the hovering, but last night when I found out what my father had done, I found out a lot of other things."

Will was really confused now. "What did you find out?"

Chad swallowed hard because he didn't want to start conflict with Will. "I found out about your mother's attack yesterday. I have been holding myself back, but I want to know why you decided not to tell me about it when I dropped you off at the Kappa house. Did you think that I would have stopped you from going to that party last night?"

Will froze for a moment because Chad had figured out part of his reasons for not telling him. He wished he could just forget about it happening because it brought chaos to his life – chaos he didn't want to deal with or dwell on. "Chad, I love you. There's nothing you could do to me that could change my mind. I am committed to you, and that's all that matters."

Chad felt Will squeeze his hand, and even though it frustrated him that Will had avoided giving him real answers once again, he decided to give Will what he wanted. He wanted to make Will happy, so they could be happy. "Will, you're all that matters to me."

Will turned his head and looked Grace's headstone over. Chad did the same.

* * *

><p>After Colin looked Abe over once again and left Daniel and Lexie instructions on what to do next, he arrived to his office, which had already been secured and emptied out for the most part. The officer guarding his office opened the door and nodded his head to Colin to walk in. Colin eyed the guard and noticed the guard seemed to give him an interesting look as he walked inside. The officer closed the door leaving Colin alone in his office or so he thought. Colin noted his chair was turned the other way and questioned if someone had been in his office while he was checking on Abe.<p>

The chair turned around with Azzura sitting in it. "Hello, Colin. I am here to talk to you and bring comfort. Maddalena is working on a way to help you get out. She said you must be vague in your responses concerning your involvement with Stefano from this point on. Do not allow them to get direct answers from you, so you do not look guilty of the crimes you confessed to previously."

Colin showed no worry in his face or body. "I have that covered," he shared before stating, "I have no doubt in Maddalena. I know she will take care of me, but please tell her not to lose focus on her mission on my account."

Azzura nodded her head. "You truly are a good man, Colin. I have one last question for you then."

"What is it?"

Azzura stood up from the chair and asked, "Is there anything you need from us now?"

Colin nodded his head. "Yes, there is something that must be done before I am hauled to prison. I sent Maddalena encrypted files from my computer before they confiscated it. There is a special file called 'Subject J'. I want you to make a delivery for me."

Azzura was intrigued. "Whatever you need."

EJ and Sami exited the elevator and found Lexie waiting outside of Abe's hospital room. "Hello, Alexandra."

Lexie turned her head and immediately gave EJ a hug for being there. "They are giving Abe a dosage of some solution Colin came up with and once it is fully in his system, they will start tests. I know this must have been hard for you," she shared thinking about what happened the night before.

"I want to be here with you," EJ assured his sister.

Lexie shook her head. "That's not what I meant," she said before explaining, "I mean everything that has happened with father. The truth coming out. I know it must have hurt you the way I did things, but I can't have any regrets because I now have Abe again. I am sorry I could not let you in."

"Alexandra, I'm glad you have Abe back as well," EJ said trying not to think about Stefano.

Sami gave EJ and Lexie space as she asked, "What are you going to do about Theo?"

Lexie stepped back when she saw Kate come out of the elevator. "I am bringing Theo here tomorrow," she answered. "I want to make sure Abe is more presentable before Theo sees him. I'm also hoping he'll wake up by then. Theo really misses his father."

Kate remained silent because she knew Lexie didn't want to hear anything from her. She only gave Lexie a softened look and then turned her attention to EJ. She was glad she finally caught up with him, so they could talk.

Maxine walked out of the room and put her arm around Lexie. "You can go back in there if you want. We are going to wait half an hour and then start the testing."

Lexie nodded her head. "I am going to try to talk Abe into coming back to us. I will come out if you are still here."

"We'll wait right here," EJ said not wanting to get in Lexie's way.

After Lexie and Maxine returned to Abe's room, Sami did not waste any time making a snide comment to Kate. "Wow Kate. That's probably the most restraint I've ever seen from you. I know how hard it is for you to keep your mouth shut for a good second."

Kate rolled her eyes clearly not in the mood for Sami's bull. "You do know because you have yet to succeed in not even making a sound when people are around," she shot back.

Annoyed, EJ turned to Kate and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Kate scowled at Sami before telling EJ, "I am here because I have been trying to reach you all morning. You need to help your father. He's in a prison cell!"

"He doesn't need to do anything," Sami claimed as she grabbed EJ's hand.

EJ agreed with Sami. "My father doesn't need my help. He has kept this from us this entire time, and he expects me to help him out?"

Kate gave EJ a disgusted look. "You don't actually believe Stefano did this, do you? Your father is innocent. He was clearly set up!"

"That remains to be seen," EJ said. "How am I supposed to help him anyway? He has a whole law firm at his beck and call. Tell him to contact them."

Kate's voice filled with desperation and anger at the same time. "Look, EJ. It would mean a lot more if you helped him. His bail hearing has been set for tomorrow. You have to be there to get him out on bail at least. You know your father cannot stay in there."

EJ shook his head. "You want me to use my influence as the acting mayor to help my father escape charges. You and I both know he is a flight risk."

Kate groaned and decided to give EJ some space. "Fine. I will back off for now, but I promise you; you will regret this if you don't help your father out. Stefano had nothing to do with what happened to Abe. I don't know how Abe's body ended up in the mansion, but he's not guilty."

Sami gave Kate an impatient look for trying to put a guilt trip on her husband. "Excuse me, Kate, but I don't know how you can stand here and give Stefano the benefit of the doubt. You know how much that man has done to manipulate those around him – especially the ones he claims to love. Will – your grandson – was attacked because of Stefano. You know Stefano has never been a fan of Chad and Will's relationship. You know he's never been fond of my relationship with EJ or Abe's relationship with his daughter. You are willing to ignore the evidence because he's rich and makes it possible for you to have to work less!"

"That is so unfair, Sami!" Kate exclaimed with anger. Sami had really gotten under her skin. "Stefano adores Will and would never do anything to hurt him or me."

EJ tried to stop Sami from saying anything else, but she couldn't be stopped. "If Stefano is guilty of all this, we will officially know who you love more."

"I've had enough of this," Kate stammered before rushing for the elevator. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Sami got to her. She questioned if she let her guard down with Stefano.

With Kate gone, Sami took a deep breath and turned to EJ, who seemed even more downcast about his family situation. "I'm sorry I lost it on Kate like that. I know you love your father and the last thing you want to hear is me talking down on him."

EJ pulled Sami close and kissed her on the forehead. "I should be the one apologizing, Samantha. I am not the victim here. You, your son, and everyone else has been hurt by father far worse. I don't know if I believe one hundred percent that my father is truly responsible, but I do need to prepare myself for either outcome."

Sami held onto EJ as she maintained, "No matter what happens, EJ, I will be at your side."

EJ gave Sami another kiss on the forehead before leaning his head on hers.

* * *

><p>Arriving at the airport with his things, T decided to give Will one last call. He understood Will needed to be with Chad, but he kind of resented the fact that Will didn't make time for him knowing he had no plans to return to Salem. He pulled out his cell phone after checking in his bags and checking into his flight. He found Will's number on his call log, but after thinking about it more chose not to call him after all. He was not good at goodbyes anyway.<p>

T got in the security check line and adjusted his backpack after taking his laptop out for the scanner. Turning his head to look over the crowd, he thought he saw Gabi rushing towards him, but when he looked closer he realized his eyes were playing tricks on him. Shaking his head, he lamented, "This place is full of bad memories now. I hope it all goes to hell."

T made his way through security and put his shoes back on before heading to his gate. He looked out into the crowd again and kept repeating in his head, "There's no reason to come back here. I've been cut off by everything and everyone. I'll live a new life away from here."

Gabi rushed through the doors of the airport and searched the crowd hoping she would find T. She tried to fight what she felt for T, but Will's words stayed with her. T had made so many sacrifices for her over the last year and even came clean about what happened with Kinsey when it wasn't exactly necessary. She owed it to T to at least be honest about everything with him – even if he still decided to leave.

Scouring the crowd, Gabi never saw T. Defeat set in. She was too late. T was gone, and she was even more devastated than before because she had missed her opportunity to make something right in her life. Picking herself back up emotionally, she began to mentally tell herself that this was for the best. "T kissed Kai – another guy. Things never would have worked out anyway. I can't ever get involved with a guy who has been with another guy. It won't ever work." Turning around, she headed out of the airport. It was cold.


	69. Chapter 69 Away From Here, Pt 2

**Chapter 69: Away From Here, Part 2 – Thursday, January 26th, 2012**

It was cold. Will woke up to the sound of Chad moaning in his sleep. Turning his body to find out why he was moaning, he found Chad tossing around as well. Will spooned Chad and began to shake him. "Chad, wake up. Wake up."

Chad jolted up in a cold sweat. It took him a moment to realize he just woke up. Turning to Will, he could see Will seemed worried. "Everything okay?"

"You tell me. You've had nightmares all night," Will shared.

Chad turned his head and pulled his knees up towards his chest so he could lean on them. "I... I've had nightmares for a while. I told you."

Will sat up and moved closer to Chad. "Tell me about them. What's scaring you?"

Chad put his arm between Will's legs and began to rub Will's inner thigh. "I have this fear you are in danger, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Will leaned his head on Chad's shoulder. "Everything is fine."

"No, it's not," Chad debated. "I almost lost you. Grace and my mother keep haunting me as well. I lose everyone around me."

Will could see Chad was still shaken up from his nightmares. He started to rub Chad's back to soothe him. "Everything will be okay, Chad. I know you blame yourself for what happened on the pier, but I know you will protect me."

Chad continued to rub Will's leg and pulled Will closer. He wasn't so sure if he would be able to keep Will protected. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Will and Chad eventually made their way to the dining room where Sonny seemed to struggle with cooking breakfast. As Chad took a seat at the table, Will walked to Sonny and offered, "I can give you a hand. Your hands are shaking."

Sonny stopped trying to break the eggs over the counter to scramble them. He let out a frustrated sigh before sharing, "I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I know I have this bad feeling that I can't seem to shake."

Will took over on cracking the eggs out of their shell for Sonny. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine – or at least I feel like it seemed like normal sleep," Sonny answered. "It's hard to explain, but I feel rested but at the same time I don't. It felt weird when I got out of bed – like I woke up on the wrong side or something."

Will tried to understand how Sonny felt. "That doesn't sound too good or comfortable. Maybe you should just fight that bad vibe or whatever. Make yourself have a good day."

Chad stood up and headed for the fridge to grab a cup of orange juice. He commented, "Things seem off to me, too. As weird as it sounds, I think a part of it is due to the fact that T is gone now. There's no one sleeping on our couch anymore."

Will thought about T and frowned. "I got a text from him last night that he made it to his first layover," he mentioned figuring Gabi didn't go to the airport to stop T from leaving. "I guess there's no turning back for him because he sold his car for the airplane ticket."

After Will scrambled the eggs in a bowl, Sonny took over and began to cook them. Dario popped into Sonny's head causing him to realize he hadn't heard from him in a while. He wondered if that was the reason he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. His worry for Dario had consumed him more than he realized. Unfortunately, this realization distracted Sonny from what he was doing. He accidentally burned his hand on the frying pan. "Crap!"

Will tried to take over cooking, but Sonny stopped him. "Sonny, you're obviously not up to this."

"I can do it," Sonny said trying to clear his thoughts. "I'm almost done anyway. Take a seat, and I'll bring these over."

Will didn't argue and headed over to the table to sit next to Chad. Putting the focus on his boyfriend, he asked, "Are you going to the hearing?"

Chad shook his head as he thought about his nightmares. "I want to focus on school. I can't even look my father in the eyes right now."

Will could see Chad's continued struggle with fear still had a hold on him. He decided to give Chad a distraction by giving him a kiss on the cheek. Seeing Chad's smile was all the proof Will needed to let him know it worked.

"I am so glad you're here with me," Chad shared.

Sonny watched Chad and Will from the stove and desperately wished he could smile with Dario. He knew that would make his day better. There was nothing he wanted more.

* * *

><p>At the Horton Town Square, Mr. Olsen stood behind a podium to introduce an early morning press conference set up on EJ's behalf. "Mayor Dimera is here to say some on the situation concerning the arrest of Stefano Dimera. He will not answer any questions after he has finished, and we ask that you respect his space and privacy as he heads to the courtroom afterward."<p>

After giving Sami a peck on the cheek, EJ made his way to the podium and looked over the crowd gathered in front of him. He spotted Victor cozied up with Maggie. He also saw Jack standing with the other media outlets, as well as his aunt Maddalena standing next to the tree in the center of the square with Azzura. After clearing his throat, he began, "Good morning. I stand before you today to talk to you about the arrest of Stefano Dimera for the attacks on Mayor Carver, William Horton, and my wife, Samantha Dimera – among others. I will be honest and say I am in a strange predicament because of my family ties in this situation – but rest assure – my top priority is to keep everyone in Salem safe. I will make sure justice is served no matter what."

As EJ finished his short statement to the crowd, Sami looked to her husband knowing this decision had to be really hard on him. Even though in the past she had always tried to push EJ away from Stefano, she knew it ultimately had to come to this. She hated Stefano even more for trying to hurt her and actually succeeding in hurting Will and Abe. The man truly was a monster.

Maggie leaned on Victor and reflected on what she knew of Stefano's arrest. She had seen the picture of Ric on the news and recognized him immediately as the man who approached Victor outside of Mandalay Café on Sunday. She wondered why the man would approach Victor as if he knew him. Wrapping her right hand around Victor's left arm, she questioned, "I wonder whether EJ will be able to keep his bias in check if Stefano is truly guilty."

Victor looked over the crowd as he replied, "Bias and Dimera go hand in hand. All of their beliefs are skewed to benefit them only. It will be interesting to see what EJ does in his best interest." Noting the smile on Maddalena's face, he wondered how she viewed the situation her brother, Stefano, was in.

Maddalena turned to Azzura with a smile. She was clearly pleased in the direction EJ was headed. "Make sure my driver is ready when I call for him. You may go do what it is you need to do." Azzura nodded her head and walked off.

After EJ finished his statement, Jack ignored what Mr. Olsen shared in the beginning and immediately jumped in with a question, "Do you think your father is guilty, Mayor Dimera?"

Mr. Olsen immediately rushed to the podium. "As I said before, we do not have time for questions." Mr. Olsen nodded to EJ and Sami, and security escorted them away to head to the courthouse.

"Have you decided if you're going with me to the hearing?" EJ asked Sami.

Sami gently pulled EJ's hand to her heart. "I would, but I need to head to the mansion to talk to Lucas about when he plans on leaving for Hong Kong. I feel bad, but there's so much going on. Besides, I am not sure I would last long at the hearing anyway. You know how hard it is to keep my mouth shut when someone has wronged our family."

EJ gave Sami a small smile, nodded his head, and kissed her hand to let her know he understood.

Victor and Maggie approached Jack, who sent his camera man away. "It appears you have actually settled into Salem. Is this permanent?" Victor asked.

Jack gave Victor an unimpressed look. "I am happy with my job, so I don't foresee my leaving Salem anytime soon."

"Even if Jen is no longer available to you?" Victor came out straightforwardly causing Maggie to lightly elbow him.

Jack pulled his cell phone out thinking about how he had given up on Jen and noticed how the kids really seemed to like Daniel. He cleared his thoughts deciding not to let Victor get to him. "I am staying put. My children need their father."

"That is what is most important," Maggie shared before Victor could say anything else. "You should get back to work. Don't let us get in your way." After Jack walked off, Maggie turned to Victor with concern. "I know you want to make sure Daniel and Jennifer end up together, but putting down Jack is not necessary. I know Jack has done some horrible things in the past, but maybe he will stick around this time. Think about the kids here."

Victor sighed figuring that Jack would implode again before he could have the chance to break Daniel and Jennifer apart. He looked deep into Maggie's eyes and promised, "I'll leave it alone." Looking over to Maddalena, he decided to confront her about her brother. "Maddalena Dimera. EJ seems to make you proud. I saw you smiling at him while he made his speech. Do you think your brother is guilty?"

Maddalena gave Victor a smirk as she took a pause before responding. "I know my brother has a reputation, but I will stand by him no matter what because he is family. If you'll excuse me, I have things that need my attention."

Maggie watched as Maddalena walked off. Turning to Victor, she noted, "She seems more eloquent and personable than her brother, but that bar is really low where Stefano is concerned."

Victor struggled in his thoughts concerning Maddalena. "I can't read her and that fact alone worries me."

* * *

><p>Upstairs in one of the rooms of the Brady Pub, Dario walked out of the bathroom after showering and getting dressed and headed over to Ignazio, who had just finished combing his hair. "Thanks for letting me crash here with you."<p>

Ignazio quickly sprayed some cologne before turning to face Dario. "You are important to me, Dario. I will help you out anyway I can." Putting his hand on Dario's shoulder he added, "I am serious. Allow me to help you in this moment."

Dario did not understand his relationship with Ignazio, but he felt like he could trust him with anything. Even so, he wasn't exactly sure what and how Ignazio wanted to help him. "What do I need help with? You don't like what I am wearing?"

"This has nothing to do with your clothes," Ignazio claimed as he gave Dario a weird look. He then turned serious as he informed Dario, "I want to help you with your problem concerning Sonny. I think you need to walk away from everything involving Sonny because everything in that relationship is toxic."

Taken back by Ignazio's direction, Dario placed his hand on Ignazio's shoulder. "I had no idea you knew about Sonny. I hope that doesn't change anything between us."

Ignazio placed his hand on Dario's shoulder. "It does not, but I want to help you with this. Allow me to do this for you, so you are not tormented for the rest of your life. Please accept my help."

Dario could see the concern in Ignazio's eyes and figured he should respond carefully. "With all respect, Ignazio, I do not need your help in this. Let me do this on my own – it's important I try to do that."

Ignazio backed off because he could only put himself out there so much. Patting Dario on the back, he shared, "You know me well – maybe too well. I will allow you your space and won't push you unless you decide to come to me."

Dario gave Ignazio a grateful smile because he didn't feel so alone anymore. "Thanks. We should finish getting ready."

Downstairs, Nathan walked into the pub to grab some caffeine to help him wake up more. He had a feeling this was going to be a longer day than normal. When he arrived to the bar of the pub, he gave Chelsea a smile and said, "I'll take my usual. How are you doing?"

"I've been better," Chelsea answered as she began to make Nathan's cup of coffee just the way he liked it. "Where's the fiancé?"

Nathan scratched the top of his head because he figured Chelsea didn't really want to talk about Melanie. "She's already at work."

Chelsea handed Nathan his cup of coffee. "She doesn't need her usual?"

Nathan paid Chelsea and watched as she messed with the cash register to give him his change. "No. She said she has plenty at the hospital." Taking a sip of his coffee, he felt the kick he needed. "I don't know how you do it, but this is the best coffee I've ever had. It's hard to drink coffee anywhere else."

Chelsea valued Nathan's comment, but a sadness came over her. "Well, you better appreciate it while it lasts. I won't be here much longer."

Nathan didn't think much of what Chelsea said as he assumed, "So you're getting another job here in Salem? I can tell your grandmother is doing a lot better."

Chelsea finally gave Nathan his change and receipt. "Actually, I am leaving Salem. I need to get out of here because my mom and Max are coming back and you know they're my favorite people right now."

Nathan picked up on Chelsea's sarcasm and gave Chelsea a sad look. "So you're really leaving Salem again?"

"Did I just hear correctly?" Caroline asked as she walked up. "What's going on Chelsea?"

After Ignazio and Dario finished getting ready, they headed downstairs where Chelsea, Nathan, and Caroline were talking. Chelsea, who was unaware the guys had walked up to them shared, "I've decided I'm leaving Salem again. I want to return to London and work at my old practice."

Caroline gave Chelsea an unhappy look, but she didn't want to stand in her way. "I know you will do what you must, but I want you to know it is great having you here."

"Hey guys," Nathan said wanting to make Chelsea aware that Dario and Ignazio were around.

Before Chelsea could greet them, Ignazio pulled out his phone and said, "Please excuse me. I need to make a call."

Dario and Chelsea watched as Ignazio walked outside to make his call. Dario wondered if Ignazio came up with an excuse to walk away because he didn't like hearing that Chelsea decided to leave. Turning to Chelsea, he asked, "Is my sister here today?"

"No, she's not," Chelsea answered before asking, "How are things with your mom?"

Dario had secretly wished he could avoid talking about his mother, but he knew that particular task was impossible. Looking to Nathan, he said, "I'm sure Dr. Horton can tell you more."

As Nathan traded a curious glance with Dario, Chelsea cut in, "I mean with accepting you. Has she come around yet on you and Sonny?"

Dario felt uncomfortable because he believed the others could see he was clearly upset about Isobel's reaction to his attraction to Sonny. It didn't help that he was still extremely disappointed by the secret she had kept from him all these years. Attempting to stay calm, he answered with the most direct answer possible, "I doubt she will ever be open to the idea. It's not going to happen."

Caroline put her hands up and shared, "I hope I am not overstepping here, but I feel the need to encourage you. I did some horrible things when I found out about Will. I have realized the error of my ways and have put that way of thinking behind me. Maybe your mother will come around on your relationship with Sonny. It is still a possibility."

Dario glanced at Nathan again before giving Caroline a hesitant look. "I doubt it very much. My mother will probably never wake up from her coma."

Chelsea solemnly looked at Dario wishing she could give him hope at a time like this. Knowing there was nothing she could say, she reached across the bar and grabbed his arm hoping she could channel some positivity and warmth through her touch. Dario allowed a small smile on his face to let Chelsea know he knew what she was doing.

Outside, Ignazio finished his call and hung up. He hoped he was able to intercept in time. Hearing footsteps coming towards him, he looked up startled by who stood in front of him. "Nonna. What are you doing out here – alone?"

"My nephew just gave a difficult speech about what happened to your prozio," Maddalena answered. "Is this where you are staying for the time being?"

Ignazio kept his distance because he still did not understand why Maddalena kicked him out. "Yes, this is where you have banished me. I live in a small room above a restaurant."

Maddalena could see Ignazio was still very upset with her decision but now things were different. "I know this is not ideal, nipote, but I have something to confess. I purposely pushed you away."

"Do you not have a purpose for everything you do?" Ignazio asked rhetorically to let her know she could not reel him back so easily.

Maddalena shook her head at her grandson. "You know I do, but you do not understand everything just yet. I want you to be better than me one day. I want you to have a clear conscience and to be nothing like mio caro fratello, Stefano."

Ignazio gave Maddalena a questioning look as he remembered what EJ shared with him about the Dimera curse when he went with EJ to look for Abe. He wondered if his grandmother sensed a darkness in him as well and wanted to save him from it. "I will never be like Stefano. I will be better, and I will help you take him down. This is what I have been trying to do, and this is all I want."

"We must be careful though, Ignazio," Maddalena warned. "We can begin with the best of intentions and turn into darkness just as my brother and your father have. I do not want you to allow the power to control your mind and cloud your judgment. As I mentioned, I am helping you get out of this with a clear conscience. I do not want to lose you in the same way I lost your father, André."

Ignazio didn't feel as angry as he did before now that he understood Maddalena was only trying to protect him. "I appreciate your concern, nonna, but it bothers me you can share so much with Azzura and leave me in the dark. I had to listen in on your conversations with her to hear about Lucas and Isobel Hernandez. I am your family, and Azzura is not."

Maddalena let out a sigh. "Yes, you are family and that is why I protect you from knowing everything in the same way you wanted to protect me concerning Ricardo and the girl he supposedly murdered. I will do whatever it takes to protect you from harm, influence, and evil."

Ignazio shook his head trying to understand everything. "And now Ric and Colin are in jail. Were you protecting me then?"

Maddalena nodded her head. "Yes, nipote. This is another reason I pushed you away. I knew Ricardo would be collateral damage in the emergency plan, and I knew if you were aware of our plan you may have made things difficult again. I know how important Ricardo is to you."

"I must reiterate that Ric and I are only friends and nothing more," Ignazio responded quickly. He felt bad for his friend and wished things could have played out differently for him.

Maddalena smiled as she thought about the exchange she witnessed between Chelsea and Ignazio. "I know. I apologize for pushing you away. You should know, I am working hard to get Colin and Ricardo out of this mess."

Ignazio was somewhat surprised by Maddalena's apology and decided he should follow suit. He began to feel safe with his grandmother again. "I apologize for thinking I could do everything and for putting us in this difficult situation. Ric and Colin would not be in this position if I hadn't been overzealous."

Maddalena pulled Ignazio close to show him she was willing to have him move back. "It all worked out in the end because Stefano is now in prison."

Ignazio gave his grandmother a skeptical look because he wondered if she truly believed Stefano would not fight back. "He will not be in there long."

Maddalena remained in high spirits as she replied, "I am counting on that fact." Looking around, she changed the subject. "I must go home, but I want you to return to the mansion tomorrow. I have a new mission for you."

Ignazio nodded his head and accepted.

* * *

><p>Outside of Abe's hospital room, Daniel escorted Colin out of the room to have a moment alone with him before Bo and Hope arrived to take him down to the station. "I have your word Abe will wake up?"<p>

Colin smirked at Daniel and commented, "I am sure that's really what you want to ask me about, but yes, Abe Carver should wake up in the next twenty-four hours. My job is done here, so do you have any more questions before I am hauled off to jail?"

Daniel shook his head. "My only concern right now is making sure Lexie gets her husband back."

"So no questions about Jack and/or Jennifer?" Colin teased Daniel. "I do have questions about those two, but I don't think you would even give me a response."

Daniel gave Colin an annoyed look. "You don't know anything."

Colin gave Daniel a sly smile. "I take that back. You may not give me a verbal response, but the answers I want are written all over your face."

Daniel lunged for Colin, but Bo and Hope arrived at the right time and stood between the two men. "Daniel, calm down. Don't let Colin get to you."

Celeste and Theo walked up interrupting the tense moment. "Are we allowed to go in to see my grandson's parents?" Celeste asked. She had to take a step back because a harsh feeling suddenly rushed over her due to Colin's presence.

Daniel calmed down and moved back so Celeste and Theo could go into the room. Once they were in the room, Lexie stood up to give Theo and her mother a hug. "Hey Theo. Do you want to come hold your dad's hand? We talked earlier this morning, and you asked me if you could."

Theo nodded his head. Celeste and Lexie led him to Abe, so he could grab his hand. "'Hi daddy," Theo said wanting Abe to open his eyes.

Celeste and Lexie traded looks wondering if this was too much for Theo. "Has Abraham responded in any way?"

Lexie watched Theo with Abe as she answered, "I have been told he will wake up, but I have not seen his body respond outwardly."

Theo continued to hold Abe's hand wishing he would get a response from him. "Daddy, can you hear me? I'm trying to talk to you." Abe's hand suddenly moved causing Theo to jump. "Mommy, daddy's hand just moved."

Lexie smiled because she saw it move as well. "That's great. Daddy will be able to open his eyes soon then."

Placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders, Celeste gave Lexie a smile. "I am glad you never gave up on finding Abe. I saw Colin outside. I don't know why, but I find it hard to believe he was working for Stefano."

Lexie didn't give her mother much thought and moved closer to Theo and Abe hoping Abe would make more progress.

Bo and Hope escorted Colin towards the Emergency entrance only to be confronted by Jack before they could get anywhere. "Jack, if you know what is best for you, then you will walk away from this," Bo warned as Daniel eavesdropped.

"I need time with Colin because I need answers!" Jack ignored Bo's warning and went into question mode with Colin. "Are you responsible for what happened to me in that castle in Italy?"

Colin smirked at Jack and answered, "The truth with come out soon, but not now, Jack Deveraux."

Hope pushed Jack back, so they could escort Colin to jail. "Jack, you will get your answers. I promise you, but it's not happening here."

Colin continued to smirk as he thought about his past with Stefano. Finally, he was getting his revenge on the monster who destroyed his life. He looked up to Bo and Hope knowing they were clueless of his sacrifice to make their lives better. They saw him as the enemy and a disgrace to the Brady family, but if they knew the truth, they would be singing his praises.

Jack watched as Hope and Bo hauled Colin away. He wondered if he could trust Hope's promise and wished he had answers now. He wondered what Colin meant when he said the truth would come out soon.

Daniel, who decided to head back to Abe's hospital room, wondered if Colin kept Jack from Jen and began to feel the same guilt Jen had been feeling. Bumping into Jennifer, he knew he needed to talk to her. "Jen, I'm glad we bumped into each other."

Jen looked on inquisitively silent.

Daniel rubbed his neck as he spoke, "Jennifer, I need to keep my distance from you while you sort things out with Jack. If he really was taken from you, I shouldn't stand in the way any longer."

Jennifer gave Daniel a worried look. "Daniel, did you just decide this? I know we agreed to take a break, but you're making it sound like you're throwing in the towel completely."

Daniel's eyes pierced through Jennifer's as he remained silent. He didn't know what to say.

"You can't do this, Daniel – not yet," Jennifer let out trying to figure out a way to change his mind. "Come over for dinner. We'll eat together as a family, and then we can decide what is best. I promise you. I don't think you're standing in the way here."

Daniel could see how much Jen wanted this. He figured he owed her at least one more dinner. "Okay," he said nodding his head. "I'll come over for dinner, and we can decide."

Jen grabbed Daniel's hand and squeezed it hard. "Good. I'll see you tonight."

Daniel nodded his head once more and walked off.

Maxine came upon Jennifer from a different direction and shared, "According to the preliminary tests and Dr. Horton, things aren't looking good for Isobel Hernandez. Have you seen her children? I have news for them."

Jennifer escaped her own drama as she thought about the Hernandez family. "They're in the waiting room by my office," she directed.

Maxine left Jennifer's side and walked into the waiting room where Manny, Arianna, and Gabi were hoping to hear some good news concerning their mother. "Dr. Horton has ordered more tests for your mother, but she has yet to show signs of waking up," she shared with great sympathy. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Arianna tried to remain as strong as possible and suggested, "Prayer would be greatly appreciated." Maxine nodded her head and walked out.

As Manny put his hand on Ari's shoulder, Gabi took a seat shaking her head in disbelief. She commented, "When Mama dies, the family will be broken for good."

Manny turned around and tried to comfort Gabi, but Gabi remained distant – at least emotionally. "Gabriella, we will still be a family. It's what Mama wants."

"She won't be around to have what she wants," Gabi argued. "We will all go in our own direction like we have always done. Dario will explore the new world that is Sonny. You two will find jobs or someone to settle down with, and I will be somewhere – away from here."

Arianna grew concerned. "What do you mean by that?"

Gabi chose not to delve into details of what she was planning. "I just mean I am going to live my life for me. I am not going to sacrifice myself any longer to please others who are never satisfied."

Manny echoed Arianna's question. "What are you talking about?"

Gabi didn't want to talk about her plans anymore. She was so angry with her mother for giving up, but at the same time she didn't want her mother to suffer anymore. She didn't want the family to suffer anymore. "It's not good to talk ill of the ones who are at deaths door," she said in a different tone. It was filled with guilt and darkness.

Arianna and Manny watched as Gabi walked out on them. Arianna figured Gabi could use some space for now, but gave Manny a concerned look. "Things are not right. They can't be this way when Mama dies!"

Remembering the promise he made to Isobel, Manny felt hopeless. "I am not sure there is anything we can do at this point. Should we call the church?"

The thought of their mother hearing her last rites made Arianna feel worse about everything. She held onto Manny praying they're family would not be ripped apart.

Maxine walked into Isobel's hospital room to start some of the tests. She walked over to Isobel to check her vitals, but gasped when she noticed Isobel's eyes were open. "Ms. Hernandez? Can you hear me?"

Isobel turned her head and opened her mouth. She struggled but managed to get out, "I need Dr. Horton only. Do... not tell kids... yet." Maxine gave Isobel a troubled look because she wasn't sure what to do.

* * *

><p>At Stefano's bail hearing, EJ and Kate sat in the gallery of the courtroom. EJ tilted his head towards Kate while eyeing his father's team of lawyers and whispered, "There is no way they're going to be able to get father out on bail. There is too much evidence and everyone knows if a bail is set, my father will run off."<p>

Kate gave EJ an annoyed look because she got the sense that things weren't going well either. The judge didn't seem too impressed with Stefano. "This is why we needed you up there. How can you sit here and do nothing?"

"I'm the acting mayor. My hands are tied," EJ said as an excuse. Even though it was true he couldn't represent his father as mayor, he couldn't in good conscience help his father this time. Stefano attacked family, and that severed all familial ties in EJ's opinion.

D.A. Woods crossed the room as he shared, "We have presented the evidence to you on why the charges were brought against Stefano Dimera as well as examples of his untrustworthy character. This decision is in your hands, Judge Kirkpatrick. It is my opinion that Stefano Dimera be denied bail because he's a potential flight risk and a danger to the people of Salem."

The judge turned to Roman to ask his opinion. "Commissioner Brady, what are your thoughts on this?"

Roman stood up and answered, "I agree with Woods on this."

"Thank you, Commissioner Brady. I am ready to make my ruling," the judge announced as he turned to everyone in the court room. "Based on everything that has been presented on both sides today, I am denying bail for Stefano Dimera."

Stefano shook his head disappointed in the outcome. He knew he would have to take matters into his own hands, but he wanted to say something to EJ before he was taken back to his jail cell. Turning quickly, he said, "Son, I hope you can see I am innocent in this, but I also want you to know I am proud of you for the way you're handling this."

EJ gave his father a surprised look as handcuffs were placed on Stefano to take him away. The small part of EJ that told him his father was not guilty began to grow, but it was still faint. Turning to Kate, he shook his head. "We shall see what happens next."

Kate couldn't take EJ's lack of concern for his father. "I don't even know why you came for this. I'm going to talk to his lawyers and see what our next move is. I'm assuming you have no interest." Kate walked away and didn't give EJ time to respond.

EJ watched on and thought about what his father said to him before he was hauled off. He pulled out his phone and debated making a call.

* * *

><p>Later that day after classes were done for the day, Chad, Will, and Sonny met up in the middle of campus since they rode together. Spotting the guys, Abigail rushed over to check in with everyone. "Hey. How are you guys?"<p>

Will and Sonny looked to Chad to answer first because they knew Chad was going through a lot. Chad felt lost for a moment because he had been getting weird looks consistently through the day. He knew everyone was thinking the same thing. They all wondered if he had any hand in what his father did. He wanted to forget it though. "I'm good," he lied.

Everyone knew Chad had lied. Will took Chad's hand and tried to answer for him more honestly. "I think it's been a hard day. People are talking a lot. It's kind of the same thing I went through when I came back to school last week, but it seems worse and more hateful."

Chad felt bad that he caused Will to go through what he was now going through with the gossip and judgmental looks. He squeezed Will's hand and gave him an apologetic look. "I just want to get out of here. I don't want to give anyone else reasons to assume anything about me. No one really knows me."

Sonny decided to push the idea of leaving campus for the day. "Are you heading out, Abigail? We're heading to the parking lot now, so we could walk together if you are."

Abigail shook her head realizing she was keeping them from leaving. "I am headed to the library first. I need to turn in a few of those books. I'll see you guys later." Abigail started to head off, but she stopped to say one more thing. "Oh, I forgot to say congrats Will on getting into Kappa Sigma."

"Thanks," Will said with a smile.

As Abigail walked off, Chad thought about Ezra and decided he would have to ask Abigail what she knew about the guy. His interest in Will seemed a bit extreme, and he didn't like how Will seemed to buy into his kindness. Letting go of Will's hand, Chad requested, "Let's get out of here now, please!"

The guys headed for the parking lot. On their way, they ran into Kai, who was on his way to the parking lot as well. Kai was glad he ran into Will because he wanted to talk to him about something. "Hey Will, have you seen T around? He hasn't been answering my calls or texts."

Will realized Kai had no idea where T was. Trying to hide his frustration about the whole situation, he shared, "He's gone. He left Salem to join the army."

Kai couldn't believe T left Salem and suddenly became somewhat depressed, which Sonny noted. "I don't understand. Why would he do that?"

"I think you knew about his family issues," Will replied as an explanation.

Kai nodded his head. "I guess I can understand the need to get away from your parents to make something of yourself," he shared before turning his attention to both Chad and Will. "There's just so much going on with everyone. I can't believe your dad is in prison for everything that has been happening here, and then I saw that guy who helped him on the TV. He seems familiar." Reaching his car, he moved on, "I am headed to my apartment. It's really nice. You guys should come by and check it out. Sonny's already been inside."

Chad and Will traded glances as Kai got in his car and drove off. Moving past what Kai said about Stefano, Chad asked Sonny, "You've been in Kai's apartment?"

Sonny shook his head at Chad and Will. "Yes, but it's a long and boring story. I don't really want to talk about it."

Will and Chad could understand that and continued to follow Sonny to his car. When they got closer, Will noticed there was someone leaning on Sonny's car. "Is that Dario?"

Sonny put his hands out to stop Chad and Will from walking closer to his car. "Yeah. Can you guys stay here while I go talk to him alone?"

Chad and Will nodded their heads.

Sonny made his way over to Dario making sure to approach him gently. With a warm tone, he said, "Dario. It's really good to see you."

Dario wanted to melt in Sonny's arms, but he restrained himself. He feared being too close to Sonny, but since Ignazio disappeared on him, he really needed someone he could talk with. "I'm sorry I keep popping in and out of your life. I am a mess right now. There's so much I don't know or understand."

Sonny sensed Dario wanted some space between them still, so he allowed it. "It's okay Dario. I just want you to know I am here for you – whatever you need."

"I don't know what I need," Dario admitted.

Thinking about what Manny suggested to him, Sonny recommended, "How about we get away and go somewhere?"

Dario was hesitant at first because he had some hope – albeit little hope – his mother would wake up. "I don't know about that, Sonny. Don't get me wrong. I want to spend time with you, but I am afraid I will hurt you again if I am not one hundred percent sure of what I want."

"I don't want to hurt you anymore either, Dario," Sonny started as he remembered what he wished for before eating breakfast. "I promise I am not going to hurt you in any way anymore. Let me help you instead."

Dario was still hesitant as he thought about Sonny's promise not to hurt him anymore. "I know I came to you, but how can you help?"

Sonny couldn't keep himself from touching Dario anymore. Grabbing his hand, he appealed to Dario, "I want to help you escape the torment even if it's for one night."

Having his hand held by Sonny caused a feeling of hope to fill Dario's body. His defenses began to fall. "Okay. I will go wherever you want to go."

Sonny smiled and pulled Dario into a hug. "Good. I have an idea. I want to run it by Will and Chad, and then we can go from there."

Dario smiled and melted into Sonny's arms.

* * *

><p>After Harold let her in, Azzura walked into the living room and found Sami and Lucas discussing his plans on his return to Hong Kong. "Is it already that time again?" she interrupted realizing she had let her opportunity to use Lucas to break up EJ and Sami slip away once more.<p>

Sami and Lucas glanced at Azzura, but they continued their conversation. "I want to have a small party for Sydney before you and Allie head back to Hong Kong."

Lucas felt annoyed with the position he was in. "I need to head back in the next week or so, but there's still so much going on here. I wish my mom would wake up and see Stefano is no good for her. Then Will might follow suit."

"Well, you should stay longer then," Azzura interrupted again. "Your family needs you more than ever."

Sami gave Azzura a suspicious look, while Lucas decided he didn't want to spend another moment in the Dimera mansion. "I am going to head out. I promised Allie we would have ice cream at Dave and Buster's before dinner. I'll let you know when I make official plans on when I head back, and let me know when you want to have Sydney's party."

Sami only nodded her head to Lucas as he left. She continued to give Azzura a gander before realizing something. "I cannot believe I never noticed this before. You have asked me repeatedly about my relationship with Lucas, and now I know exactly why."

Inside, Azzura began to feel nervous as she remembered Ignazio claiming Sami and EJ figured out she was out to get them. Outside, she didn't show it. "You have?"

"Yes," Sami confirmed. "Oh my gosh! Are you interested in Lucas – romantically?"

Azzura's eyes widened at first due to the shock of what Sami thought she was trying to do. She looked away for a moment before answering, "Yes. It's true. Are you going to tell him or anyone else my secret?"

"No," Sami shook her head for a short time before countering, "Unless you want me to."

Azzura shook her head. "No, he's involved with someone else. I don't have a chance with him anyway."

Sami couldn't believe Azzura was interested in Lucas. "Right," she let out realizing her suspicions with Azzura may have been all wrong. "I'm sorry," Sami said as her guard with Azzura began to disappear. Maybe Azzura truly wanted to be her friend.

* * *

><p>At the Horton house, Jennifer, Jack, Daniel, Abigail, and JJ all gathered for dinner. After the doorbell rang, Jennifer headed out of the kitchen to answer the door. Jack looked over the room and noted how everything seemed to be less dramatic than he thought it would be. He couldn't believe the family was coming together with Daniel in the mix.<p>

Jennifer walked into the kitchen with a small DVD in her hand. "This was outside when I opened the door. It's a DVD and it's addressed to the family."

Jack took the DVD to look it over. "That's bizarre. What do you think it is?"

JJ snatched the DVD out of his dad's hands and suggested, "Maybe we should just watch it. We still have time before the roast is done, right?"

Jennifer nodded her head, but replied cautiously, "Yeah, we can watch it or at least see what's on it."

Everyone congregated into the living room, so Jen could put on the DVD. When she pushed play, she rushed over to Daniel's side and grabbed his hand to let him know she was happy he was there. The screen was blue for a while before Colin appeared on their screen.

"What the hell is this?" Daniel asked nervously.

Colin, who appeared to have recorded this in his office, began to speak. "Hello, everyone. I am here to give you the answers that you seek. As you know, I am now in police custody, so I figured I would do this for all of you. You all do need some closure on what exactly happened to Jack, right?"

Jennifer headed towards the TV. "I'm going to shut this off!" she decided.

Jack stopped her by putting his arm in front of the television. "Wait. I want to know if he did this to me," he shared. "He took me captive, and he told me I would get answers soon. This has to be it."

Jennifer stepped back as Colin continued to speak, "Before I go into details about where Jack has been, I want to talk to Daniel and Jennifer."

Daniel and Jennifer traded looks as Jack stepped back so he could have a clear shot of the TV screen.

JJ looked to his sister and asked, "What's going on here?"

Abigail watched the video attentively and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not really sure."

Colin went on, "I ran into Nicole the other day, and it reminded me of Brandon."

"Who is Brandon?" Daniel asked confused.

Before Jennifer could tell Daniel, Colin spoke, "Daniel, it would make sense for you to wonder who Brandon is."

"That was creepy," Abigail said pointing out that it was like Colin was in the room.

Colin continued as everyone looked to see what he had recorded next. "Brandon Walker is Nicole's sexy brother – who happens to be a doctor. The important thing I want you to know is that he is also proof that Jen is very much like you, Dr. Jonas. You see Daniel, just as you apparently have a thing for hooking up with your patients – i.e. Jennifer – Jennifer also has a thing for doctors. We have you, Brandon, me, and Dr. Walters. Talk about a match made in heaven."

Jennifer couldn't take this anymore. "I'm sorry, Jack, but I am turning this off!"

Colin continued, "Jack was always the odd man out..."

"I'm with Jennifer. This is highly inappropriate," Daniel said over Colin while keeping his distance from everyone in the room. He felt completely uncomfortable with what Colin was sharing about Jen, Jack, and him in front of Abigail and JJ.

Jack tried to stop them once again. Fortunately for him, Colin had more to say and it caught there attention. "I wouldn't turn me off just yet because I am getting to the good part."

"Please. I need to know what happened to me," Jack begged.

Abigail stood by her father knowing this was important to everyone. "We all deserve to know. It's the only way we can move on from this and be a complete family again. I pushed dad away because I believed he abandoned us, but if Colin confesses to taking dad away from us, we can truly come together. Please don't stand in the way of this."

Jennifer and Daniel backed off even though they questioned whether Colin had their best intentions at heart. Jen went to JJ's side and grabbed his hand to make sure he was okay. "You don't have to watch this if you do not want to."

"I want to, mom. I've been out of the loop for so long. I need to know," JJ responded.

"Are you guys done yet?" Colin asked from the screen. He clearly had anticipated the others would want to talk this out when he recorded his message. "Now then, Jack. You want to know about the time you lost in that clinic in Italy, right?"

Jack grew impatient with the DVD. "Just tell me what you did!"

"You were held captive and used as a test subject where you were," Colin started. "You had been injured, and we ran tests and trials on you in the same way we did with Abe Carver and Will Horton here. We sedated you quite often, so you wouldn't know how much time had passed. We waited until the time was right to let you go. I wanted to make sure the family moved on without you. I wanted Jennifer to find someone else, so that when you came back, you would see you were no longer needed. JJ and Abigail have great relationships with Daniel now. This is where I point out they don't need you anymore. No one does."

Jennifer covered her mouth as tears began to fall down her face. She couldn't believe what Jack went through and rushed over to grab his hand. "I am so sorry, Jack. I had no idea."

Daniel eyed Jennifer's grabbing Jack's hand and tried his best not to let it bother him, but the truth was it did. He shook his head and felt guilty for going after Jack's wife when he was going through what Abe had been through. "Colin Murphy is one sick man," he let out in frustration.

Colin smiled widely. "Jen before you go comforting Jack, you should know the complete truth. As I alluded to before, I wouldn't have been able to have Jack in my custody if he had never gotten hurt in the first place. He would have never been a test subject if he had never first walked out on you and the kids. You see, he wasn't kidnapped until he walked out on the family. Now that I have dropped this bomb in your lap, it is time I take my leave. Goodnight!"

When the screen went blue again, Jennifer immediately let go of Jack's hand and gave him a questioning look. "Is this true, Jack? Did you really walk out on the family? Did you leave us behind?"

Jack noted the way Jen's eyes seemed to search his eyes for answers. He knew he couldn't hide the truth from her. "I did walk away from the family. There was a huge story that I was offered, and I had to take it," he admitted.

Jennifer instantly turned her gaze from Jack as frustration and disappointment hit her. Tears of betrayal began to form in her eyes as she bellowed, "I cannot believe this Jack. You pulled me back in. You made me feel guilty and confused about my feelings. You allowed me to think you had been kidnapped from the get-go."

Abigail stepped up to her dad wanting to give him hell for hurting Jen again, but she couldn't. Giving a defeated look, she said, "Why is this happening again, dad? I asked you to stay away from mom and you manage to hurt her again. When does the blame stop being put on outside forces, and when does it finally fall on your lap?"

Jack hated looking into Abigail's eyes because he could see how much he damaged her. He wanted the best for her, but now she appeared to be full of misery just like Jen. "I... I really messed up."

"Yeah, you did," JJ finally spoke up. Seeing his mother's anguish caused him to feel the pain Abigail had told him so many times about. He had remained quiet after Colin revealed the truth and the pain he felt festered into full-blown dissatisfaction with his dad. "Was it easy for you to walk out? Did you even think about us once when you left us to fend for ourselves? Did you know mom almost died? How could you walk away from us for some dumb story?"

Overwhelmed by all the attacks, Jack didn't know what to do or what to say. "I... I'm sorry. I... I guess I thought this was what needed to happen... to..." Jack stopped himself from continuing because he knew he did not have a good enough excuse to explain his decision. He had hurt his family again and broke the peace they had rebuilt. Beginning to walk off, he stated, "My return to Salem has clearly complicated everyone's lives in a way I did not intend. I'll just help the situation by leaving."

Abigail became even more defeated as she followed her dad to the front door. "Where are you going?"

JJ and the others followed as well. "Dad, you're just going to walk out on us again?"

"I am getting away, so all of you can return to your peaceful lives before I came back," Jack responded putting his hand on the door knob. "Colin was right. I'm the odd man out. I'm the problem. Daniel is the one who should be a part of this family – not me."

Jennifer finally had enough of this and let her anger show through the tears on her face. "Jack Harcourt Deveraux! You are running away again and making the kids feel guilty about Daniel being in my life! You can't do this and make them believe they're making a choice between you and Daniel when you are making the choice for them! If you walk out on us once more, I will make sure you never come back because I cannot – I cannot see our kids go through this again! I can't go through this again!"

Jack turned to face Jen letting go of the door knob. In a calm tone, he offered, "You don't have to worry about that because I am staying away for good this time."

Daniel wanted to stay out of this because he felt it wasn't his place, but he could not hold back any longer. "Stop this! I can't just stand here and watch this family fall apart. I can't let you do this, Jack. The family really does need you here, and they want you here. You probably don't see it right now, and I am not sure why, but they really do. Look at Jen, Abigail, and JJ's faces, but look closely. You can see they love you and want you around. They're scared, too, Jack."

Jack looked to his children and could see the fear in their eyes. He could see that he truly had blinded himself to his family's true feelings to justify leaving them behind again. Finally breaking, he lamented, "I am truly sorry for trying to do this to you again. I am tired of running away and hurting everyone by breaking every promise I've made. I just wish I could be the man I used to be. I want to be a real father. I want my eyes to be open as well as my heart so I can allow myself the love you want to give me, so I can learn to give it back."

JJ and Abigail immediately ran to their father and gave him a hug hoping that they could show him how much they wanted him to stay. Jack held them close wishing he could take back all the mistakes he made with them and hoped he could be the strong and loving father that they needed.

Jennifer remained distant and turned her face towards Daniel. She felt bad for how things went down, but she was thankful he could put a stop to the negative cycle. Trying to avoid her own feelings about Jack, she caught Daniel's gaze and moved her mouth to mime "Thank you."

Daniel was glad he could help, but he still felt he was intruding on the family. He whispered to Jen. "I know we said we would make this decision together, but I shouldn't be here. I believe you when you say you love me, but I also know you love Jack, and I am not sure if that's ever going to change. I love you, Jen, and I want to stand by you on this and support you, but..."

Jen held her finger up to Daniel's face to make him stop. "Please don't pull a Jack here," she whispered back. Grabbing the ring from her pocket, she gave it back to Daniel. "Hold onto this for me until I'm ready. You're right. Now is not the time."

Daniel held to the engagement ring tight and kissed Jen's hand. "I'll let you and the family have dinner together and head out the back. It seems you all have some things you need to talk over."

Jen gave Daniel an indebted smile. She thanked him again before he headed out through the kitchen door. Returning her attention to Jack holding onto their children, she placed her hands just below her chin filled with hope that things were finally going to be different.

* * *

><p>Will finally got the fire going in the Horton cabin and stood up after announcing, "Things should warm up in here now."<p>

Looking his cell over, Chad tossed it on the table and said, "Looks like we're without cell service while we're here."

"Yeah, reception has always been spotty out here," Will shared with the others. "Sometimes you can get perfect reception. Other times, it's like you're back to using snail mail to keep in contact with the outside world."

Sonny and Chad laughed at Will while Dario remained awkwardly quiet and to himself. Standing up, Sonny made his way to the fire and shared, "It's good to get away from technology. It allows you to escape from the world completely - which is why we're here, right?"

Chad agreed and joined Sonny by the fire to make sure Will's fire was up to par. Putting his hands out to the fire, he asked Will, "Is there anything else we need to set up for the night?"

Will looked the place over as he mentioned the things they brought, "We have the snacks and drinks in the fridge and the cabinets. We could make some hot cocoa if you guys are interested." Will moved over to the table where Chad tossed his cell phone and spotted something he hadn't seen in some time.

Chad joined Will at the table and asked, "Where's the hot cocoa mix?"

"It's in the cabinet above the stove," Will mumbled slightly as he picked up a big book. Turning to Chad, he shared with more excitement in his voice, "This is Great-Grandpa Tom's bible. I don't know why it's here." He opened it up to show Chad his great-grandfather's signature in the front.

Chad gave Will a weird look because it was a bible, but then smiled widely because Will seemed so excited to have it in his hands. "I wish I could have met him personally – your great-grandfather that is. I always heard good things about him."

Will sat down at the table and began to look through the bible at his great-grandfather's notes throughout the bible. "I didn't get to know him, but gram told me a lot about him. I wish you could have met him and my great-grandma. They were amazing."

Chad remembered actually having a run in with Alice when he a small boy, but he decided to share that with Will another time since Will was so invested in looking at his great-grandfather's notes. "You find anything interesting in there?"

"I just found my favorite story in the bible," Will shared with his boyfriend. "Any time I stayed with Gram, she would read 'Daniel in the Lion's Den' because I always requested it. I can hear her voice reading these words while I look them over. It's so bizarre."

Chad smiled and loved seeing Will at ease. He did think it was weird that Will was actually excited over a bible story, but recognized he didn't know much about it since his mother and step-father weren't very religious. "I think it's wonderful," he shared placing his hand on Will's shoulder.

Dario had no idea what Chad and Will were doing or talking about and finally said something. "Chad, are you making hot chocolate? If you don't want to, I can do it." He wanted to find something to do to ease his discomfort.

Chad realized he got distracted. "Yeah, I'll boil some milk. You just sit there on the couch and relax. I've got everything covered in the hot cocoa department." He glanced at Will, who was still looking through Tom's bible, one more time before heading to the fridge to grab the milk.

"It's not too cold out here," Sonny commented after a while as he made his way back to the couch. "I noticed on our way in that the sky is actually clear tonight."

Chad, who was now pouring boiled milk into four cups, smiled at Will and claimed, "If the fire doesn't work, we could always use each other."

Will closed the bible and joined Chad by the stove. Placing his arm around Chad's back, he gave him a peck on the lips and stated, "That sounds like a plan to me."

Chad noted the fact that Will no longer pointed out how corny his romantic gestures were. He wondered if Will now believed him when he said cheesy and cliché things. Pulling Will closer, he commented, "I'm feeling warmer already. We might have to take our clothes off."

Will rolled his eyes but caught himself because he didn't want to make Chad regret anything. "I'm sure Sonny and Dario would appreciate it if we kept our clothes on."

"We would," Sonny shouted back to them before turning to Dario. "Is this doing the trick?"

Dario had watched the closeness between Chad and Will since they left the apartment to head over here. He wondered how they became so comfortable with each other, and remembered how awkward they were with each other before they started dating. He thought about how he pushed himself on Sonny's birthday to be comfortable with it to prove his love for him, but it all backfired in the end. Turning to Sonny, he realized he had been asked a questioned. "Sorry, what did you ask?"

Sonny cautiously took Dario's hands and made direct eye contact. "I asked if you feel comfortable out here. Is it helping you at all?"

Dario looked down and answered, "Yeah. It's helping some. I'm glad I am with you, but a part of me still feels guilty about it."

"About being here with me?" Sonny asked for clarification.

Dario shook his head, "No, my mom. Her last words to me keep playing out in my head, and I don't want those to be the last words I remember."

Will and Chad walked over with cups of hot cocoa and passed them out. "I'm sorry it's not looking good for your mom, Dario. It also sucks that she can't accept you with Sonny."

Dario felt uneasy about what Will said. He wanted to be with Sonny, but he hadn't verbally said it to Sonny just yet. "She wanted to fix me so bad before her... she dies."

Will took a seat on the couch and pulled Chad next to him. "I remember when my great-grandma Caroline tried to fix me. She tried to keep me away from Sonny and even used Gabi to convince me I could be straight."

Sonny moved closer to Dario, so Chad could sit on the couch, too. "Victor did that to me, as well. You know that, but I know it's got to be harder for you because of the situation your family is in. Do you know what the chances are for your mom to wake up before..."

"She... I'd rather not talk about it," Dario responded. "I want to get away from it."

Sonny sensed Dario's discouragement and got an idea. Placing his cup down, he suggested, "How about we grab this blanket and go outside. When we got here, we walked by a small patio with a bench on it."

Dario wasn't sure at first, but then figured some fresh cold air could help him clear the air. He wasn't in the mood for hot chocolate anymore and set his cup down as well. "Okay. Just you and I?"

Chad put his arm on top of the couch around Will. "Horton and I can stay in here and decide what we want to snack on for the night while you two go outside."

Sonny gave Chad and Will an appreciative smile and got off the couch with Dario to head out. "If you think you need it, you could grab your coat."

"We have the blanket," Dario said feeling a bit more at ease since he would be alone with Sonny. Following Sonny outside, they made a short trek to the bench Sonny had seen when they arrived. Noting they were still close to the cabin, Dario awkwardly asked, "How are we going to do this?"

Sonny took a seat on the bench first and placed the blanket on him. He then opened up the blanket so Dario could snuggle up next to him. "Only if you want to," Sonny offered to make sure he didn't make Dario uncomfortable.

"I want to," Dario said in a serious yet nervous tone. Getting under the blanket with Sonny, he moved in closer to Sonny and let out a small smile.

Even though Sonny was scared as hell to have Dario so close again, he didn't let it show on his face or through his body. Looking up, he stated, "I mentioned the clear sky earlier because I thought it would be a good idea if we came out here to stargaze. It was a while ago, but I remember you said you liked stargazing when we went camping over the summer."

Dario gave Sonny a surprised look. "I can't believe you remembered that. You remember a lot of things about us."

Sonny moved his left hand, so he could wrap it around Dario's stomach. Pulling Dario closer, Sonny swallowed hard before confessing, "That's when I knew I had fallen in love with you. I felt like an idiot because we had already fooled around, and you made it clear to me it was a one-time mistake. I remember feeling sick to my stomach because when we played truth or dare you admitted you had slept with Melanie. I was so jealous and hurt."

Looking up to the stars, Dario became confused and clarified, "I never admitted to sleeping with Melanie. I never did. It almost happened, but my truth was whether I slept with anyone since I had been in Salem. I answered with yes, but never said it was Melanie, remember? I was actually referring to what happened between us. I don't know what I was thinking when I said yes, but I do remember a part of me wishing someone would dare us to kiss each other that night."

Sonny had to take a moment because he never expected to hear Dario say that. "I wanted that, too."

Dario took a deep breath after hearing Sonny say those words to him. "There is so much I want in my life, Sonny." Grabbing Sonny's left hand, he raised it to rest on his chest. "Our relationship has had its complications, but there's something about us – I don't know."

Sonny could feel Dario's heart beating so fast. "Dario, I know deep down that we both want this, but I also know we've made some decisions or life changes to escape it because of the way we've hurt each other."

"From the beginning, I believe I have wanted to escape it or deny it," Dario admitted. "After Will's attack you talked about that conversation we had about at the Cheatin' Heart about how I told you I was glad I got to know you and how I didn't want to lose that. Something else keeps popping in my head though. I remember over the summer, I was helping your mom with set up for the day, and you came into the Cheatin' Heart. It was after my sister caught you and Will kissing on the pier. I pinned you against the wall and yelled at you for hurting my sister."

Sonny leaned his head on Dario's and shared, "I remember."

Dario felt safe with Sonny because he could feel the love, so he relaxed more as he continued, "I slipped when I yelled at you and asked you how you could do that to me. I felt so betrayed personally, and I didn't even realize it at the time – maybe I didn't want to. Do you remember that?"

Sonny smiled as he hadn't really thoroughly thought about that. "Yeah. I noticed your eyes were watering before my mom rushed over and told you to let me go. I remember being so afraid of you and confused at the same time because that was the same morning I woke up at that hotel where Kinsey supposedly left me."

Thinking about the problems Victor and Kinsey caused for him and Sonny, Dario stated, "With the things that have happened to us, it seems like things will always be in our way. Your great-uncle, Kinsey, Kai, my fear, and my family. I tried so hard to ignore it all when we went to your family's cabin, but it all backfired. I shared how I felt, and it all fell apart."

Sonny remembered the guilt he felt at the Kiriakis cabin for the way he betrayed Kai and for the way he pushed Dario away. "I am so sorry for what I did to you in Colorado. It wasn't right. I ignored my feelings for you and even blamed you for what happened. When we talked it out after we skied down the mountain, you were so sweet about everything – so supportive. I took you from your mom, and I allowed you to put yourself in a hard place. You were going to make a promise though before the others walked up. What was it?"

Dario remembered the conversation well. "I was going to promise you that I would stay away from you forever if that's what you wanted. I didn't want to hurt you anymore. Sonny, it's always been complicated for us – maybe it will always be that way."

Reflecting on what his parents had taught him, Sonny countered, "Love is never easy, Dario. Life isn't easy. It's been complicated for you, and it has been for me."

"It really has," Dario said softly before asking, "but that should make us stronger, right?" He was ready for it all to stop. He wasn't sure he could handle much more.

Back inside, Chad and Will found some chips to snack on. Will sat at one end of the table as he told Chad to open his mouth. "Let's see if you can catch this in your mouth."

Chad moved his head back and opened his mouth as Will attempted to throw a chip into it. The chip hit Chad's chin and fell onto the table. Chad and Will immediately began to laugh. "Wow. Maybe we should see if you can even throw and aim… That was a major miss."

Will gave Chad a playful angry look. "I'll show you a major miss!" Will began to throw chips at Chad's face – one after the other.

Chad stood up and went for Will to tackle him and take the bag of chips away. "You're making a mess! What would your gram say about this?"

Will tossed the bag of chips on top of the bible as Chad picked him up and carried him over to the couch. After Chad dropped Will on the couch, Will quickly got up on his feet and put his hand out. "Let's not do this!" he exclaimed with an energized smile on his face.

Chad put his hands up to show he was no longer going to attack Will. "You started it, but if you want to raise your white flag, I will accept your surrender."

Will smiled at Chad and pulled him on the couch with him. "You are so silly, Chad." Surprising his boyfriend with a quick peck on the lips, he said with a sigh, "It's so good to get away."

Not giving much thought, Chad leaned his head against the back of the couch, turned his head to face Will, and asked, "What are you trying to escape, Horton?"

Will immediately thought about how he found Mia kissing Chad as well as the attack that followed on the pier. Trying to avoid feeling more tense, Will chose not to share his thoughts with Chad. He wanted to focus on the fun he was having with Chad. "I was just saying, it's good to get away. I never said anything about wanting to escape."

Chad became a tad frustrated with Will's avoiding his question because he thought he was experiencing the same safety he and Will used to feel with each other. Digressing somewhat, he decided to ask a more direct question. "Will, how are you and me? Are we really okay?"

Will wasn't about to let their fun die down with Chad's serious question. "We love each other, Chad. That's all that matters." Deciding to take control of where their alone time went, Will straddled Chad and surprised Chad with a more passionate kiss. It had worked earlier that morning.

Chad went with it at first because he enjoyed making out with Will a lot. Wrapping his arms around Will's back, he pulled Will up, so he could get more comfortable. When he started to run his hands through Will's hair, he realized Will had managed to distract him from getting answers to his question. Pulling himself away from Will's lips, he looked deep into Will's eyes and wondered why Will was avoiding a real issue here. "Will, what is going on?"

Will quickly tensed up and was now clearly upset. "Why are we doing this, Chad? We came out here to get away from the real world. You should understand this – I mean – you're the one who wants to leave Salem for good to get away from all your problems."

"I still do," Chad admitted feeling flustered.

Chad wanted to say more, but Will interrupted, "I can't leave Salem." Getting off of Chad, Will sat on the other end of the couch. "If you don't want to do this, you should let me know."

Chad felt a fear come over him because it seemed Will was shutting down on him completely now. He didn't want the worst to happen, so he decided to assume Will was referring to having sex and not their relationship. "Will, we can't do this here anyway. Sonny and Dario could walk in on us having sex. Sorry if I freaked out on you and put you off."

Will felt bad for the attitude he gave to Chad and covered by becoming flirty again. "Well, we can put a sock on the bedroom door. I am sure Dario and Sonny know what that means."

Chad gave Will a blank stare and was speechless.

Will continued, "If you want to save me, you'll take your clothes off and meet me in the bedroom."

Chad watched as Will began to unbutton his shirt and disappeared into the bedroom. He decided not to fight anymore and immediately began to take his clothes off. He made sure to keep one of his socks handy to put on the door, but before going in, he walked over to the window to see what Dario and Sonny were doing. Spotting them on the bench cuddling, he hoped Sonny would be able to help Dario through his problems, but he also hoped Sonny did so outside of the cabin. After hearing Will yell his name, Chad headed for the bedroom and placed the sock on the door before closing it.

Outside, Sonny continued to hold Dario close and couldn't stop himself from kissing Dario on the top of his head. Looking up at the stars, he exclaimed, "I just saw a shooting star!"

Dario smiled widely as he saw it, too. Looking at the stars really helped him put his mind at ease. He felt a sense of tranquility that he hadn't felt in quite some time. "I hope that's a good sign for Mama," he wished. "It feels good to be out here with you, Sonny. I really appreciate you doing this for me. Coming out here was definitely a good idea."

Sonny wrapped both of his arms around Dario and pulled him on his lap. "Tell me what you hope for Dario."

Dario continued to look into the sky with an innocent look. He remembered how his mother used to catch him stargazing when he was a kid. She used to ask him to do the same when she did. "I want my mom to accept who I love. I want her blessing."

Sonny lowered his mouth to Dario's ear. "Everything will work out, Dario. It has to. I know it's said so easily these day, Dario, but I love you and even those three words don't cover what I feel for you."

Dario looked up to Sonny and gave him a hopeful smile. "I love you, Sonny." Feeling the pull, he and Sonny began to kiss. They let their bodies relax as they gave into the feeling that nothing could get in the way anymore. They had each other and nothing else mattered.

* * *

><p>Nathan rushed into the waiting room, where Manny, Gabi, and Arianna still were. "Guys, your mother is awake. You can come see her now. She doesn't have much time left."<p>

Arianna pushed Manny and Gabi out the door to follow Nathan and pulled out her cell phone to call Dario. "I'll be in there in a second. Hopefully, I can get through to Dario this time."

After leaving Arianna in the waiting room, Manny, Nathan, and Gabi entered the hospital room and found Isobel laying there looking extremely weak. Walking past Father Matt, Manny announced, "Mama, we're here."

Isobel looked around and asked, "Where are Arianna and Dario?"

Gabi gave her mother a softened look trying her best not to let her eyes water. "Arianna is outside calling Dario to get here! Everything will be okay, Mama. Don't worry about us."

Isobel motioned toward the table next to her where four envelopes had been placed. Manny rushed over and helped her grab them. As Isobel held them, Gabi, Manny, and Nathan could see how shaky her body was. "I don't think I can hold on much longer, mijos. I am trying to stay as long as I can," Isobel shared as a tear fell down her face.

Arianna walked in and shook her head at Manny and Gabi. "The call is not going through. I can go look for Dario."

The disappointment of not having Dario there hit Isobel hard, but she couldn't let that stop her from doing what she needed to do for her other kids. After a coughing spell, she spoke in a weak tone, "I know I have not been a perfect mother, but I want you all to know I love you very much. I am very proud of each and every one of you."

Manny wiped the tears from his eyes as he and his sisters moved closer to Isobel. "Mama, we love you so much. You really did your best and gave us your all."

Arianna went over and helped her mother with the envelopes. "You have taught us how to be strong and resilient. Your legacy will live on."

Gabi noticed Isobel was trying to speak. Even though she agreed with what Manny and Arianna said, she stepped in to make them stop talking. "Let Mama talk, please!"

Isobel looked down at her envelopes and gave the first one to Manny. With the help of Father Matt, she wrote letters to each of her kids. She had started them when she found out her treatment didn't work. She figured she wouldn't be able to say all she wanted to them before she passed away, and believed these letters would help them move on from her death. "Manuel, you will find a letter in there I wrote for you. It will explain more of my thoughts and feelings, but I want you to know I never stopped loving you. I never believed you were a waste. Te amo, mijo."

Manny looked the envelope over and gave Isobel a smile. "Te amo, Mama."

Isobel handed the next envelope to Arianna. "My beautiful Arianna, you have been my strength through all of this. You have put up with my stubbornness over the last year, and I thank you for always keeping me on my toes. I know I wouldn't have lasted this long without you. Te amo, mija."

Arianna wiped her eyes and squeezed Isobel's hands. "You put up with my stubbornness for a lot longer, Mama. Your love and patience are what I learned from."

Isobel came to the next envelope and paused for a moment because it was for Dario. She wished he was there, so she could speak to him about her hopes and dreams for him. "I have one for Dario," she said handing it to Gabi. "Please give that to him."

"I will," Gabi said putting the envelope in her purse. Arianna and Manny moved out of the way, so Gabi could move closer to Isobel. Isobel handed Gabi her envelope and began to cough again. Gabi took Isobel's hand trying to take this moment in. "Mama, you don't have to say anything. I already know."

Isobel stopped coughing after shaking her head. "No, Gabriella. I want to tell you I am sorry for making life so difficult for you. I sent you away to finish high school to hide my illness, and I kept so many secrets from you to protect you. I explain some of those things in my letter to you. I wish I could hold your hand physically to help you through the challenges of life, but I hope you know I will always be with you. Te amo tanto, mi hermosa hija."

"I love you, too, Mama," Gabi said back wondering if this would be the moment they would have to say goodbye. Gabi bent down and gave her mother a hug. "I am going to be a huge success. I am going to be stronger than ever, Mama. I am going to make you so proud – one day – I promise you!"

Isobel tried to hold Gabi tight, but her strength was gone. "You already have, Gabriella. All of you have."

After Gabi let go of Isobel, Manny and Arianna gave her a hug next. They stood at Isobel's bedside as she started to breathe harder but fainter. Tears fell down all of their faces as Isobel smiled and studied their faces one last time while Father Matt prayed over her giving Isobel her last rites. Isobel took one last breath as her eyes raised to the ceiling of her hospital room. She was gone.

Nathan walked over to check her pulse and sadly declared, "I'm sorry, but your mother is dead." Having experienced this with Manny, Arianna, and Gabi greatly affected him and weighed heavily on his heart.

Arianna went over and kissed her mother's cheek. "Mama, may you find peace."

Gabi lost all holds she had on her emotions and sobbed uncontrollably. Manny rushed over to try to hold her, but she pushed him aside. "I need to get away from here," she exclaimed. Adjusting her purse over her shoulder, she ran out of the room. She couldn't stand there anymore. The pain was overbearing. Life was filled with so much uncertainty.


	70. Chapter 70 Away From Here, Pt 3

**Chapter 70: Away From Here, Part 3 – Friday, January 27th, 2012–Saturday, January 28th, 2012**

Life was filled with so much uncertainty. Life was filled with darkness and the light seemed scarce. It was especially dark in the Horton cabin bedroom. Chad and Will were alone trying to escape the uncertainty that filled their lives. As he laid on his back in the old and tired bed, Chad closed his eyes as Will mounted him. Both were completely naked physically, but there was something that seemed to hold them back from being completely vulnerable in other aspects. Even so, Chad had the desire to be as close as possible with Will in this moment, and Will made it seem this was what he wanted now – no holds – just complete susceptibility. Running his hands up and down Will's bare stomach and chest, he began to moan as he thrust into Will.

Opening his eyes, Chad tried to make eye contact with Will, but Will was looking up. He continued to run his hands over Will's body hoping to grab his attention, but Will wouldn't look down. "Will, I love you," he huffed hoping that would do the trick.

"Oh, Chad," was all Will said in response. His breathing began to sound extremely harsh because the pain seemed to be overbearing for him.

Terror fell on Chad as he began to wonder why Will wouldn't look at him. "Will. Look at me. Are you here with me?" Will began to lower his head as Chad began to hear a beeping sound in the background. When Will finally lowered his head to look into Chad's eyes, Chad suddenly saw an image of Will hung on a noose on top of him. Chad understandably freaked out and pulled Will off him. "I can't do this," he told Will. Will didn't respond and Chad noticed the faint beeping sound in the background once again. Shaking his head, he turned to Will to make sure he was okay/ He couldn't get the image of Will hung on a noose out of his head. "I'm sorry, Will. My mind…"

"What's wrong?" Will asked with concern as he sat up to look at Chad.

As the volume of the beeping quickly increased, Chad took Will's hand and with alarm asked, "Where are you?"

Chad jolted awake in a cold sweat. The beeping sound decreased in volume but was now more constant. He rubbed his eyes feeling extremely drowsy for some odd reason. After removing his hands from his eyes, he looked around and tried to figure out where he was. After his eyes adjusted to the bright lights around the room, he felt a shiver go down his spine once he realized he was in the hospital. Looking down, he realized he was wearing a gown as if he were a patient. Chad tried to rack his brain to figure out why he was in the hospital, but all he saw were flashes of the pier and his cousin, Ignazio. "What the hell happened to me?" he asked removing the monitor hookups from his arms.

Jumping off the hospital bed, Chad almost lost his balance when his feet touched the ground. He was in a hurry to get answers, but his body didn't seem to want to listen to his brain. "Help?!" he yelled out hoping someone would come in to assist him. Frustration came over him because he couldn't remember anything that happened, and no one seemed to be around to help him.

Chad hobbled and hopped over to the door, but when he grabbed the doorknob, he fell to the floor. Yelling in pain, he slammed his hands on the floor in disappointment because he did not understand why his body wasn't working. He wanted things to work out so badly, but no matter how much will he put into accomplishing anything, he got nowhere.

Getting desperate, Chad began to speak to himself, "Chad, you can do this. Get up!" After placing his hands on the floor, he tried to push himself off the ground, but his legs did not want to cooperate. He hit the floor once again in exasperation causing a crack to appear on the floor. "What the hell?" Chad asked before the floor immediately fell from under him.

Falling into darkness, Chad landed hard on his back. The bright light from the hospital room had ceased entirely, but the uncertainty in Chad's mind amplified. Through some pain, he raised his head and shoulders by pushing his elbows against the ground. "Hello?" he uttered into the darkness. His voice seemed to echo wherever he was.

A light suddenly appeared nearby. Chad sat up completely and looked closer to see what the source of the light was. Raising his hand over his eyebrows, he saw the light was coming from a street lamp, and under the street lamp was a tree and a red cedar bench.

Chad managed to stand up without a problem. He wondered why he had his footing again when he didn't before. Making his way over to the bench, he studied the tree and noted it was only filled with leaves – no flowers or fruit. He looked at the bench and found it oddly familiar. The red cedar seemed to whisper to him in an unfamiliar language. It was somewhat soothing to hear, so he took a seat as he questioned what had just happened. Where was he and how did he get here? An even more important question crossed Chad's mind. "Where is Will?"

Needing answers, Chad realized he couldn't just sit there and wait. He tried to push himself off the bench, but he was now stuck. It was as if he had been super glued to the bench. He earnestly tried to free himself from the bench, but he did not budge at all. His ears perked up when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He swallowed hard as he anticipated who was coming for him.

André arrived under the street light and gave Chad a solemn look. "It seems you still lack the ability..."

"What is this," Chad interrupted. "Are you going to guide me around and tell me what I am doing wrong again? I'm tired of this shit! Why is this so damn hard?"

André shook his head at Chad. "I have taught you all I can at this moment. It's all up to you now. You must close your eyes and open them once again."

Chad gave André a confused look because he did not understand what he was supposed to do in this situation. "Where is Will?"

"He is where you left him, Chad," André answered before reiterating, "Close your eyes and open them again."

Chad listened to André's instructions and closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened his eyes, André no longer stood in front of him. "André? What just happened?" Chad closed his eyes again and when he opened them this time, Sami stood in front of him. "Sami. What are you doing here?" Looking Will's mother over, he realized she was dressed similarly to Colleen in his 'Strength' dream.

"The beast is here, Chad," Sami said with grave concern. "Will doesn't have a chance if you are unable to tame the beast."

Chad tried to get free from the bench again, but his body still would not budge. "What is this? Did the beast glue me to this bench?"

"In a way," Sami answered. "He is..."

Chad blinked before Sami could finish her sentence. She was now gone. "Dammit. What were you going to say, Sami?" Chad closed his eyes hoping that when he opened them, Sami would reappear, but when he opened them his brother, EJ, who was dressed as the charioteer, sat next to him on the bench.

"It seems you continue to struggle with making every part of you work together," EJ commented. "You cannot ignore one part of yourself if you want things to work out. Remember, think things through before going into battle. Everything must be discovered and considered."

Chad watched as EJ helped him remove his left hand from the bench. "Thanks, EJ, but my overthinking gets me into trouble. Have you seen Sami? She was going to tell me about the beast."

"If you want to find the beast, stop ignoring him," EJ informed Chad.

Chad tried to pry his right hand from the bench using his left hand while he asked, "Is father the beast? I've been avoiding him because of what he did to me – to all of us."

"Father..."

Chad blinked again, and EJ was gone. "No! Why is this happening?" Chad looked down as he continued to work on freeing his right arm. He realized any time he closed and opened his eyes people would appear and disappear. He figured he would have to work hard on trying not to blink when someone appeared.

Closing and opening his eyes once again, Chad noticed the tree now had flowers on it. There was also in inscription on the bark that read: "Revelation 17:3". Mia came from behind the tree and gave him a wicked smile. "Hello. Have you seen my lover? He looks almost exactly like you." Stepping forward, she spoke Chad's thoughts, "He killed Will."

Chad didn't even want to deal with Mia. "Shut the fuck up!" he yelled at her before blinking to make her disappear. He took a deep breath when he opened his eyes to see the flowers, the inscription, and Mia were gone. "Thank God." Blinking again, Tony appeared dressed as the hierophant. "Tony, I need answers. You have helped me think things through in the past."

"Have I?" Tony questioned. "What truth do you seek now?"

Chad reminded himself not to blink, so he could have a conversation with the brother he never knew. "I want the complete truth. Should I fear the beast? Does he have Will? Is he keeping me from Will?"

Tony bowed slightly to Chad and answered clearly. "You determine what you fear. You decide what you do with the fear. You choose whether the beast is allowed to hurt Will."

Chad felt unsure about Tony's response. "Is father the beast?"

"Maybe you should talk to the beast. He is here," Tony offered.

Chad became uneasy over talking to the beast just yet. "I want to talk to you now. You can tell me..." Tony clapped in Chad's face causing him to blink and raise his right hand from the bench. Chad smiled now that he had two free hands, but then realized Tony was now gone. Looking around for a moment, he wondered if the beast really was with him. He closed his eyes another time.

After closing his eyes for what felt like a minute, he cautiously opened them again to see Stefano sitting across from him on an ordained throne dressed as an emperor. "My son, have you allowed the beast to be your captain – your emperor?"

Prying his back from the bench, Chad leaned forward to yell at Stefano. "You are the beast! I will not let you keep Will away from me. I cannot believe you set up the attack on his life. I cannot believe you tried to hide your true motives and pretend others were out to get me. I put my guard down!"

Stefano began to laugh at Chad. "You think I am responsible for all of that? You believe I am the beast? What on earth is wrong with you? Why are you not seeing things clearly? Maybe I did not nurture you enough when I came into your life. Maybe I nurtured you too much. Maybe I tried to drive you too much to a certain purpose. Are you not allowed to think and see for yourself? Where is Will at this moment in time, Chad? Where is the man you claim to love?"

Chad really struggled with keeping his eyes from blinking. "You have him. You are keeping me away from him!"

"Enough!" Stefano yelled at his son. "I am not to blame for the leadership you lack in your own life. You do not know true leadership. You get mad at me for being some sort of puppet master, but each man should make his own decision, or he is no man at all. William..."

Chad's eyes flickered and cut Stefano off and caused Madeline, Chad's mother, to appear on the bench next to him. "Mom? I cannot do this. The beast is keeping me from Will, but I don't know who the beast is."

"Let me illuminate your brain," Madeline shared. She ran her fingers through her flowing hair pointing out she had a blue streak in it. After placing her hands back on her lap, her dress began to glow brighter than the street lamp that stood next to them.

Chad looked out and could see more of his surroundings. He managed to look far enough to see the pier in the distance. He then realized Will's body laying completely still on it. "Will!" he cried. Turning to his mother, he asked, "How do I get over there to him? I can't get free from this bench."

"The beast has a secure grip on you," Madeline explained before answering her son's question. "Chad, you must take things one step at a time. Move slower and you will succeed in what you want. Take the time to be fully aware of what is in front of you!"

Chad assumed his mother was referring to Will and looked ahead at him. His eyes began to water because he needed to blink so badly, but he really needed his mother's light to help him get to Will. He took a deep breath and tried to pry himself from the bench little by little. It seemed to be working. He smiled excitedly and turned towards his mother, whose appearance became brighter than before. It got so bright he covered his eyes to look away.

Unfortunately for Chad, when he uncovered his eyes, Madeline was gone and so was the light that showed him where Will was. Tears fell down Chad's face as he doubted his ability to keep fighting. "This is not happening. Why is the world against me? Why can't I know the beast?"

Chad closed his eyes for a moment in defeat. He needed to find the courage within himself to be able to keep fighting for Will. He struggled with the idea that no matter how hard he tried, Will always seemed distant in some aspect. Who was to blame for this?

Finally opening his eyes, he found Celeste in a white robe standing in front of him. The crescent moon appeared in the sky and illuminated her face. Remaining silent, Celeste pulled out a scroll debating whether she should hand it to Chad. Deciding not to just yet, she pointed to the red cedar bench.

Chad gave her a confused look. "What? Why are you pointing to the bench?"

"It is magic," Celeste answered. "How else are you stuck? It is keeping you from enlightenment, and the infinite possibilities that come from your tools."

Chad looked under the bench and spotted a bag sitting there. It seemed to be full of something, and he wondered if there was something he could use to get to Will. He stretched his hand out to grab it, but he could not reach it. "I need help," Chad whimpered.

"Help yourself," Celeste said with empathy. "The beast is here."

Chad tried harder to reach for it while he tried to get information about the beast from Celeste. "Is the beast responsible for the magic used to keep me on the bench?"

Celeste watched as Chad struggled to reach for the bag of tools. "There is so much you do not understand, Chad. Everyone has tried to tell you the truth, but you are not listening."

Celeste's response caused Chad to become defensive and discouraged. He looked up to demand a real answer, but when he accidentally blinked, the bag and Celeste disappeared. Leaning back into the bench, his whole body became attached to it once again.

Chad shook his head in disbelief that he was back to square one. Hearing footsteps again, he looked over and saw someone reach the street lamp. The person was holding the bag of tools, but he could not see their face because the light from the lamp did not reach that high. "Hello? Are you going to help me? I need that bag."

The person holding the bag stepped forward revealing his face. Chad's mouth opened wide in shock because it was like he was looking into a mirror. The person who was holding the bag was him.

"Before I give you the bag, I have something else to give you," Chad's doppelganger claimed as he rummaged through the bag. Pulling out a tarot card, he handed it to Chad.

Chad realized he was no longer stuck to the bench and could stand up from it. He took the card in haste and studied the back before turning it around. The doppelganger had handed him 'the Food' card. Looking up, Chad asked, "What is this?"

Chad's doppelganger smiled mischievously. "It is what we are," he replied.

"Who – What are you?" Chad demanded!

The doppelganger's smile only grew more animalistic as it answered, "I am you. We are the beast."

"No..." Chad called out. He closed his eyes immediately to escape the truth that had just been revealed to him. How could he be the beast? What did this mean? Unfortunately, when he closed his eyes, darkness and uncertainty took over filling every inch of his being. Chad found himself in an unknown place once again. "Hello?" he called out.

Darkness remained until flashes of light appeared in different spots around him causing Chad to jump and turn his body.

Chad turned to his right and saw Will hanging from a noose tied to an olive tree. "This needs to stop!" he exclaimed.

Turning to his left, he spotted an unconscious Will lying on the pier. "Will?"

Finally, hearing a noise in front of him, Chad then looked forward to see the hybrid panther with the lion's mane from his strength dream. He froze. The hybrid strategically made its way closer to him causing Chad's heart to beat faster. Chad wanted the beast to stay away, but it had other plans. As Chad raised his hands up in defense, the beast jumped towards Chad filling Chad's mind and heart with panic and fear.

_Chad_ jolted up in bed at the Horton Cabin. His heart was racing, and the sweat all over his body caused him to pull the covers over him to protect him from the cold. He looked over at the digital clock and felt a fear come over him when he saw the time. "This isn't happening," he said to himself repeatedly trying to collect himself.

Will woke up and sat up in bed because he sensed how distraught Chad was. "Chad, are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?"

Chad turned to Will and pulled him close. "I'm not evil. Don't leave me, Will. Stay with me forever. I am so sorry."

Will's eyes widened as he wrapped his arms around Chad and rubbed his back. "I don't think you're evil for what happened tonight. I'm not going anywhere Chad. I'm here with you – now and forever." Will thought about how Chad freaked out on him earlier when they tried to make love. He wondered if Chad felt guilty for putting a stop to it.

Feeling the warmth of Will's hold on him as well as the love in Will's voice helped Chad calm down. Laying down again, he continued to hold Will so he felt safe again. He didn't understand why things were so difficult for them. He tried his best to push the fear down, so he could be stronger. He desperately wanted to be the man Will needed. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I know we have to get back to our daily routine in the morning."

Will kissed Chad's arms hoping to comfort him more. "It's okay. I set an alarm to get us up early enough so we can leave at a decent time before school." Trying to look around the room through the darkness, he commented, "I guess Dario and Sonny slept out there."

Chad wasn't concerned about Sonny or Dario. He just wanted Will to know where he stood, so he never doubted him. "I love you, Will."

Will lowered his head again, so his face was at the same level as Chad's. Caressing his boyfriend's face, he said, "I love you, Chad. Just forget the nightmare. It's not real."

Chad gave Will a loving kiss and held Will until they fell asleep again.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Manny, Arianna, and Gabi were going through Isobel's things at the Dimera guesthouse. All three tried to sleep after their mother's death, but they found that keeping busy was easier than resting. When they stopped, their emotions had an easier time of taking over. Sadly, the lack of sleep was starting to get to them.<p>

Manny grabbed a box of tissues and handed it to Arianna because she couldn't stop crying while she went through her mother's clothes. "Maybe you should take a break."

Arianna wiped her face with a tissue as she shared, "I don't want to take a break. My thoughts and feelings will only intensify if I do." Taking another tissue, she found herself sharing more than she planned, "I keep thinking about what Mama wrote to me in my letter. I could hear her voice as I read it, and I guess I am scared I will forget her voice as time goes by."

Manny understood where Arianna was coming from. "I have the same fear. We have pictures of her, but it won't be the same." Thinking about what Isobel wrote in his letter, he shared, "Mama really went all out with making sure to communicate her love. She wanted to make sure I knew her toughness with me was to help me know I am worth a lot. She talked about the pressure she put on me growing up and actually apologized for trying to make me grow up so fast. I just wish I could say thank you and that I forgive her. She never gave up on me."

Arianna gave Manny a hug. "I keep expecting her to come out of her room. I tried to prepare myself mentally for this, but I don't think you can ever prepare enough."

Manny let go of Arianna and turned to Gabi, who chose to clean out the kitchen to stay to herself. "Gabi, did you read your letter yet?"

Gabi had hoped to remain closed off from her brother and sister because talking about Isobel didn't seem to help her any. "I am waiting to read it when I am ready," she answered while remaining fully focused on what she was doing.

Arianna folded another dress and placed it into a suitcase. She sniffled as she wondered what they were going to do with all of Isobel's clothes when they moved out of the Dimera guesthouse. She began to rub her forehead as she thought about where they could go now. She glanced at Manny and Gabi and wondered what they wanted, and then she thought about Dario. Where was he? In frustration, she complained, "I can't believe we haven't heard from Dario yet. How could he run off now of all times? He knew Mama didn't have much time left."

Manny could understand Arianna's frustration, but he figured they couldn't harp on that when they did find Dario. His job was to keep the family from falling apart. "Mama did say horrible things to him the last time we saw him. He is probably trying to deal with that."

Gabi cringed at the fact that Manny was trying to excuse Dario's absence. She loved her oldest brother, but she couldn't take how he made it seem that Dario was the biggest victim in all of this. She walked into the room and exclaimed, "Mama has always said bad things about us, but Dario has always been the exception. He gets it one time, and he can't deal with it? Manny, Mama has called you useless and shameful multiple times. Why does he get a free pass for not only denying Mama what she wanted, but not being there in her last moments?" Clearly overwhelmed and irritated that she had lost some control, Gabi quickly rushed into Isobel's old bedroom after saying, "I am going to pack our things in the other room."

Arianna shook her head feeling discouraged by everything. "I don't even know how to talk to her anymore. She has become someone else."

"It took me hours to convince her to come back here with us last night," Manny acknowledged. "I'm worried about her." Thinking about what Isobel told him about Dario's real paternity, he added, "I'm worried about Dario, too."

Arianna's phone chimed. She wiped her eyes and grabbed it to see who sent her a text message. Her eyes lit up as she shared, "It's Adrienne." After reading the text, she informed Manny, "We need to head to Sonny's apartment and wait for Dario there. Adrienne says Dario is headed there now with Sonny, Will, and Chad."

"What should we do about Gabi?" Manny asked.

Arianna eyed the door and decided, "I'll ask her if she wants to go with us." Opening the bedroom door, Arianna was too distracted to notice how Gabi jumped when she did so. "We're meeting up with Dario at Sonny's apartment. You want to come with us?"

Trying to calm her nerves, Gabi answered, "You two can go on ahead. I will stay here." Even though she lashed out at Manny for excusing Dario's absence, she wanted to give Dario a hug when he found out about their mother. At the same time, she knew she needed to take advantage of this time alone.

Arianna walked out choosing not to push Gabi. Grabbing her coat, she looked at Manny, who already had his coat on. "You ready?"

Manny nodded his head and led Arianna out the guesthouse. "I found Dario's letter, so we can give it to him when we tell him. I guess Gabi put it in Mama's hospital bag after we came back here from the hospital." When they were outside, they ran into Marco. Wanting to avoid a long conversation, he shared with Marco, "We are packing, but there's something we need to do."

"No worries," Marco started. Giving Arianna and Manny a sympathetic look, he continued, "I am really sorry about your mother. EJ told me to inform you there is no rush. Take your time with everything, and if there is any way I can be of assistance, do not hesitate to ask. I want to do what I can to help you." Marco made sure to give Arianna a long look, so she knew he was serious about the offer.

Arianna felt uncomfortable talking to Marco because of how she used him to find the evidence on Stefano. She wondered if they knew yet she was the one who found the knife there. Giving him a tiny thankful smile, she replied, "Thanks Marco. Manny and I really need to head out."

"Don't let me stand in your way," Marco said wishing he could do more for Arianna during this time. He watched as Arianna and Manny walked away hoping he would get to have some alone time with Arianna, so he could explain everything to her. He hoped it wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>Ignazio arrived to his grandmother's mansion just as she requested the day before. Walking in, he found her sitting by the fireplace in the other room. "Nonna, I am here as you have wished. You said you have a new mission for me, but what about my mission concerning Chad?"<p>

Maddalena thought about Chad and grimaced. "Nipote, you have done what you can. He seems even more stubborn than his father and mother. I have the extra push planned out to make him leave Salem. Everything will be fine."

Ignazio wondered what his grandmother had planned and if she would tell him. "What mission do you have for me now?" he asked curiously.

Motioning to a chair, she said, "Take a seat. What I have to tell you is something very important for the family."

Ignazio grew concerned. "Is this about your health? One of the times I snuck down into the basement, I overheard you and Colin discussing your health."

"No, nipote. I do not want you to feel concerned about that," Maddalena quickly instructed him. "This is about your dear friend, Dario Hernandez. I have noted your close relationship."

Ignazio grew suspicious of where Maddalena was headed with this conversation. "I informed you not to worry when it comes to homosexuality. That is not my vice. Dario is like a brother to me. I cannot describe it, but I have felt that way about him since I met him."

Maddalena gave Ignazio a pleased smile. "I am glad to hear how close you and Dario are because it is time for you to know everything. I believe you are aware of my interest in Isobel Hernandez. She has passed away."

Ignazio was surprised to hear Dario's mother had died. Remembering his own experience when his mother died, he wondered what his friend must be going through. "When did this happen?"

"Last night," Maddalena answered. "Now is the time you reach out to Dario because his mother is no longer in the picture. I believe he is unaware of the fact, but his biological father is your father. Dario is your brother."

Ignazio became dumbfounded that the relationship he felt he had with Dario was actually true. "Dario Hernandez? Dario is my brother? How is this possible?"

"Bring him here and I will explain everything to you," Maddalena directed her grandson. "Find him and bring him here to me. We must help him now."

The new information began to settle as Ignazio lowered his head somewhat to let Maddalena know he understood. "I will have to track Dario down. It would be easier if I had Ric."

Maddalena hated that Ignazio mentioned Ric. She hoped this news about Dario would cause Ignazio to forget all about him. "Use as many men to scout the area as possible. We need to talk to him today."

Ignazio pulled out his phone. "I will return with my brother," he announced as he remembered something else. "Nonna, there is something I wanted to bring to your attention."

"What is it?" Maddalena asked giving her grandson her full attention.

Ignazio scratched his collarbone and shared, "Stefano told me I could move into the guesthouse when Dario's family moved out. I am not sure if that invitation has been revoked since Stefano is in prison or if you still want me out of your home. What do you want me to do?"

Maddalena's eyes raised at the possibilities that presented themselves with this situation. "Keep your options open, Ignazio. If you are able to move into the guesthouse, it could be very beneficial for you and our family."

Ignazio nodded his head and left the room.

In the dining room, Azzura walked by Ignazio and wondered what he was doing there and questioned if Maddalena had forgiven him for his mistakes. She pulled her head into the other room where Maddalena was. "Signora, I am headed to your brother's mansion for a birthday celebration."

"It will not be my brother's mansion for very long," Maddalena commented more to herself. Motioning Azzura to come in completely, she needed to know a few things before her first hand left. "Do you have any updates for me?"

"Yes, Maddalena," Azzura started. "Colin is now in prison along with Ric. The media is also talking about the solutions used on Will and Abraham. I am sure someone is going to want Colin's and André's research."

Maddalena pondered for a moment. "They may want that research, but they will never get their hands on it."

Azzura gave her signora a curious look. "Do you have a plan to safeguard their research from the outside?"

Maddalena smiled mischievously, "Do I not always have a plan?"

* * *

><p>At the hospital in Abe's room, Lexie closed her eyes as she leaned her head on Abe's chest and held Abe's hands close to her lips. She wished he would wake up and had waited all night for him to say or do something after he moved his hand for Theo the day before. Hearing about Isobel's death, a fearful doubt surrounded her thoughts on Abe coming back to her. She could hear his heart beating, but she could not help questioning whether Colin helped Abe or not with the treatment he received. This was taking too long.<p>

"Lexie," Abe said softly surprising his wife.

Lexie lifted her head and turned to Abe to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. "Abe? Did you just say my name?"

Abe opened his eyes feeling confused about what was going on around him. "Yes. Why am I in here?"

Lexie became ecstatic when she saw Abe's eyes and mouth moving. Checking his vitals, she began to answer him, "You were attacked, but you are okay now. You're back with us. That's all that matters."

Nurse Maxine walked in surprised to see Abe awake. "Mayor Carver. It's good to see you have joined us in the world of consciousness." Directing the conversation to Lexie, she asked, "Dr. Carver, how is your dear husband looking?"

"Everything seems to be normal," Lexie shared optimistically. After giving Abe a kiss on the cheek, she looked lovingly into Abe's eyes trying not to lose herself completely into her past fears of never seeing Abe like this again. "I have never seen something so wonderful."

Abe noted water forming in Lexie's eyes and grew alarmed. "I know you probably don't want to tell me what happened to me at this exact moment, but I just want you to promise me you will soon."

Maxine watched as Lexie nodded her head. She kept her distance for a couple of minutes so Abe and Lexie could have a moment together. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I did not come in here because I knew Abe woke up. I came in because you two have a couple of visitors."

"Who is it?" Lexie asked wondering if Abe was up for visitors so soon.

"Pastor Carlson and Nicole Walker," Maxine answered before clarifying, "They didn't come together."

Abe tried to sit up some, but his body seemed to move slower than he wanted. "Send them in."

"I'll also go find Dr. Jonas to tell him the wonderful news," Maxine said with a smile.

After Maxine walked off, Lexie gave Abe a confused look. "Pastor Carlson? Are you sure you're up for visitors?"

Abe couldn't believe it either. "Yeah, the preacher from my mother's church. I haven't talked to him since mom died."

Before Abe could ask about Nicole, Pastor Carlson and Nicole walked in. "Hello, Brother Carver. It's so good to see you again after all these years. It is truly a gift to find you wide awake, when I thought I would only get to visit with your wife here."

While Nicole remained by the door because she wasn't sure what was happening, Lexie gave Pastor Carlson a curious smile. "He just woke up."

Pastor Carlson stepped back. "Well, I don't want to interrupt your family time. I just wanted you two to know if there is anything you ever need, do not hesitate to come to me or the church."

Abe tried his best to give his mother's old friend an appreciative smile. "Thank you for coming by. I will definitely call you when I get out of this place."

Pastor Carlson gave Abe a nod back. "Well, Brother Carver, I look forward to it. I also hope you and your family can make it to church sometime."

Nicole moved to the side so the pastor could leave. Trying to ease the discomfort in the room, she stepped forward and raised her eyebrows. "And I thought everyone in this town was Catholic."

"What are you doing here, Nicole?" Lexie asked wanting to avoid any kind of small talk.

Nicole knew she should have called ahead. "I guess Brandon didn't tell you I was coming to Salem ahead of him to see how you were doing," Nicole replied.

Lexie closed her eyes as she scratched the top of her head. "I'm sorry. Brandon did tell me, but I've been so distracted. Thanks for coming."

"I had planned on visiting with you Tuesday, but I saw someone I wasn't ready to see yet," Nicole shared. She thought about how Colin was one of the people responsible for what happened to Abe, but she decided not to talk about it since she wasn't sure what Abe knew.

EJ walked in with Celeste and Theo. When Theo saw his dad, he quickly ran over, jumped onto the bed, and gave Abe a hug. "Daddy. Mommy said you would wake up!"

Lexie immediately pulled Theo off of Abe. "Theo, Daddy is hurt, so we need to be careful." She didn't expect Theo to jump on his dad since he had seen him the day before, but the shock of his excitement went away because she loved seeing Abe and Theo together again.

EJ ignored Nicole and walked forward. Surprised to see Abe awake, he told his sister, "I was hoping to talk to you Lexie, but I can wait another time."

"Daddy, why are you in the hospital?" Theo asked wondering if his dad would give him a different answer than his mom.

Lexie looked at her mother before turning to Theo. When she asked EJ and Celeste to bring Theo, she didn't expect her son to start asking questions again. "Theo. We can talk about that again soon. First, we need to make sure your daddy is checked out."

Abe smiled at his son and wished he could hold him. "Everything will be back to normal soon, son." He looked to Lexie and wondered if she had a hard time managing Theo after whatever happened to him.

Wanting to avoid remaining in the room, Nicole pulled out her cell and waved it to Theo. She thought she could be helpful as well. "Hey, Theo. I am going to call our brother Brandon to tell him the good news about your daddy. You want to talk to him on the phone out in the hall?" Theo gladly nodded his head and walked out with Nicole.

Abe wasn't sure if he could remain patient on knowing the details of why he was in the hospital. "How long have I been in here?"

Lexie questioned if she should tell him how much time he had actually been in the hospital, or how long it had been since his attack. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Abe tried to think back and shared, "I remember meeting in the office to talk over our plans for the New Year's Eve celebration as well as what we wanted to do for the rest of the year. Did I miss the party? How did everything go?"

Lexie and EJ traded a glance before Lexie informed Abe, "It's been almost a month since the party. The date is January 27, 2012, Abe. You were held hostage, and I found you. I didn't give up until I found you."

EJ could see from Abe's face, he was reeling over the fact that it had twenty-eight days since his last memory. He decided to step in because a part of him felt guilty for Abe being in the family basement for so long. "My father is responsible, and I am truly sorry about that. He hired men to attack you out of the mayor's office and then took you hostage."

"That's what the cops believe at least," Celeste commented under her breath.

Even though Abe's body wasn't exactly up to par, his cop keenness was still on. "Celeste, do you think differently?"

Lexie questioned where this was coming from, but then remembered her mother sharing she had a feeling that Colin didn't work for Stefano the day before. Dismissing the conversation, Lexie declared, "No. My father is responsible. He knew things he shouldn't have known about the attack. He wouldn't have known them if he was innocent. He slipped once and talked about how I was shot at when you were attacked."

"That's because I told him about it," Celeste admitted as she remembered the night Stefano came over to ask for her advice. He had dropped his pen and when she picked it up, she had received a bad feeling. "I returned something to him, and that's when I confronted him about it because I had my suspicions. I wanted to protect you. Alexandra, you know how much I do not care for you having anything to do with the man. At the same time, I struggled with the idea that he would put you in danger in the direct way of Abraham's attack."

Lexie ignored her mother as she continued to explain why Stefano was guilty. "There's a lot of evidence that points to his guilt. We know about the fight you and my father had the day of the attack."

Abe's brain began to get cloudy. "I don't remember fighting or arguing with Stefano, but like you said, I am missing almost an entire month of my life." In frustration, he claimed, "I thought things were different between your father and me."

EJ turned to Celeste because he was curious with what she knew. "What did my father say in response? What makes you believe he's not guilty?"

Celeste shook her head and informed them, "Stefano told me he wasn't responsible. I am not sure if I believe him, but something felt off when I talked to him and everything came out. I have a feeling he has been set up."

A part of EJ wanted to believe his father was innocent, but he couldn't go there. "I don't have time to have faith in your feelings, Celeste. My father is guilty – everything else says he is." Turning to his sister, he pulled out an invitation. "I wanted to give this to you. We are having a last-minute birthday party for Sydney. The party is today, but her birthday is tomorrow."

Lexie looked the invitation over and replied, "I'll try to bring Theo."

After EJ left, Abe looked to Lexie and Celeste wanting more information. "If it wasn't Stefano, who else could have done this?"

Lexie gave her mother a disappointed look because she didn't want to talk crazy theories. Fortunately, for her, Daniel and Jennifer entered the room. "Daniel, are you running tests on my husband?"

Daniel nodded his head as Jennifer gave Lexie a hug. "This is the best day ever for you, I bet."

As Daniel began to look Abe over, Abe said, "I want to talk to Roman. It's imperative that I do."

Wanting to give Abe and Daniel some space, Lexie volunteered. "I'll call Roman while Daniel looks you over." After giving her husband a kiss, she headed out with Jennifer and Celeste in tow. Celeste went to find Nicole and Theo. Shaking her head as she scratched the top of her head, Lexie shared, "I don't know what I am going to do. It scares me that Abe can't remember what happened, but at the same time I wonder if it's a blessing."

Jennifer gave Lexie another hug. "Your husband in that room breathing is a blessing!"

Lexie smiled and held Jennifer tight. "You are right. I don't know what I would do without him."

* * *

><p>At Chad, Will, and Sonny's apartment, Adrienne and Justin sat on the couch with Manny while Arianna looked out the window hoping to see the guys pull in. It was quiet and awkward because none of them knew what to say. Remembering what Isobel said to Justin and her, Adrienne wondered if she could respect Isobel's wishes and stay away from her children. It didn't seem right or possible. "I heard you're moving out of the guesthouse at the Dimera mansion. Where are you guys going to live?"<p>

Manny wrung his hands because he felt uncomfortable being around Sonny's parents even though Justin helped him escape jail time. "We'll figure something out."

Justin turned to Adrienne and got an idea. "We still have that apartment Dario and Gabi lived in across the hall from Dr. Jonas. Your family could move back in there if you want."

Arianna turned away from the window and walked over to the sofa. "Thank you for the offer, but Manny and I have everything covered. We'll have a family meeting and decide where everyone stands."

Manny looked at the envelope which enclosed Dario's letter from Isobel. Shaking his head, he mentioned, "We'll have to tell Dario about our mother and then take some time as a family to grieve. It's going to be difficult."

"Extremely difficult," Adrienne acknowledged. She knew the fact that Dario was with Sonny when his mother died would make things even more so. "If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask," she finally let out.

Manny and Arianna nodded their heads in appreciation and didn't know what to say.

As Arianna took a seat on the couch, Justin remembered something. "Ari, I don't know if you really want to talk about this, but when I saw Victor this morning, he mentioned he was going to call you to talk to you about something important."

Manny gave Justin and then his sister a curious look. "Did he say what about?"

"He did not," Justin shared.

Arianna pondered Victor for a moment and then wondered aloud, "Maybe it's a job offer."

Chad, Will, Sonny, and Dario arrived outside of the apartment after their short getaway to the Horton Cabin. Chad looked at everyone and took a deep breath. "Looks like it is back to reality." He went to unlock the door, but when the doorknob moved more than it should, he realized it was already unlocked. "This is weird."

The guys walked in and found Adrienne and Justin sitting on the couch with Manny and Arianna. Will questioned aloud what the others were thinking, "What's going on here?"

Dario, who had felt somewhat better and refreshed when he arrived, now had a sudden dread come over him as he wondered why Manny and Arianna were there. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Manny stood up with his sister and began to walk toward Dario. When he made it to his brother's side, he placed his right hand on Dario's left shoulder and squeezed it. Unsure of how he should share the news about their mother, he decided to just come out with it. "It's Mama, he started. "She has left us."

Arianna, who stayed next to the couch, could see what Manny shared did not register with Dario, so she clarified, "Mama is dead, Dario. She died last night." Her lack of sleep made her seem more irritable and impatient.

Dario shook his head in disbelief. "No... No... No... No, this isn't happening," he let out wanting to put the thought of his mother being deceased outside the realm of possibilities. "Mama, cannot be dead."

Manny squeezed Dario's shoulder again. "I'm sorry, hermano, but Mama is dead. She died last night."

Dario looked at everyone in the room. Turning to Adrienne and Justin, he could see on their faces that Arianna and Manny had told him the truth. "Where's Gabi?"

Giving his brother a look of discomfort, Manny answered, "She's at the guesthouse. She decided to stay there."

"That's not important, Dario," Arianna said as she took one step closer to him.

Recognizing that Gabi didn't come because she was upset with him and that Arianna was not pleased with him either, Dario continued to shake his head at the horrific news. "Why did this happen? Why last night?" he asked in a sorrowful tone while removing himself from his brother.

Sonny, Chad, Will, Adrienne, and Justin watched tearfully as Manny handed Dario an envelope. "This is from Mama. She wanted you to have this as her last words to you. Maybe you should read it."

Dario took the envelope realizing there was no escaping this. "Where is she now?" he asked keeping his distance from everyone in the room.

"She's at the hospital morgue," Arianna answered. "They're preparing her for the funeral."

Tears fell down Dario's face as Manny tried to comfort him again. He wouldn't allow it, so he pushed his brother away. Placing the envelope in his back pocket, he declared, "I've got to go. I can't do this – I have to see her."

Everyone watched as Dario rushed out of the apartment. Sonny reflected on how he kept Dario away from his mother on their trip to Colorado only to hurt him. For some reason, it felt like he had just done it all over again. "I'll go after him," he announced hoping he could do Dario some good. Before he walked out, he made sure to give his parents hugs to let them know he loved them.

Manny figured Sonny could be the one to help him through this. "Go ahead," he said.

Adrienne took Justin's hand when Sonny left the room. She shook her head and tried her best to not let her emotions get the best of her. Turning to Manny and Arianna, she apologized. "I am so sorry this has happened to your family. I know your mother loved you."

"She wasn't perfect, but she loved us with everything she had," Manny said softly. Walking over to his sister and placing his arm over her shoulders, he asked, "Are you ready to head back to the guesthouse?"

Arianna looked at Manny and wasn't sure. "You don't think we should go to the hospital with Dario?"

Manny thought about his brother and what he knew of him during dark times like this. "I think Dario needs his space," he responded.

"I'm not so sure of that," Arianna admitted in a troubled tone.

Adrienne let go of Justin's hand and moved closer to Arianna. "I am sure Sonny can get through to him and help him. They love each other."

Will finally stepped in and agreed. "They really do love each other, and I earnestly believe their love will help Dario through this."

Chad took Will's hand and looked deep into his eyes as he whispered, "I love you, Horton." He wanted Will to hear that because of the fear he was feeling from the darkness in the room. His nightmare still weighed heavily in his mind as his brain replayed different moments in his thoughts. The way his mother died also weighed heavy in his heart.

* * *

><p>Gabi arrived at the pub hoping to talk to Caroline. Lucky for her, Caroline was relaxing at the bar while checking out customers. Gabi took a seat at the bar after adjusting her backpack on her back. Making sure nothing had fallen out of her purse, she looked up to Caroline and said, "Hey, Mrs. Brady. I wanted to talk to you before..."<p>

"I heard about your mother," Caroline lamented. "I am extremely sorry for your loss."

Gabi had to look down to avoid having to face her mother's death in the pub. "I have made a decision," she moved on. "I decided a while ago to accept your offer. I'm leaving today for culinary school."

Caroline grew concerned. "Gabi, are you sure that's a good idea with everything that has happened in the last twelve – fourteen – hours? What about your mother's funeral?"

Gabi continued to look away as she thought about her mother's funeral. "I've said my goodbyes. All my life I've watched my mother and siblings run off one by one to escape something. When is it my turn? Why can't I do that now?" Standing up from the stool, Gabi adjusted her bag once more and said, "I will see you again when I am done with my training. Goodbye Mrs. Brady."

Caroline watched as Gabi walked out and questioned if she could tell Gabi to wait on this. She knew she had done enough in the past in trying to control what Gabi did and figured she should keep out of the way of what Gabi wanted. She said a small prayer for Gabi under her breath.

Coming from the back, Chelsea looked out the window and asked her grandmother, "Was that Gabi?" She wondered if Gabi asked for time off because of her mother's death. She wondered how Dario was doing.

As Caroline nodded her head, Melanie walked in and made her way over to the bar. "Did I just see Gabi get into a taxi with suitcases?" she asked forgetting for a moment why she came inside in the first place.

Caroline nodded her head. "She has some things she needs to do," she answered vaguely. "Did you want to order something?"

"No," Melanie replied. "I came here to talk to Chelsea actually."

Chelsea crossed her arms over her chest and stated, "I don't know why we need to talk. There's nothing that needs to be said between us."

Not wanting to get in the middle of something, Caroline patted Chelsea on the back before heading to her office. "I need to make a few calls."

Chelsea glared at Melanie for a bit before caving. "What do you need to talk to me about?"

Melanie gave Chelsea an uneasy look before she began, "I owe you an apology for the things I said to you when you returned to Salem last month. I know now what my brother, Max, did to you. Nathan told me."

Chelsea quickly became livid that Nathan broke his promise and told Melanie. "I can't believe he told you."

Realizing she put Nathan in a bad place, Melanie backpedaled. "Don't be mad at Nathan. He told me last night after Isobel Hernandez died. He mentioned something about how she talked about keeping so many secrets from the family, and he didn't want to hold anything back from me because he could tell it was hurting me. I can't believe Max did that to you."

Chelsea took a deep breath realizing she couldn't be mad at Nathan because he needed to tell Melanie, even if she didn't like her. "It doesn't matter now. I've moved on anyway. Thanks for the apology, but you are not the one who screwed me over."

"He's coming to town," Melanie said before clarifying, "Max is coming."

Chelsea thought about what Kate told her about Billie and Max coming to town since Billie wanted to plan some things for her wedding. "I know. I don't plan to be around when they're here."

Melanie wondered who else Chelsea was referring to, but a delivery man walked into the pub and made his way to Chelsea with an envelope. "I have a letter for Chelsea Brady?"

Chelsea put her hand out as she shared, "I am Chelsea Brady."

"Can I get your I.D.?"

Chelsea pulled out her driver's license and handed it to the delivery guy, so he could check it out. "This must be something important if you're going all out like this."

The delivery man didn't respond to Chelsea's comment and handed her a form to sign. "Just sign here."

Chelsea noted the coldness of the delivery guy and wondered what was going on. After signing it, she handed the form back to him and said, "Here you go."

The delivery guy remained silent, looked the signature over, and finally handed Chelsea the envelope with her I.D. After the delivery man left, Chelsea turned the envelope over to study it before opening it.

Melanie watched in anticipation as Chelsea pulled out a typed letter to read it in her head. "What is it?" Melanie asked.

Chelsea's jaw dropped after she read the letter. She didn't bother looking at Melanie as she said, "I can't believe this is happening. I've got to make calls. If you're going to order something, ask Lisa."

Melanie watched Chelsea head upstairs and wondered what just happened. She decided to rush back to work.

* * *

><p>As Bo and Hope entered Roman's office, he slammed the phone down and in frustration exclaimed, "How in the hell did this happen?"<p>

Bo and Hope gave Roman a concerned look. "Bro, what's going on? What happened?"

Roman shook his head in disbelief. "I thought we finally had him where we wanted him, but I should have known better. Abe doesn't remember a thing, and Stefano is now on his way up to be released. The judge has changed his mind, so now Stefano is on house arrest."

Stefano and Kate entered the room. Rubbing his wrists, Stefano gloated, "Judge Kirkpatrick finally came to his senses and did right by justice. I can head home now to enjoy my beautiful wife and family. Good day."

Bo gave Stefano an annoyed look. "It's not over just yet."

Kate gave Bo a smirk. "When are you going to let this vendetta against my husband go? It will be the death of you one day."

Hope didn't appreciate Kate's response and asked, "Is that a threat?"

Kate shook her head. "I'm only suggesting you start doing your job instead of looking for ways to bring down my husband. We really need to get out of here." Taking Stefano's hand, she led Stefano out of the office, so they could leave.

Hope ran her hands through her hair before turning to Roman and Bo. "So what are we going to do now?"

Roman took a moment to think before answering, "I think it's time we amped up on finding out who our mysterious caller was that reported Ricardo last month. Whoever the caller was knew Ricardo had something to do with Abe's attack and used Kinsey's fake disappearance to get him caught. The problems we're facing is that the caller disguised his or her voice and kept the conversation short when he called, but I think if we pull all of our resources together we could find some kind of clue that could lead us to this caller."

Bo patted his brother on the back and charged, "Let's find this person then."

* * *

><p>Melanie arrived to the hospital and found Nathan signing a few forms at the nurses' station. Walking up to him, she decided she needed to clear things up with Nathan on what she did before he heard it from someone else. "Chelsea's not mad at you first off, but I talked to her about what you told me last night."<p>

Before Nathan could respond, Dario rushed over with Sonny behind him. Wiping his face, he asked, "Where is my mother? I want to see her."

Nathan thought about how Arianna could not get in touch with Dario the night before. He felt bad for Dario because he didn't get to say goodbye to Isobel. "Dario, she's in the morgue. I'm not sure it would be a good idea for you to see her there."

"I want to see her," Dario repeated. "I have to see her. I have to see it for myself."

Trying to control her own emotions of seeing Dario this way, Melanie gave Nathan a look to give Dario what he needed. She understood Dario needed to see Isobel for closure. Turning to Dario, she said, "I am so sorry about your mom."

Dario avoided eye contact to control his emotions and repeated, "I just need to see my mom."

Nathan glanced at Sonny and noted the sorrow in his eyes. Deciding to give Dario what he wanted, he stated, "Follow me, and I'll sign you in to see your mom."

Dario and Sonny followed Melanie and Nathan to the morgue. After signing off the proper paperwork, Nathan led them into the morgue to see Isobel. Looking around the room, Dario asked somewhat coldly, "Is she in one of these drawers?" He was trying to be calm about seeing Isobel's body, but inside he was falling apart. His insides were out of control and wanted to scream out.

Melanie remained by the door while Nathan brought Dario and Sonny to a covered body on a tray. Pausing for a moment, he wanted Dario to be certain that this is what he wanted. "Are you sure you want to see your mom?"

Dario nodded his head because he feared if he spoke it aloud, his voice would crack and give him away. He waited for a moment before confirming verbally, "I will be okay. I want to see her."

"Okay," Nathan said before slowly uncovering Isobel's face.

Sonny looked away as Dario looked his mother over. He studied his mother's face and reflected on how she looked the same as the last time he saw her when she was in a coma. She appeared to only be asleep. "Can I please be alone?" he requested hoping he could contain his emotions just a little longer so the others could leave.

"I can stay with Dario," Sonny offered to Nathan.

Dario didn't respond, so Nathan figured Dario was okay with that. "I'll let them know you two are staying in here. Just sign out when you're done."

"Will do," Sonny said. He knew Dario could have responded, but he figured it would be better if he dealt with the superficial things.

Nathan nodded his head to Sonny and walked out with Melanie. He gave his fiancé a solemn look wishing that things had turned out differently for Isobel and the Hernandez family. Looking at Melanie, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Melanie took Nathan's hand and nodded her head. "I'll be okay, but I have this sudden need to call my mom and tell her I love her."

Nathan squeezed Melanie's hand and said, "Me, too."

Back in the morgue, Sonny turned back and watched Dario stand next to his mom. It appeared as though all Dario could do was watch her. He desperately wanted to hold Dario to comfort him, but a part of him told him if he did so, he would just be in the way. It seemed to Sonny that's all he ever did with Dario.

Dario watched his mother's eyelids wishing they would open. He really needed to see her eyes one last time, but he knew that was impossible. The hope he had gained the night before when he saw the shooting star was all false. Realizing that the shooting star could have meant something completely different, he suddenly began to cry uncontrollably and placed his hands on her cheek. "Things weren't supposed to end like this. You were... we were supposed to fix things. We were going to smile together one last time, Mama."

Sonny walked up behind Dario. He couldn't stand to just watch Dario hurt and not do anything to help him. Placing his left hand on Dario's right shoulder, he rubbed it with his thumb. "Dario, I am so sorry you didn't get to say goodbye to your mom."

Dario removed himself from Sonny and his mother as he pulled out the envelope from his back pocket. He managed to put a stop to his crying for a moment. Some hope remained as he shared, "Maybe I will get that in the letter she wrote." Leaning against the wall, Dario slid down to sit upon the floor.

Sonny joined Dario and took a seat next to him. Guilt ate at him because he had promised Dario he wouldn't hurt him again. He also promised him everything would work out in the end. He prayed and hoped Isobel wrote something in that letter that Dario needed to hear, so he could heal and move forward. "I know your mother loves you, so I'm sure she wrote that in the letter," he encouraged hoping he didn't put his foot in his mouth once again. He wondered if that was all his promises would be to Dario.

Dario wiped his face and opened the envelope to pull the letter out. He moved closer to Sonny, so he could lean on him because at that moment his hope lived in Sonny. He began to read Isobel's letter aloud: "'_My little Dario, I know things have gotten dark between us because of the confusion you are_ _currently experi_...' I don't think I can do this." Putting the letter down, Dario began to tear up again.

Sonny gently took the letter from Dario and offered, "I can read it for you." Holding the letter with his left hand, he took Dario's left hand with his free hand. "I told you I would support you no matter what, and I never plan on breaking that promise to you."

Dario lifted his head, so he could make direct eye contact with Sonny. He really wanted to believe that everything would work out, but doubts tried to convince him otherwise. "You don't have to. Things could go either way in that letter."

Sonny bit his lip. "I'll read it, Dario. '_I know things have gotten darker between us because of the confusion you are currently experiencing, but I want you to know you are still my son. I remember your big heart as a little boy. You were always willing to do right by people and help those who were suffering. I learned so much from you because when I would get onto your brothers and sisters and try to teach them a lesson, you always managed to show me how to do it with love. Yes, you have shown anger, but I believe when you express anger it's because you love too much. Mijo, maybe that is your problem. You have a heart for everyone, and some people take advantage of that. Being a homosexual is_...'" Sonny stopped reading because he didn't want Dario to hear the next part.

Dario squeezed Sonny's hand. "Just read it. I need to hear it all."

Sonny's eyes began to water as this was really difficult for him. This was not how it was supposed to work. He didn't want to break Dario's heart even more, but he also wanted to respect what Dario wanted. "I don't agree with this, but I will read it for you Dario. _'Being a homosexual is evil and __detestable. I know you are neither of those things, so I will never believe that is what you are. You must not believe that either. I know one day you will open your eyes and find a woman... a woman to truly love and have a family with. Do not let others try to convince you any differently. Be careful because there are plenty of people who will try to come into your life and tell you who they want you_ _to be, but I, as your mother – your Mama – know you very well. Stay true to your family values and do not adapt to what the world or outsiders try to tell you._'"

Sonny needed to take a break because this was getting to be too much. "Dario..."

"Keep going. I need to know how she felt before she died," Dario pleaded trying to be strong. Isobel's words really cut him, but he wanted the truth.

Sonny took a deep breath and pulled Dario closer. "Okay. '_I_ _know you will do the right thing. I know you will grow old and live a full life. If you need guidance seek counsel from the church because they will direct you in the right path. You must learn to hate the sin, Dario. There's so much I want for you, mijo. Te amo. I told you this when you returned from Alaska, but I really do want you to perform Contigo_ _En La_ _Distancia at my funeral. Please do this for me. Te amo, mijo. Mama._'"

Sonny put the letter down after he finished reading it. Letting go of Dario's hand, he ran his middle finger and thumb of his left hand down the sides of his own face as he wondered how they were going to survive this. He looked over to Dario, who stopped leaning on him and moved away from him. He wondered if Dario pulled away from him purposely because he felt the same defeat, too. "Too much has happened, Dario," he stated with conviction. Thinking about how Abigail claimed she treated Josh, he continued, "We keep hurting each other, and I took you away from your mom like I did when you came to Colorado with me. Maybe we should stop trying to make this work because it gets worse every time."

Dario didn't really hear Sonny and looked in the direction of his mother. Instead of responding to Sonny, he began to speak to his mother as tears flowed heavily down his face. "Mama, I have let you down and I was not there for your last breath. This is all on me, and I have let you down… I have let you down. I broke your heart. I broke your spirit, and it's all on me. I am the one who should have died. I let you down, Mama. This is all on me."

By this time, Dario began to beat on the floor in extreme anguish as he yelled out in painful screams. Sonny hated seeing Dario beat himself up like this. He needed to help Dario and take his pain away. "Dario! Stop this! This is not your fault! You did not do this to your mother, but I did this to you! I took you away from her! I convinced you to go away with me, and then I made you promises I couldn't keep."

Dario stopped screaming and beating the floor. He stayed away from Sonny as he flashed back to the many times he and Sonny decided to end things between them even though they truly loved each other. He didn't want things to end, but he felt so lost and didn't know what direction was up anymore. He finally looked into Sonny's eyes and asked, "Is it too late for us?"

"Too late?" Sonny repeated Dario's question.

Dario looked down as he remembered when Sonny suggested it was too late for them at the ski lodge because he had moved on with Kai. His brain and body were filled with so much, he just started speaking whatever would come out of his mouth. "Maybe we missed our chance when I left you here for Alaska, and time will always be against us. My mom is dead and love is never enough. She is proof it's never enough."

Sonny began to tear up again because he couldn't bear the guilt he felt for robbing Dario's farewell to his mother and for giving him hope for something that was never coming. "I do love you, Dario, but I am dangerous for you. I am toxic. Don't blame yourself because we had a chance when you came back to Salem. I messed it up and in doing so I screwed you over!"

Dario didn't want to believe Sonny was toxic for him, but his heart was too shattered for him to know how he felt about everything. "No, Sonny. You can't be toxic – you can't be the one to blame for this. I am the one who is toxic. I have brought you down with me when you have always deserved better. Maybe my mother is right. Ignazio is right. This relationship – we need to stop." Dario looked to Sonny once again and his heart began to shatter even more. He didn't want this, and it felt like someone else had taken over his words. Trying to pull back from what he just said, he added, "…if that's what you think."

Sonny stood up and looked over to Isobel's body. He couldn't look into Dario's eyes anymore because this was hard enough as it was already. "Dario, I just want you to love yourself. That's all I want because when you do, you'll smile. You'll laugh. You'll be at peace, but I am afraid I may have robbed that from you. Let me do this for you, so you can be happy. Hate me. Hate me, so you can love yourself!"

Dario hated the way he felt now that he knew Sonny was for sure pulling away from him. He remembered the last time he realized that. The emptiness he felt when he left the cabin in Colorado was too much, but this was definitely worse. "I could never hate you, Sonny, but I seriously don't know how I can survive this. I should have been here last night instead of with you looking at the stars. I should have been here, but I wasn't. I don't want to hate you for that."

Sonny moved closer to Dario and grabbed his hand to hold it close to his lips. "You have to, Dario," Sonny demanded. "Instead of taking you away from here, I should have taken you back to your mother because that's what would have been best. You could have told her you loved her, but I stole that moment from you because I wanted you to myself. I'm selfish, Dario. I always have been – especially when it comes to you... But... but I can't have you anymore. This – whatever it is between us – needs to stop. You can forget me, so you can survive."

Dario watched for a moment in silence as he watched Sonny kiss his hand. He then turned to his mother as he remembered all the horrible ways Sonny had rejected him. Pulling his hand away from Sonny, he managed to pull his body into a corner to cut himself off completely from Sonny. He began to speak, but his tone was now filled with anger and rage. It only increased as the words continued to fall out of his mouth. "You can forget me because it seems so much easier for you to do that than me. It's what you want. I am too much work for you, and you know what. You are selfish, Sonny. You are the most selfish person I know because here I am trying to say goodbye to my mother, but you are here in this room with me trying to make this all about us. Do you remember that rug we made love on in your family cabin on your birthday – the one you forgot about and threw in the closet when Kai showed up?"

Sonny looked on silently in devastation with Dario's rage as Dario continued, "That rug – pretend it is me. Throw me in the closet and forget about me like nothing happened. For now, I will remain focused on my Mama and give her the respect she deserves. I will mourn her first, and then I will mourn us even if you believe there should be no us to mourn."

Sonny, who was standing again, suddenly heard Will's voice in his head saying, "_I really wish you would stop punishing yourself by staying away from what you really want._" He wanted to tell Dario he couldn't forget and didn't want to forget, but he knew he couldn't play with Dario's heart anymore. He had pulled him in and pushed him out so many times already. There was no turning back.

Sonny shook his head thinking about why Abigail pushed Josh away, and he knew he had already done the same. Knowing that Arianna and Manny accepted Dario for who he is, he believed Dario was in good hands with them. "I think it would be best if that's what you did. You don't need me. You need your family. They want to help you. They are the ones you can trust. Trust that love."

Dario couldn't deal with Sonny anymore as he finally stood up as well. Looking over to his mother, he shook his head in disappointment. "My mother is dead and I have wasted enough time talking about us. I really need help, and I guess you're right – I shouldn't get it from you anymore." As Sonny stepped back, Dario made his way to his mother again as tears flowed down his face and neck at the site of his mother. She didn't look asleep anymore. She looked dead now. "I… I'm so sorry, Mama. I have let you down."

Sonny couldn't let this go. "Dario, love yourself," he urged desperately.

Dario ignored Sonny and continued to talk to his mother. "I will get the help I need, Mama. I will do the right thing. Te amo mucho, Mama. Encontrar la paz con Dios." After giving Isobel's forehead a kiss, he pulled the sheet over her face again. On his way out, Sonny tried to stop him, but Dario pulled away. "It's too late, Sonny. You said it yourself. Forget everything that has happened between us. Forget me altogether, and I'll do the same eventually."

Sonny leaned against the wall as he watched Dario walk out. He questioned if he did the right thing by removing himself from his life. He hoped he didn't just make things worse, but it seemed to be too late either way. He had completely pushed Dario away from him.

Dario made his way to the nurse's station where Ignazio was waiting for him. Wiping his face, he asked, "Ignazio, what are you doing here?"

"I heard about your madre," Ignazio said pulling Dario into a hug. "Let us get out of here. I want to help you through this."

Dario held onto Ignazio tight appreciating the surprise visit from his new but now close friend. He thought about how Sonny told him to turn to family and even though he had just met Ignazio almost a month ago, he felt Ignazio was close enough. "Ignazio, I need your help. I need you to help me get through this. I don't know if I can survive this."

Ignazio began to get emotional and struggled with being vulnerable with Dario. He remembered his own struggle when his mother died. "There is life after tragedy, Dario. We will survive this together mio fratello."

Dario continued to hug Ignazio and caught on that Ignazio had called him brother in Italian. He appreciated that Ignazio saw him in the same way even though they weren't really brothers. "Thank you, Ignazio."

* * *

><p>At the Dimera mansion, Sydney's birthday party was underway. The kids were entertained by a balloon artist while the adults stood back and watched them. Azzura walked over with drinks and passed them out to EJ, Sami, and Lucas. "Thank you for the invitation."<p>

Sami smiled as she watched Sydney play with a balloon turtle. She felt bad because her youngest daughter's friends weren't able to come to her party because of the buzz going around about Stefano. Attempting to have a good time for Sydney's sake, she replied, "The kids asked about you actually. As I've told you before, you're really good with kids."

Azzura took a sip from her drink as she thought about how she had won the kids over, but she had yet to win EJ over. Maddalena asked her to hold off on breaking up Sami and EJ's marriage for now, but she figured a continued relationship with them couldn't hurt the future. With a smile, she commented, "Well Johnny, Sydney, and Allie are all beautiful children."

Stefano and Kate entered the mansion through the front door and then made their way into the living room to see there was a party. Announcing himself to everyone in the room, he stated, "If it wasn't for the pink balloons and birthday cake, I would think this was a welcome home party for me. Why are we having Sydney's birthday party a day early?"

Johnny and Sydney ran over to Stefano and gave him a hug. "Nonno!"

EJ kneeled to the kids as he got their attention. "Why don't you go back and play with your sister, Allie, and the balloons? Soon we're going to have cake and ice cream." After the kids ran off, EJ stood up and looked at his father and became upset because he and Sami wanted to distract the kids from the drama surrounding him. "Samantha and I want to talk to you in the foyer – alone."

Kate took her leave and walked over to Lucas as EJ led his father and Sami out into the foyer. Sami held her tongue until she knew the kids were distracted. She quietly exclaimed, "How the hell are you out of prison? EJ told me you were denied bail."

Stefano smirked and answered, "The judge changed his mind."

In the living room, Lucas watched as Azzura walked over to the kids to play with them. Turning to his mother, he decided to make one last plea to her. "I noticed your smile when you walked into the room with Stefano. You do realize it will be temporary, right?"

Kate rolled her eyes at Lucas. "I do not want to hear this. Stefano is innocent and now he can prove it out of that dark and murky prison cell."

Lucas shifted his body to face his mother as he placed his hands on his hips. "Have you thought of the fact that he will try to clear his name outside of the states – away from you?"

Kate crossed her arms and turned away from her son. She knew he was most likely right, but she didn't want to think about it. "If it comes to that, Stefano and I will discuss it. I will make sure no matter what he decides, I will be by his side."

Lucas shook his head in disapproval. "I wish you would just be on your side. You don't need Stefano to be successful. I don't understand how you can stand by that man when he has done such horrible things to you and others"

Kate rolled her eyes as she saw Lucas as being hypocritical. "You stayed with Sami for a lot longer than you should have."

Lucas crossed his arms across his chest and shook his head. "Well, Sami and I aren't together anymore, so that should say something to you about your relationship with Stefano. You are clearly blind because you don't want Stefano to be guilty, but he's a master of deception. I remember when I overheard him talking to EJ claiming his sister was dangerous. Maybe she is, but it's possible she isn't. Maybe he likes to put the heat on others, so he never goes down. One day, you will be the one he turns on and leaves in the cold."

Finished with this conversation with her son, Kate looked at Azzura and the children and cautioned Lucas, "You should probably stop talking before you ruin this party for Sydney. It already looks like a disaster."

Lucas bit his tongue because he blamed Stefano for that as well.

Back in the foyer, Lexie entered the mansion hoping to talk to EJ and Sami because she wanted to apologize for Theo's absence in person. When she saw her father, her joy diminished. "What is going on here? How are you not locked up?"

Stefano gave Lexie a look implying she really didn't need to hear the answer to her question. "Alexandra, I hope we can clear the air on my guilt. I am not completely guilty in the way you think."

Lexie did not want to hear it. She turned to Sami and EJ and returned to why she came over in the first place. Handing them a gift for Sydney, she stated, "I wanted to tell you both in person that Theo will not make it to the party today because he's spending time with Abe and doesn't want to leave his side."

Before EJ or Sami could respond, Stefano cut in holding in his frustration. "Why is it so hard for you to believe me, but then you believe my sister when you don't even know her?"

Lexie teared up as she gave her father a disappointed look. "I just announced that my husband is awake, and all you think about is yourself. Maddalena gave me hope, father. You tried to take it away from me."

EJ and Sami immediately gave Lexie a hug. Trying to pretend for his sister's sake that her exchange with their father had not just happened, he stated, "I am surprised to see you here after seeing you with Abe earlier." After separating from Lexie, he added, "We'll try to round the kids up to come see him if that's okay."

Lexie appreciated the thought but shared, "Maybe tomorrow. He's still getting used to being awake, and we want to make sure everything is really okay." EJ nodded his head to let her know he understood. "I should get back to him. Please give Sydney a hug and kiss for me."

"Please keep your phone near," Stefano requested before Lexie left. He really hoped she would, so he could contact her later.

Deciding she had said what she wanted to Stefano, Sami placed her hand on EJ's chest and shared, "I am going to head back into the party to make sure the kids are still having fun."

"Okay, Samantha. I'll return in a moment," EJ replied before giving Sami a kiss. After Sami went back into the living room, EJ followed his father into his office.

Sami sat on the couch with Azzura and shared, "I think the kids are ready for some cake and ice cream, but that will have to wait for EJ to come back in first."

"Is everything okay?" Azzura asked. She was glad to see Stefano out of jail, but wondered how Sami felt about it.

Sami focused on the kids and helped Sydney put her party hat back on. "Everything is all up in the air. Hopefully, things will clear up and be good for everyone."

"I sense Lucas does not like Stefano at all," Azzura mentioned hoping to lead the conversation more.

Sami gave Azzura a funny look. "What was your first clue? It's shocking enough that Lucas had agreed to come over as many times as he has. He hates it here. Too many bad memories."

"Why?"

Sami thought back to Lucas's history with the Dimeras. "Well, Lucas actually worked for Tony – I mean André – at one time and that was before..." Sami stopped as she remembered when she fell through the glass door thanks to André. "That was all before EJ came to Salem."

Azzura didn't mind that Sami didn't really answer her question because she had the segue that she needed. "How does EJ feel about his father at the moment?"

Sami didn't think much about Azzura's question but treaded carefully because the kids were around. "Let's just say things could be better."

Back in Stefano's office, EJ wanted to know what his father's plans were at this point even if he had an idea. "At the courthouse, you claimed you were proud of me for how I was handling this situation. Why did you say that?"

"I said it because it's true," Stefano stated. "Son, you are your own man, and I know that – trust me – Samantha is proof enough. You are putting the family first, and the family is bigger than the issues I am dealing with. That's all that matters to me."

EJ remained guarded because he wasn't sure if Stefano was trying to pull wool over his eyes once again. Acting as though he was unaffected by what his father said, he asked, "You're on house arrest until when?"

Stefano did not want to have this conversation with EJ. "Let's not discuss this. Let's talk about the family and what we are going to do to repair it."

EJ grew frustrated. "That's why I am talking about this. How do you expect us to repair the family when you're the prime suspect of what happened to Abe, Will, and Samantha – among other things? Are you going to stay in town – in this house – to clear your name?"

"Elvis, you know that is not feasible," Stefano said pouring himself a drink.

EJ was not satisfied with Stefano's answer. "This is not going to look good for you or the family."

Stefano stopped pouring his drink and turned to EJ. "If I remain in this house, they will prosecute me. They are blinded by their own agenda to bring me down. The evidence they have against me is false! The whole town of Salem has joined the idiotic police department in on this witch hunt. I was practically mobbed outside of the police station and then followed here to my home. They want to know where the missing bodies are, and they want me to be locked away. The last months or years of my life will not be wasted away in a prison cell, son!"

Knowing his father was guilty for the missing bodies, EJ shook his head at Stefano. "I have a party to attend. Please stay in your office and away from everyone."

After EJ walked out of the office and closed the door, Stefano shook his head knowing he needed to fix some things before he headed out of Salem. He pulled out his phone to talk to Marco.

* * *

><p>Chad and Will were hanging out in their apartment after deciding to skip classes because of the personal issues they were dealing with. At this point both wondered if they would make it through the semester. Chad pulled Will close as he thought about what happened when they returned from the Horton cabin. "I can't believe Dario's mother died, and he didn't get to say goodbye."<p>

Will frowned as he replied, "You didn't get to say goodbye to your mother either."

Chad's mind flashed to when his mother died in front of him on the pier. He understood Dario's pain, and it brought back the hurt and guilt he felt when Madeline died. Wanting to keep the focus off himself, he said, "I wonder what he and Sonny are doing."

"I bet Sonny is helping him in any way possible," Will answered. "...in the same way we would do whatever to help each other."

Chad put his hand on Will's cheek and pulled him into a kiss. "I would do anything for you – anything to protect you."

Even though he appreciated Chad, Will felt uncomfortable because he didn't want Chad's protection anymore. Forcing a smile, he changed the subject, "So do you think we should make an appearance at my sister's party?"

Chad felt some distance from Will because of the subject change. He questioned whether it was due to Isobel's death or if it had to do with what happened the night before at the cabin when Chad put a stop to them having sex. "Only if you want to," he answered. "I kind of want to avoid the family right now and just be with you, but I'll let you decide."

Before Will could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Will got up and opened the door and found Abigail on the other side. "Hey. What's up?"

Abigail walked in and shared, "I wanted to check in on you guys since you two and Sonny weren't at the cafeteria during lunch. Is everything okay?"

Chad stood up from the couch. "Sonny's not here, but Will and I decided not to go to classes today. There's a lot going on."

Abigail sighed as she shared, "Tell me about it." Thinking about what happened with her father the night before, she shared, "Things are looking up though – oddly."

"How so?" Will asked.

Abigail pulled her hair behind her shoulders. "Things seem to be changing with my dad. It's weird, but I really think things will be different this time. He told me last night he was going to start looking for an apartment to make his move to Salem a permanent one."

"That's awesome," Will said. He was happy to hear some good news.

Abigail nodded her head in agreement. Moving on, she walked closer to Chad. "So I am guessing you two are hiding out here since Stefano was released today."

Surprised, Chad scratched the back of his neck. "What?"

Abigail gave Chad a cautious look because she sensed he had no idea. "Yeah, everyone has been talking about it and all the media outlets are going crazy. You didn't know?"

Will walked over to Chad and grabbed his hand. "We haven't been out much and didn't turn on the TV."

Chad received a text message from Stefano, but he didn't want to read it just yet. He didn't have the patience to deal with his father just yet and gave Will a frustrated look. Turning back to Abigail, he asked, "Are you done for the day?"

Abigail wondered why Chad decided to ignore his phone. Noting the look he gave Will because of the text, she chose to take her leave. "No, I actually need to head back to campus. I wanted to make sure you two were doing okay since Stefano was released. Hopefully, I'll find Sonny to check in with him."

Will led Abigail to the door and closed it after she left. He turned to Chad and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Chad read the text message from Stefano. He wanted to meet. "My father wants me to come by the mansion to talk. If you want, you can go do the party, but I'm not – I can't."

Will watched as Chad replied to Stefano. "If you don't go, I won't either."

Chad's phone began to ring. When he saw it was Stefano, he let out an annoyed sigh. Picking it up, he walked over to the window. "Father, I already told you I am not coming to the party. The only reason you want to meet with me is to bring me back into the business to keep me in check. I am my own man, and no one else is my emperor!"

"Chad. Son, it is imperative I see you one last time," Stefano started trying to figure out why Chad would say something about an emperor. "If you are not coming now, then meet me on the pier at midnight. I will send you the exact information later, but your brother and sister will be there."

As mad as he was with his father, a part of Chad wanted to see Stefano once he realized his father planned on departing from Salem, but he couldn't give in just yet. "I don't know. I have to go. Bye."

Will became concerned about Chad because he hung up on Stefano and put his phone away. "What did your dad say?"

"It doesn't matter," Chad said getting an idea. "I've got a good idea. We should leave for the weekend. We could go somewhere spontaneous as long as it's somewhere away from here."

Will could see the excitement in Chad and figured it was a good idea because he did enjoy his time with Chad at the Horton cabin even if things didn't go the way he hoped the night before. A longer trip away with just the two of them could do some good. "I could use some fun and spontaneity in my life."

"Awesome! Let's start packing!" Chad said. He was glad Will was on board of leaving everything behind.

* * *

><p>After Dario left for the hospital, Manny and Arianna returned to the Dimera guesthouse to do some more packing. When they accomplished all the packing in the dining and living room, they wondered if Sonny was able to help Dario since they hadn't heard back from either of them. Deciding they needed a break, Manny stopped packing and turned to his sister. "Are you hungry? Maybe we could eat."<p>

Arianna stopped packing as well. Heading towards the kitchen, she offered, "I could warm up some frijoles." Remembering that Manny had received a call earlier, she asked, "Who called you when we got back? Was it Adrienne and Justin trying to offer their help again?"

Manny shook his head and admitted, "It was my therapist. She called to give her condolences on Mama, and then wanted to schedule our first appointment."

"Oh," Arianna let out. She wondered if Manny wanted to talk about doing therapy, but then she realized something. "I haven't seen or heard Gabi. Is she even here?"

Manny thought about it as well. "I assumed she was still in the bedroom."

Before Manny could check to see if Gabi was there, Arianna got her brother's attention. "Manny. Wait." Arianna pulled a short note off the fridge. "It looks like Gabi left a note for us."

Manny rushed over to the kitchen. "What does it say?"

Arianna handed Manny the note while giving him a worried look. "She's gone."

Manny read the note aloud: "'_Manny and Ari, I have packed up and left Salem for the time being. It's time I start doing things to better my future. I will come back one day, but only when I feel the time is right. I know I have complained a lot about the family running away when things get tough, but make no mistake – in this situation, I am not running away. I am retreating to return a strong and better person. I know I have hurt a lot of people to escape my own hurt, and there are still things I don't understand. There have been too many lies and secrets in our family. I don't know if I can heal from this with all of you around, so please do not take my leaving personal. I am doing this to fix me and find strength. I love you. Please take care of yourselves. Gabriella'_"

"This is so messed up!" Arianna moaned. "I should have kept a more watchful eye on Gabi."

Manny remembered when he told Arianna he felt like he screwed up as an older brother. He put his arm around Arianna and reminded her, "We are in this together. We will bring the family together again."

Arianna shook her head trying to shake the doubts. "She'll be back. I hope she is okay."

"You hope who is okay?" EJ asked entering the guesthouse. "Sorry if I am interrupting."

Manny removed his arm from Arianna and decided not to answer EJ's question. "Is there something you need?"

EJ scratched his temple with his pointing finger. "I wanted to stop by to give my condolences once again on the loss of your mother. I also want to make sure you know there is no rush for you to pack your things and leave. I understand this is a difficult time for all of you."

Arianna looked at all of the things they had already packed. They had to keep busy to keep the pain away. Giving EJ an appreciative smile, she said softly, "Thank you, EJ, but Marco already told us there was no rush."

EJ gave Arianna a questioning look. "He did? I did not send him to say anything to you."

Arianna looked down realizing Marco only used what he said earlier as an excuse to talk to her. She still questioned things between him and Azzura, but she didn't want to deal with that now. She noticed EJ was still lingering, so she asked, "Do you want something to drink?"

EJ contemplated taking up Arianna's offer. "What do you have?"

Manny headed into the kitchen with his sister. "We have coffee and juice," he answered for his sister.

"I was about to make something to eat. Are you hungry?" Arianna asked making her way to the fridge.

EJ decided against anything. "Do not bother for me. I am fine."

Arianna opened the refrigerator and pulled out some leftovers. She gave EJ a curious look. "Wait. Aren't you having Sydney's birthday party right now?"

EJ shook his head. "No, that has wrapped up. We'll probably do something bigger and better for her tomorrow."

Arianna caught on that EJ seemed to want to avoid the mansion. "Who are you hiding from then?"

Feeling uncomfortable with Ari's question, EJ figured now would be the time to go. "I'll take my leave, so you two can enjoy your food. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

Manny watched as EJ walked out. Turning to his sister, he asked, "What just happened?"

"I don't know," Arianna said as she pondered EJ for a moment. Realizing she had her own personal issues to deal with, she added, "I don't care."

Hearing Arianna's phone chime, Manny looked over to it and asked, "Do you think that's Dario?"

Arianna grabbed her phone off the table and looked at it. "It's a text from Brady. Victor wants to meet with me."

Manny remembered Justin mentioning earlier that Victor wanted to meet with her. "You said you think it could be about a job offer?"

Arianna nodded her head, "Yeah. When Roman came to the hospital last night after Mama died to give his condolences, he also offered me a job at the police station."

Manny's eyes widened with suspicion. "You're just telling me this now? What are you going to do?"

Arianna looked over the text message once again. "I don't know."

* * *

><p>In her office, Maddalena looked over Colin's research on the vials of the solution he left with her. She was pleased to read Colin believed he had perfected the solution after his tests on Abe. She looked the vials over and was proud of the fact that everything was still coming together. "I will have to make sure I lock these away after I make one final stop tonight."<p>

Putting down Colin's notes, she ran her hands through her brown-red hair, and decided to make a few calls to her children in Italy to update them on the family's future. When she looked at the time, she realized her calls would have to wait until the next day. Rising from her desk, she wondered what was taking Ignazio so long.

Just in time, Ignazio arrived with Dario, who appeared to be rather confused as to what was going on. "Nonna, we are here."

Dario offered Maddalena a smile before giving Ignazio a questioning look. He wanted to know why Ignazio brought him here. "This used to be your home?"

"I am so very sorry about your mother's death," Maddalena started.

Dario was really tired of hearing everyone's apologies. It only made things more real.

Maddalena continued, "The reason Ignazio brought you here is because I need to talk to you about your father."

Dario felt even more confused. He did not intend to let his pain get the best of him, but thinking about his father caused him to think about everything his mother went through. "You know about Ernesto – the drunk bastard – who only came around to sleep with my mother and then abandoned her when she became pregnant?" He had completely forgotten about how he had overheard his mother telling Manny about Andres.

Maddalena excused Dario's anger because she knew he was going through a lot. "You are mistaken, Dario. Ernesto is not your father. My son, André, was your father."

The memory of hearing his mother's confession to Manny returned to Dario. He remembered his mother claiming Andres was his father. "Wait. Andres is your son?"

Maddalena crossed over to Dario while wondering if Isobel had told him the truth already. "My son's name is André, but he told your mother it was Andres. You are my nipote, which means grandson. You are Ignazio's brother."

Dario turned to Ignazio filled with astonishment and enquiries. He remembered how Ignazio called him his brother earlier at the hospital. "What?"

Ignazio patted Dario on the back and claimed, "It is true, Dario. I only found out myself, but I suppose I always knew because I have experienced this connection since we met."

Maddalena thought about how she had promised Ignazio she would get Ric out when she really had no plans in following through. She secretly hoped Ignazio would forget about Ric, so he could focus his energy in helping his brother, Dario. "It is delightful to see you two already have a pronounced brotherly relationship. I believe you two can come together and save each other."

As Ignazio pulled him into a hug, Dario continued to reel over the discovery that he was a Dimera. His life had completely changed in the last twenty-four hours. He held onto Ignazio feeling he needed his newfound brother to keep his footing.

* * *

><p>After finally getting in contact with Sonny through text messaging, Abigail met up with Sonny at the Horton Town Square. Noting the depressed look on her cousin's face, she knew something bad happened. "Why weren't you at school today? Did something happen?"<p>

Sonny's mind still felt cloudy as to what happened. "Last night, Dario and I went to the Horton Cabin to get away. When we got back this morning, we found out Isobel had died."

Abigail couldn't believe it and felt out of the loop and wondered why Chad and Will never said anything to her. "She did? I guess everyone has been buzzing about Stefano's release that I didn't think to check up on Gabi. I mean it was expected, right?"

Sonny nodded his head. "Yeah. I feel so bad because when Dario and I first found out about Isobel's death, my first worry went to my relationship with Dario. I thought about all the times we hurt each other, and I remembered when Dario left his mother behind so I wouldn't have to go to Colorado alone. I kept him away from his mother then, and afterwards all hell broke loose because of my affair with him. I walked away from him then because of the guilt of what I did to Kai, but I was an idiot because I knew the love I had for Dario."

Sonny shook his head in disappointment. "Dario was great, for the most part, and even took the blame from me when I told him I wanted to tell Kai the truth. He wanted me to have a clear conscience. He still cared about me, so I had to do the same thing for him. Maybe if I hadn't picked Kai over him, things could have been different. Dario would have had more time with his mother to see the truth, but it was too late, and I had to try to clear his conscience. Now Dario and I are officially over."

Abigail gave her cousin an apprehensive look. "What did you do?"

Sonny questioned his ability to forget his love for Dario. "I tried to take his guilt away by taking the blame for him not being there when his mother died. I figured if I tried to help him through his mother's death while at his side, I would only make things worse. I think I made things worse regardless because I made him focus on me instead of his mother – who he should be focused on now."

Abigail reflected on her own situation in connection to Sonny's situation with Dario. "I think I know what you mean. It's probably best for Josh that he left because my dad and I have a long road ahead of us. If Josh remained here for me, I would have made things worse. Maybe like me, you have something you need to do before you can be happy."

Sonny looked down and shared, "I don't think I am meant to be happy."

Abigail grabbed Sonny's hand on the table hoping to encourage him. "You don't know what's going to happen, Sonny. Maybe the timing just isn't right between you and Dario. Perhaps both of you need to settle some things before you can get back together. Sometimes you have to let someone go to know if they were really yours at all."

"That's some good advice," Chelsea said walking up. After taking a seat with Abigail and Sonny, she let out a defeated sigh. "That was me speaking as a friend, and not a therapist just so we're clear."

Taking note of Chelsea's demeanor, Abigail asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Chelsea thought back to when she received a letter in the pub that morning. She shook her head in disappointment and announced, "I am being investigated by the licensing board for practicing unethically. I could lose my license to practice therapy."

"What?" Both Sonny and Abigail were surprised to hear this.

Chelsea nodded her head to confirm they heard correctly. "I received a letter this morning. I am as confused as to why this is happening, but this definitely messes with my plans. Looks like I can't go back to London and work until all of this is cleared up."

Sonny and Abigail traded glances. "We had no idea you were even thinking about leaving Salem."

"Well, it doesn't even matter now," Chelsea said putting her plans behind her.

Abigail looked over her best friend and cousin. She knew she needed to do something before they all brought each other down. "I've got an idea. We should have a sleep over at my place, so we can keep our minds off things. What do you say?"

Sonny and Chelsea lit up at the idea. They were clearly in.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Marco led Stefano to the pier after making sure the coast was clear. Turning to his boss, Marco stopped Stefano from moving anymore. "Stay here, Mr. Dimera. I am going to check the rest of the area out and then make sure the boat is safe to board."<p>

Stefano stopped Marco from leaving just yet. "Marco, I want you to stay with my family and protect them. You won't be joining me on the ship, so I hope you know your services have been greatly appreciated."

Marco gave Stefano a look of great respect. "Mr. Dimera, it has been an honor to work for you. I want you to know this if I never see you again."

"Everything will be as it should," Stefano stated calmly.

Marco turned to leave but showed hesitation. "Are you okay by yourself?" he asked as he turned his head.

Stefano nodded his head and watched as Marco disappeared into the darkness. He pulled his coat closed trying to beat the cold air. Glancing at his watch, he hoped his children would arrive before he left Salem.

Maddalena walked out from the darkness startling her brother. "Staying true to character, I see," she commented. "You have brought this family to shame. Your stain on the Dimera family legacy has made it so we are unable to elevate in the right direction."

Stefano did not have the patience to deal with his youngest sister. "I do not have time for your guilt trips. Did you come here for any other reason?"

Placing her hands in her coat pockets, Maddalena moved her head so the wind would guide her cedar red hair from her face. "I am here to prove your innocence caro fratello. I cannot allow this crime you are apparently guilty of tarnish the Dimera name anymore," she claimed.

Finally turning towards his sister, he gave his sister an apprehensive look. "There is always a price when you do a favor for me."

"Even though you are quite the evil maniac, you are right, Stefano." Maddalena's voice suddenly became more terrifyingly dark. "There is a price." Pulling a knife similar to Ric's from her pocket, she quickly stabbed Stefano in his stomach causing him to fall over on the ground.

Stefano cowered in pain as he demanded, "What is this, Maddalena?"

Maddalena stood over her brother responding, "I have done a fine job in bringing the family closer, have I not? I told you what I had planned when you confronted me about Kate. Do you remember?"

Stefano looked deep into his baby sister's eyes feeling completely betrayed. "You are responsible for everything," he grunted. "How were you able to get Abe into my basement?"

After dropping the knife on the ground, Maddalena began to dig through her purse as she continued to school her brother on the situation. "That does not matter because unlike you, I don't like to gloat in front of my enemies. With you out of the picture, I can now mold the family in the right direction. Unfortunately, first I need to clear you of all the crimes you are being charged with. I need to clean up the mess I created, but with your death that will be easy. You will become a martyr, and everyone will realize you were falsely accused." Pulling out a syringe, she took off the cap.

"What is that?"

Maddalena gave Stefano a conniving smile. "It should look familiar to you. My son, André, used it a lot on you to help you survive all those life-threatening situations."

Stefano continued to hold his wound and gave Maddalena a confused look. "But I thought you wanted me dead."

Stabbing Stefano with the syringe, Maddalena explained, "I can't be the one to kill you. Nature must take its course! You are going to wake up six feet under ground because everyone will believe you are dead." After throwing the syringe in the water, she stood up and gave her brother one last look. "Goodbye, Stefano. I will take good care of the family now."

Stefano threw his head back as Maddalena disappeared into the darkness again. He wondered what was taking Marco so long, but he hoped he would arrive soon before the drug rendered him unconscious. Stefano's ears perked up when he heard footsteps coming towards him. "Marco?" he let out clearly weaker.

Chad and Will arrived at the pier and began to head down a stair case when they saw Stefano on the ground in pain. Lexie and EJ, who were on their way to the pier, had convinced Chad to come since the two of them decided to meet their father there before he left town. Chad immediately froze at the sight of his father because it reminded him of when his mother died on the pier and when Will was discovered on the pier. His most recent nightmare replayed in his mind as he remembered when his doppelgänger informed him he was the beast.

"Chad? What are you doing?" Will asked as he shook Chad. "We need to help your dad."

After Chad broke out of his trance, he and Will rushed down the stairs to Stefano. "Father, what's going on? What happened?"

Stefano raised his shaky hand and placed it on Chad's cheek. Looking into his youngest son's eyes, he was reminded of how much he messed things up for his children. He knew he was about to pass out and didn't have much time left. Thinking about his last conversation with Chad on the phone, he said, "I always wanted you to be your own man but not like this."

Confused by the whole situation, tears fell down Chad's face. Holding onto Stefano's hand on his face, he yelled, "Father? Dad? Dad?!"

Will knelt down with Chad and could see Stefano's eyes were closed. It looked like Stefano was no longer breathing, but the blood from his wound was still flowing. "Should we check his pulse?"

Lexie and EJ arrived and rushed over when they saw Will and Chad sitting over Stefano's body. Lexie went into doctor mode as she began to check Stefano's pulse. "What happened?"

Chad stood up with Will trying to make sense of what he just walked into. "I don't know. He was on the ground holding his stomach. It looks like he's been stabbed."

As EJ asked Lexie if Stefano was alright, Marco arrived. Seeing Stefano on the ground, he didn't understand how this could have happened. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know," Chad helplessly answered before spotting the knife on the ground. "Look. That must have been used to stab him."

EJ looked over to the knife but made sure not to touch it yet because he didn't want his fingerprints on the weapon. He recognized it immediately. "That is the same knife the cops have as evidence against our father. I don't understand – someone else could be responsible."

Will pulled out his phone wanting to help anyway he could. "I'll call 911."

EJ stood up and stopped Will from doing anything. "We can't call 911. We are going to have to take care of this ourselves."

Chad gave EJ a confused look because now it appeared their father had been set up. "How are we going to do that?"

EJ realized he needed to get Chad and Will out of there. "You two go home now. Lexie, Marco, and I will take care of this. We'll call you when the sun comes out."

Will placed his phone in his pocket and grabbed Chad's arm. "Let's go, Chad. They've got this."

Lexie looked up from Stefano's body and declared, "He's dead. I've checked everything, but I think he's dead." Even though she had been so angry with her father, this was the last thing she wanted to see happen.

EJ could see Chad didn't want to leave. "Chad, please go. We will take care of this."

Will pulled a distraught Chad away.

After instructing Marco to get a car and some men, EJ rejoined Lexie next to their father. He didn't have time to let Stefano's death sink in. He needed to hold everything together. "Are you certain he's dead?"

Lexie checked Stefano's pulse again while looking Stefano's wound over. "I keep thinking about how we thought Will was dead, but father is not showing those same signs that I caught on with Will. I don't know what happened out here, but we will need to come up with a cover story on father's sudden disappearance if you don't want to call 911."

EJ looked his father over and thought of the numerous possibilities of what could have happened. "We will figure things out at the mansion."

Marco arrived with some men. "Mr. Dimera, what do you want us to do?"

After standing up, EJ helped Lexie to her feet. "Help me get the body to your vehicle. We are taking him to the mansion, and we'll go from there."

Lexie grabbed EJ's arm clearly concerned with his plan. "EJ, are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

EJ didn't have time for second guesses. "Please call Samantha and tell her to keep the kids and Kate upstairs." Lexie stepped back as she watched EJ, Marco, and the rest of the men crowd around Stefano's body.

* * *

><p>Chad and Will arrived to their empty apartment. Will closed the door unsure of how to help Chad because he was clearly falling apart from what they just witnessed. "Chad?"<p>

Chad harshly rubbed the tears from his face. "He's dead, Will! My father is dead!"

Will pulled Chad into a hug figuring that was the best thing he could do for him. "It's going to be okay, Chad. I've got you."

Chad pulled Will close as he complained, "I know now my father wasn't guilty. I can't believe someone took Stefano down. I did this. I should have believed him. I could have talked him into staying here. He did love me."

Will began to tear up because it was hard to see Chad so distraught and lost. Trying to calm him, he shared, "This isn't your fault, Chad. Terrible things happen all the time..."

Chad pulled away and headed for their bedroom. Will followed suit as Chad exclaimed, "We need to get out of here. We have to get out of town because Salem isn't safe anymore."

Helping Chad with the bags they packed earlier, Will believed Chad just wanted to stick to their original plan of heading out for the weekend. Maybe this was what Chad needed. "Okay. Let's go. Let's just grab our bags and leave earlier than planned."

After taking their bags downstairs and packing up the car, Chad and Will headed out of town. Will made sure to send Sonny a text to let him know where they were going.

After some time, Will looked to Chad, who was driving, and questioned if that was a good idea. "Chad, are you okay to drive? I can take over if you need me to. We've been on the road for more than an hour."

Chad kept his eyes on the road. "No, I'm fine. I would rather focus on this than what happened back there."

"Well, if you get to a point..."

"I can do this," Chad interrupted feeling agitated. He quickly realized he had snapped at Will. "I'm sorry."

Will backed off. He did not want to push Chad's buttons and start something. He wanted things to stay peaceful between them, so they could move past the drama they had experienced over the last few months.

Turning to the road, Will spotted a road sign coming up and realized they weren't heading where he thought they were. Turning back to Chad, he asked, "Where are we going? I thought we were headed to the Green Mountain Lodge. We're headed in the opposite direction."

Chad didn't show any signs of concern as he informed Will, "We are headed for our future – somewhere away from Salem – for good."

Will looked down and shook his head. He realized Chad had no intention of returning to Salem and had tricked him into believing they were only leaving for the weekend. "What are you talking about? Where are we headed?"

Chad didn't want to have this conversation. He heard Will's favorite song come on, so he turned up the radio. "'It Will Rain' is on. Let's just sing along and enjoy our time on the road." He hoped the song would keep them from arguing about his plan and appease Will at the same time.

Will tried to hold it together, but he did not appreciate being shut down and disregarded. He lowered the volume of the radio and yelled, "I cannot leave my family."

Chad groaned and turned up the song again. "We will be each other's family from this point on since everyone wants us to break up anyway."

Will couldn't take it anymore and spit out, "That's because of what happened to Mia and the fact that you came out and people started speculating that I was some kind of whore! There's no turning back, Chad, and running away is not the answer either!"

Chad's thoughts began to fill with memories of the conversations he had with Will. He remembered talking to Will in their bedroom about how they couldn't go back to the friendship they had before they started dating because they were in new territory. Chad took his eyes off the road to glance at Will. He questioned their ability to survive this because Will was closed off, and he had closed himself off in some ways, too. He really did mess up Will's life, and that thought caused him to start reflecting on the nightmare he had almost twenty-four hours ago.

Returning his gaze to the road, Chad realized he needed to take control of the situation again. "Will, I am going to make it up to you. I'm going to fix everything."

Will felt completely dismissed by Chad's response and finally turned off the radio completely. He decided to call Chad on it. "You're alienating me here, Chad! You're treating me like I can't do anything on my own or even help! I am a man, too! I don't necessarily swoon to all your romanticisms and clichés!"

"So you do have a problem with what I say to you," Chad called Will out. "I know I can say the corniest things, but I do mean what I say. Do you not believe me when I say those things? Are you being genuine with me when you say corny comments?"

Will looked down feeling bad for making a comment about Chad's corniness. He grabbed the back of his neck and decided to be honest about them. "When you say stuff like that or open doors for me, I feel uncomfortable. It seems to me like you're talking to me or treating me like a girl. In the back of my mind, I question if you've used those lines on girls. Have you?"

Offended, Chad couldn't even answer Will's question. He shook his head and remained silent keeping his eyes on the road. He figured this was his only option at this point to keep control of the situation.

Will dropped his hand in frustration, but then took a deep breath because he realized he was pushing Chad too hard on this. He reminded himself that Stefano had just died, and Chad was running on fumes. "Chad, I'm sorry. I should not have yelled at you about everything. I'm not mad at you for what happened with Mia or the rumors spreading around about my character. Can we just put this on hold and deal with this beast when things have calmed down?"

Chad wanted to hold Will's hand when he began to apologize but hearing the word 'beast' caused Chad to remember the last moments of his most recent nightmare. He knew he needed to do whatever to protect Will. He thought about the time he felt hurt because Dario revealed the closeness between Sonny and Will outside of Chez Rouge. He had no right to feel that way because he was hiding Mia from Will. He then thought about how Will admitted to him that T propositioned him, but he failed to tell Will about the many times Mia propositioned him. There were no tears coming from his face, but Chad was crying inside. He had told his brother before he was aware of the fact that Will deserved better because of all the lies he told Will. He knew he would have to lie one more time.

Taking an exit off the highway, Chad found a gas station to pull into. Will wondered if Chad had changed his mind and let out a sigh of relief. Chad turned to Will and claimed, "I don't love you, Will. I was just using you, so I wouldn't feel miserable and lonely."

Caught off guard by Chad's declaration, Will asked, "Where is this coming from?"

Chad pulled away when Will tried to grab his hand. "Just stop. I know you don't want to talk about her, but I think it's time we cleared the air about Mia. I really messed up with Mia, and I felt guilty as hell when you found out about her because of what happened to you on the pier. I did whatever I could to make sure you came back to me, but I don't love you. I'm straight, Will. That's why I kept Mia from you."

Will still didn't believe Chad because it all didn't add up. "I don't understand what you're doing here, Chad. If you really are straight, how were we able to have sex? Did I turn you gay?"

Chad turned away from Will. "I was never gay, Will. I was just horny and lonely. That's it. Don't you remember what happened last night when we tried to have sex? I couldn't go through with it because I'm disgusted with myself for what I did with you."

Will looked away from Chad. Water began to form in his eyes. "No." He didn't want to believe what Chad was saying, but it still hurt like hell.

Chad hated this, but he needed to keep pushing Will away. "I attached to you because I grew up as an only child. I couldn't stand to be alone when Mia left for New York. Then we got too close."

Will didn't let Chad continue and turned to him where he sat. "No, Chad! Stop this right now. You can't rewrite what happened to us. You did that press conference and came out for me. When I woke up, I felt your love – it was real!"

Chad forced himself to roll his eyes at Will to put off his boyfriend. "I told you, I did whatever I could to bring you back because your parents and my brother were extremely upset with me. I did feel guilty for putting you there, so that was real. As for the romantic love and the sex, I've been faking it this entire time, but faking it for you is now too much work."

Will began to shake his head because he was stunned by Chad's words. "No, Chad. Don't do this to me. Why are you doing this to me? Why are you tearing me apart?"

Chad almost lost his control when he saw the pain in Will's eyes. Looking away, he commented, "Will, you've always been the stronger one in this relationship or whatever this really was. I know you will survive because that's all you've done your whole life, so I am doing you a favor here."

What Chad was saying to him started to seep into the realm of possibilities for Will. "You're doing me a favor?" he asked in a serene but broken tone. "I think you're doing yourself a favor by running away. I don't know though. Maybe you never did love me."

Chad swallowed hard as he stated his final blow, "I don't, Will. That's what I am trying to tell you. I figure being alone at this point would be more pleasurable than being with you."

Will couldn't take it anymore. He opened the car door and grabbed most of his things from the trunk, which Chad had popped for him. He had never felt more betrayed in his life. Before Chad could rush off, Will decided to say one last thing. "My family has tried over and over to warn me about you, Chad, but until now, I never understood their hatred for you. I am not going anywhere with you – ever! Stay the hell away from me! You're a monster!"

Chad watched as Will turned his back on him. He turned his head fighting back the tears that desperately wanted to come out. He thought about how he was so focused on how Will's family seemed to hate him, but that focus blinded him. The truth was he hated himself. He was the beast. Unable to just sit there, he put his car in first gear and drove off into the unknown.

Will turned around to watch Chad's car disappear into the darkness. Wiping his eyes after putting his bags down, he reached for his cell phone to call someone to pick him up. It was 2am. Life had altered.

**THE END [ /_37-akeF5Mw]**

_Thanks for reading! Stay tuned..._


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